Exposure to blue light (<488 nm) rapidly inactivates the inhibitory action of blebbistatin on myosin motility and reverses its inhibition of cytokinetic ring contraction in cells.
Blebbistatin is a small molecule inhibitor discovered in a screen for inhibitors of nonmuscle myosin IIA. Blebbistatin inhibits the actin-activated MgATPase activity and in vitro motility of class II myosins. In cells, it has been shown to inhibit contraction of the cytokinetic ring. Blebbistatin has some photochemical properties that may affect its behavior in cells. In particular, we have found that exposure to light at wavelengths below 488 nm rapidly inactivates the inhibitory action of blebbistatin using the in vitro motility of myosin as an assay. In addition, the inhibition of cytokinetic ring contraction can be reversed by exposure of the cells to blue light. This property may be useful in locally reversing the action of blebbistatin treatment in a cell. However, caution should be exercised as free radicals may be produced upon irradiation of blebbistatin that could result in cell damage.
Sakamoto et al. (Thu,) reported a other. Blebbistatin and blue light exposure (<488 nm) was evaluated on Inhibitory action of blebbistatin on in vitro motility of myosin and cytokinetic ring contraction. Exposure to blue light (<488 nm) rapidly inactivates the inhibitory action of blebbistatin on myosin motility and reverses its inhibition of cytokinetic ring contraction in cells.