Muscle-Specific Calpain, p94, Interacts with the Extreme C-Terminal Region of Connectin, a Unique Region Flanked by Two Immunoglobulin C2 Motifs

Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we have recently reported that skeletal muscle-specific calpain, p94, binds specifically to connectin (or titin), a gigantic muscle elastic protein. Connectin has at least two binding sites for p94; one is at the N2-line region and the other is at the extreme C-terminus. In order to analyze the interaction between p94 and the C-terminus of connectin, we examined the C-terminal sequence of human skeletal muscle connectin. The sequence was essentially identical to that of heart muscle reported by Labeit and Kolmerer (1995,Science270, 293–296), and the minimal binding site for p94 contained two IgC2 motifs and the intervening sequence called “M-is7.” The exon encoding M-is7 is reported to be alternatively spliced depending on muscle tissues, resulting in the existence of both types of connectin with and without M-is7. However, the C-terminal region of connectin bound to p94 through M-is7. Our results suggest that the interaction between p94 and the C-terminus of skeletal muscle-type connectin is involved in tissue-specific myofibriogenesis.