Solutions used for the mechanical recordings (ionic strength: 180 mM, pH: 7.0).

<p>Concentrations are presented in mM.</p

Mechanical parameters of fibers from Tg(<i>ACTA1</i>)^Asp286Gly and wild-type mice during steady-state isometric contractions.

<p>Due to a type IIb muscle fiber predominance in the EDL muscles, the comparison was restricted to cells expressing the type IIb MyHC isoform. ^# indicates a significant difference when compared with wild-type animals (p<0.05). For each parameter, n represents the number of tested fibers.</p

Actomyosin complex in presence of Asp286Gly.

<p>General [A] and particular view [B] of the actin residues with modified energies (non-bonded and electrostatic interactions). The actomyosin model used here was originally designed by Lorenz and Holmes <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045923#pone.0045923-Lorenz1" target="_blank">[17]</a>.</p

Myosin cross-bridge in presence of Asp286Gly, Glu205Asp and Asp292Val.

<p>General [A] and particular view [B] of the modified regions. The model was originally designed by Lorenz and Holmes <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0045923#pone.0045923-Lorenz1" target="_blank">[17]</a>. Changes related to Asp286Gly appear in red, those associated to Asp292Val in black and the ones linked to Glu205Asp in pink.</p

Typical stiffness data.

<p>[A] represents the peak force-length change relationships as well as the resultant y₀-force curve of fibers from a wild-type animal (•) and from a Tg(<i>ACTA1</i>)^Asp286Gly mouse (○).</p

Energy of non-bonded and electrostatic interactions in the actomyosin complex in the presence or absence of the Asp286Gly mutation.

<p>The energy unit is kJ.mol⁻¹. Energy computations were done in vacuo with the GROMOS96 implementation of Swiss PDB Viewer and without reaction field.</p

Actomyosin content in presence of Asp286Gly.

<p>It depicts the myosin to actin ratio. Values are presented as means (bars are standard errors) and ▪ correspond to data from from wild-type mice whereas □ are from Tg(<i>ACTA1</i>)^Asp286Gly mice.</p

Animal treatment.

<p>MV (mechanical ventilation), sepsis (endotoxemia was induced by a continuous infusion of Escherichia coli endotoxin), NMBA (neuromuscular blocking agent, i.e., continuous infusion of rocuronium, 25 mg·h⁻¹), CS (corticosteroid given as bolus doses of hydrocortisone 50 mg, ×3 daily) and ALL (MV+CS+sepsis+NMBA). N: number of animals; BE: base excess; PP: peak pressure.</p

Myosin∶actin ratios.

<p>Values for day 1 (empty colored bars) and day 5 (hatched colored bars) from mechanically ventilated/sedated/immobilized (MV group) piglets, MV together with neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA group), MV together with corticosteroid administration (CS group), MV together an endotoxin-induced sepsis (sepsis), and MV together with sepsis, CS and NMBA (ALL group). Data are presented as means ± SEMs.</p

Single muscle fibre size and contractile function.

<p>Cross-sectional area (CSA), specific force (maximal force production normalized to CSA) and maximum unloaded shortening velocity (V₀). Values for day 1 (empty colored bars) and day 5 (hatched colored bars) from mechanically ventilated/sedated/immobilized (MV group) piglets, MV together with neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA group), MV together with corticosteroid administration (CS group), MV together an endotoxin-induced sepsis (sepsis), and MV together with sepsis, CS and NMBA (ALL group). Data are presented as means ± SEMs. Asterisk denotes a statistically significant difference compared with day 1 (p<0.05).</p