TNNT2 Human, His

Cardiac muscle troponin T is a crucial protein involved in the regulation of cardiac muscle contraction. It is part of the troponin complex, which includes three subunits: troponin C, troponin I, and troponin T. This complex plays a vital role in the calcium-mediated regulation of muscle contraction in striated muscles, including the heart.

Troponin T is the tropomyosin-binding subunit of the troponin complex. It anchors the troponin complex to the thin filament of the muscle fiber, allowing for the regulation of muscle contraction in response to changes in intracellular calcium ion concentration. When calcium ions bind to troponin C, a conformational change occurs in the troponin complex, leading to the movement of tropomyosin away from the myosin-binding sites on actin filaments. This allows myosin heads to bind to actin, resulting in muscle contraction .

Recombinant human cardiac muscle troponin T is produced using Escherichia coli expression systems. The recombinant protein is typically tagged with a polyhistidine (His) tag to facilitate purification and detection. The His tag is a sequence of histidine residues that binds strongly to nickel ions, allowing for easy purification using nickel-affinity chromatography .

Recombinant human cardiac muscle troponin T is widely used in research and diagnostic applications. It is commonly used in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to detect and quantify troponin levels in biological samples. Elevated levels of cardiac troponin T in the blood are a well-established biomarker for myocardial infarction (heart attack) and other cardiac injuries .

Mutations in the gene encoding cardiac muscle troponin T (TNNT2) have been associated with various cardiomyopathies, including familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy. These mutations can lead to altered calcium sensitivity and impaired muscle contraction, contributing to the development of heart disease .