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Small-angle X-ray scattering from myosin heads in relaxed and rigor frog skeletal muscles

Abstract

Low-angle X-ray diffraction patterns from relaxed and non-overlap rigor muscles show a central region of diffuse scattering (disk) which is circularly symmetrical, behaves as solution scattering and comes predominantly from myosin heads. In full-overlap rigor the disk is compressed in the diagonal direction, indicating that the myosin heads have a bent shape and a preferred orientation consistent with a 45° angle of attachment to actin.

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Poulsen, F., Lowy, J. Small-angle X-ray scattering from myosin heads in relaxed and rigor frog skeletal muscles. Nature 303, 146–152 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/303146a0

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