Cryo-EM reveals how cardiomyopathy therapeutic drugs modulate the myosin motors of the heart
Somavarapu, Arun Kumar ; Ge, Jinghua ; Yengo, Christopher M ; Craig, Roger ; Padron, Raul
Student Authors
Faculty Advisor
Academic Program
UMass Chan Affiliations
Document Type
Publication Date
Keywords
Subject Area
Collections
Files
Embargo Expiration Date
Link to Full Text
Abstract
Genetic mutations in myosin, the motor protein that powers the heartbeat, are linked to inherited hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies. Mavacamten and omecamtiv mecarbil are therapeutic, myosin-targeted drugs designed to treat these myopathies, but their mechanism of action has remained unclear. Using single-particle cryo-EM, we determined near-atomic resolution structures of wild-type, mavacamten-bound, and omecamtiv mecarbil-bound myosin molecules. Across all conditions, we observe two distinct, alternate conformations of myosin, not previously reported. We show how mavacamten stabilizes one conformation by reinforcing key electrostatic interfaces in the molecule, whereas omecamtiv mecarbil weakens these interfaces, favoring the second structure. This remodeling elucidates previously unclear allosteric mechanisms through which these drugs either inhibit or enhance myosin activity, countering the deleterious impacts of disease. These findings reveal how drugs modulate myosin structure to control cardiac contractility.
Source
Somavarapu AK, Ge J, Yengo CM, Craig R, Padron R. Cryo-EM reveals how cardiomyopathy therapeutic drugs modulate the myosin motors of the heart. Sci Adv. 2026 May;12(18):eaed6472. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aed6472. Epub 2026 Apr 29. PMID: 42054467; PMCID: PMC13127576.
Year of Medical School at Time of Visit
Sponsors
Dates of Travel
DOI
Permanent Link to this Item
PubMed ID
Other Identifiers
Notes
Funding and Acknowledgements
Corresponding Author
Related Resources
This article is based on a previously available preprint in bioRxiv, https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.29.685122.