In: Anatomy and Physiology
For each of the following hypothetical situations identify which type of muscle tissue would be most affected and what effect you would see in cell/tissue function. Justify your response with an explanation of your reasoning.
A miscoding of the titin protein gene
A miscoding of the calmodulin protein gene
1) Miscoding of titin. Titin is a protien that provides elasticity to the skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle. It would most affect the cardiac muscle. Normal titin provides elasticity. When the muscle gets more stretched, it is recoiled back to original length and damage is prevented. When titin is miscoded, the elasticity is lost and stretch keeps on occuring and there is no elastic recoil. The muscle cannot come back to original length and damage occurs which is a permanent one. Stretch causes further stretch. This is seen in a condition known as Dilated cardiomyopathy.
2) Miscoding of calmodulin. Calmodulin is present in smooth muscles. It is functionally synonymous with Troponin C in skeletal muscle. It's function is to bind to Calcium in the smooth muscles and contraction occurs. it is miscoded, the Calcium cannot bind to it and it will be able to contract. So it will cause muscle dysfunction.