Myosin Binding Protein-C: A Regulator of Actomyosin Interaction in Striated Muscle

Myosin-Binding protein-C (MyBP-C) is a family of accessory proteins of striated muscles that contributes to the assembly and stabilization of thick filaments, and regulates the formation of actomyosin cross-bridges, via direct interactions with both thick myosin and thin actin filaments. Three distinct MyBP-C isoforms have been characterized; cardiac, slow skeletal, and fast skeletal. Numerous mutations in the gene for cardiac MyBP-C (cMyBP-C) have been associated with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC) and have led to increased interest in the regulation and roles of the cardiac isoform. This review will summarize our current knowledge on MyBP-C and its role in modulating contractility, focusing on its interactions with both myosin and actin filaments in cardiac and skeletal muscles.