MYL3 polyclonal antibody

Myosin, the major component of thick muscle filaments, is a long asymmetric molecule containing a globular head and a long tail. Activation of smooth and cardiac/ventricular muscle primarily involves pathways which increase calcium and myosin phosphorylation, resulting in contraction. Myosin in vertebrate striated muscle is composed of two heavy chains and four light chains. There are two distinct types of light chains: the phosphorylatable, regulatory or MLC2 type; and the nonphosphorylatable, alkali or MLC1 and MLC3 types. Myosin light chain phosphatase acts to regulate muscle contraction by de-phosphorylating activated myosin light chain. The role of myosin alkali light chains in vertebrate skeletal muscle is poorly understood, although alkali light chains in smooth muscle may be involved with the active site of myosin. Several isoforms of myosin alkali light chains have been identified, encoded by a family of myosin light chain genes. Each is associated with different muscle types. Human myosin light chain can be used as a cardiac marker. Myosin light chain 3, encoded by MYL3, is an alkali light chain also referred to as both the ventricular isoform (MLC1v) and slow skeletal muscle isoform. Myosin light chain 3 proteins in human and mouse share 91% sequence identity overall.