Mutations of hydrophobic residues in the N-terminal domain of troponin C affect calcium binding and exchange with the troponin C-troponin I96-148 complex and muscle force production.

Interactions between troponin C and troponin I play a critical role in the regulation of skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation. We individually substituted 27 hydrophobic Phe, Ile, Leu, Val, and Met residues in the regulatory domain of the fluorescent troponin C(F29W) with polar Gln to examine the effects of these mutations on: (a) the calcium binding and dynamics of troponin C(F29W) complexed with the regulatory fragment of troponin I (troponin I(96-148)) and (b) the calcium sensitivity of force production. Troponin I(96-148) was an accurate mimic of intact troponin I for measuring the calcium dynamics of the troponin C(F29W)-troponin I complexes. The calcium affinities of the troponin C(F29W)-troponin I(96-148) complexes varied approximately 243-fold, whereas the calcium association and dissociation rates varied approximately 38- and approximately 33-fold, respectively. Interestingly, the effect of the mutations on the calcium sensitivity of force development could be better predicted from the calcium affinities of the troponin C(F29W)-troponin I(96-148) complexes than from that of the isolated troponin C(F29W) mutants. Most of the mutations did not dramatically affect the affinity of calcium-saturated troponin C(F29W) for troponin I(96-148). However, the Phe(26) to Gln and Ile(62) to Gln mutations led to >10-fold lower affinity of calcium-saturated troponin C(F29W) for troponin I(96-148), causing a drastic reduction in force recovery, even though these troponin C(F29W) mutants still bound to the thin filaments. In conclusion, elucidating the determinants of calcium binding and exchange with troponin C in the presence of troponin I provides a deeper understanding of how troponin C controls signal transduction.