LMM in biology stands for Light Meromyosin, which is the tail portion of the myosin protein.
Myosin is a motor protein that plays a crucial role in muscle contraction and various other cellular processes. The myosin molecule is composed of two main regions:
- Heavy Meromyosin (HMM): This region consists of the globular head and a short portion of the tail. The globular head contains the actin-binding site and the ATPase activity, which is responsible for hydrolyzing ATP to generate the energy required for movement.
- Light Meromyosin (LMM): This region forms the long, rod-like tail of the myosin molecule. It is primarily responsible for the self-assembly of myosin molecules into thick filaments, which are essential for muscle contraction.
In summary, LMM represents the tail domain of the myosin protein that facilitates its assembly into filaments. It does not possess ATPase activity or directly interact with actin, unlike the HMM region.
