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Name: Lorenzo Alamo
Citizenship: Venezuelan
Postal address: IVIC Biología Estructural, Apdo. 21827, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela.
FAX: (28-0212) 504 1444
E-Mail: alamo@ivic.gob.ve
WWW Home page URL: http://cbe.ivic.gob.ve/

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    Education

• 1971-1976 Instituto Escuela High School, Caracas, Venezuela.
• 1977-1984 Central University of Venezuela, Science Faculty, Biology School, Caracas, Venezuela.
• 1984 Lic. Biology.

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    Career

• 1981-1984 Laboratory Assistant at Animal Physiology Lab., Central University of Venezuela, Science Faculty, Biology School, Caracas, Venezuela.
• 1982-1985 Assistant Student, Muscle Biophysic Laboratory, Biophysics and Biochemistry Center (CBB), The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC).
• 1985-1990 Research Associate, Muscle Biophysic Laboratory, Biophysics and Biochemistry Center (CBB), The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC)
• 1991-1998   Research Associate, Structural Biology Laboratory, Biophysics and Biochemistry Center (CBB), The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC).
• Present Position
  1998-   Research Associate, Structural Biology Department, (DBE), The Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC).

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    Awards

• Biological Sciences 1985 Annual Prize of Venezuelan Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICIT), for the work entitled: "Determination of intracellular ionic calcium in skeletal muscles fibers with calcium micro- electrodes".
• Biological Sciences 1989 Annual Prize of Venezuelan Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICIT), for the work entitled: "A method for quick-freezing live mus- cles at known instants during interaction with simultaneous recording of mechanical tension", published in J. Microsc. 151(2):81-102 (1988).
• Biological Sciences 1996 Annual Prize of Venezuelan Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICIT), for the work entitled: "Three-dimensional reconstruction of thick filaments from rapidly frozen, freeze-substituted tarantula muscle", published in J. Structural Biology. 115(3):250-257 (1995).
• Biological Sciences 2006 Annual Prize of Venezuelan Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), for the work entitled: "Atomic Model of a Myosin Filament in the Relaxed State", published in Nature, 436:1195-1199, 2005.

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    Publications

• Alamo, L., Padron, R., Craig, R., Caputo, C. (1987). Metodo para el congelamiento rapido en nitrogeno o helio liquido de musculo en contraccion tetamica. Acta Cient. Venez. 38(4):513-514.
• Lopez, J. R., Allen, P., Alamo, L., Sreter, F. (1987). Dantrolene prevents the malignant hyperthermic syndrome by reducting free intra- cellular calcium concentration in skeletal muscle of susceptible swine. Cell Calcium. 8:385-396.
• Lopez, J.R., Allen, P., Alamo, L., Jones, D., Sreter, F. (1988). Myoplasmic free [Ca2+] during a malignant hyperthermia episode. Muscle & Nerve. 11:82-88.
• Padron, R., Alamo, L., Craig, R., Caputo, C. (1988). A method for quick freezing live muscles at known instants during contraction with simultaneous recording of mechanical tension. J. Microscopy. 151(2):81-102.
• Lopez J.R., Alamo L. (1990). The effect of muscle fatige on myoplas- mic free magnesium concentration. Magnesium Research. 361:210-215.
• Craig R., Padron R., Alamo L. (1991) Direct determination of myosin filaments symmetry in scallop striated adductor muscle by rapid freezing and freeze-substitution. J. Mol. Biol. 220:125-132
• Padron R., Granados M., Alamo L., Guerrero JR., Craig R. Visualizati- on of myosin helices in sections of rapidly frozen relaxed tarantula muscle. J. Estruc. Biol. 108:269-276, 1992.
• Craig R., Alamo L.,Padron R. Structure of the myosin filament of relax and rigor vertebrate striated muscle, study by rapid freezing electron microcopy. J. Mol. Biol. 28: 474-487, 1992.
• Padron R., Rodriguez J., Guerrero J. R., Alamo, L. Fraying of iso- lated thick filaments from Tarantula muscle into subfilaments. Acta Microsc.2(2):85-92, 1993.
• Padron, R., Guerrero, J.R., Alamo, L., Granados, M., Gherbesi, N Craig, R. Direct visualization of myosin filament symmetry in tarantula stria- ted muscle by electron microscopy. J. Struct. Biol. 111:17-21, 1993.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Guerrero J. R., Granados, M., Uman P., Craig R., Three-dimensional reconstruction of thick filaments from rapidly fro- zen, freeze-substituted tarantula muscle. J. Struc. Biol. 115(3):250- 257, 1995.
• San-Blas G., Padrón R., Alamo L. y San-Blas F. Use of morphology index histograms to qunatify popula-tions of the fungal pathogen Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Microbiology: Microbiology 143: 197-202, 1997.
• Padrón, R.; Alamo, L.; Murgich, J. & Craig, R. Towards an atomic model of the thick filament of muscle. J. Mol. Biol. 275: 35-41, 1998.
  Offer G., Knight P. J., Burgess S. A., Alamo L. &.Padrón R. A New Model for the Surface Arrangement of Myosin Molecules in Tarantula Thick Filaments. J. Mol. Biol. 298(2): 239-260, 2000.
• Woodhead, J.L., Fa-Qing Zhao, Craig, R., Egelman, E.H., Alamo, L., Padrón, R. Atomic Model of a Myosin Filament in the Relaxed State. Nature, 436:1195-1199, 2005.
• Padrón, R., Alamo, L. Review: The use of negative staining and cryo-electron microscopy to understand the molecular mechanism of myosin-linked regulation of striated muscle contraction. Acta Microscópica, 13(1y2):14-29, 2004 (published in 2007)

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    Abstracts

• Talhami, H.R., Alamo, L., Guerrero, J.R., Padron, R. (1987). Image processing study of the substructure of the backbone of tarantula thick filaments. Gordon Research Conferences on three dimensional electron microscopy of macromolecules.
• Alamo, L., Lopez, J.R., Caputo, C. (1987). Dantrolene reduces the [Ca2+] increase in streched muscle fibers. Biophys. J. 51:104a.
• Padron, R., Craig, R., Alamo, L., Caputo, C. (1988). A quick- freezing method for the ultrascture study of relaxed, rigor and contracting striated muscle. 3rd. Venezuelan Meeting of Electron Microscopy.
• Padron, R., Craig, R., Alamo, L., Caputo, C. (1988). Ultraestructure of relaxed, rigor and contracting striated muscle by quick freezing. Biophys. J. 53:366a.
• Alamo, L., Padron, R., Guerrero, J. R., Craig, R. (1989). Thin filaments of rabbit skeletal muscle in rigor are in lateral regis- ter. XXXIX AsoVAC Annual Meeting, UCV, Caracas, Venezuela.
• Granados M., Alamo L., Pante N., Craig R., Padron R. (1990) Preservation of the helical structure of myosin heads of relaxed thick filaments from tarantula muscle by quick freezing. 4th Vene- zuelan Meeting of Electron Microscopy. UDO, Cumana, Venezuela.
• Craig R., Padron R., Alamo L., Hidalgo C. Direct determination of rotational symmetry of scallop myosin filaments by rapid freezing electron microscopy. Gordon Research Conferences on Muscle: Contractile Proteins, Tilton School, Tilton, N H., U.S.A., July 1990.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Guerrero J., Craig R. Thin filaments of rabbit skeltal muscle in rigor are in rotational register. Gordon Research Conferences on Muscle: Contractile Proteins, Tilton School, Tilton, New Hampshire, U.S.A., July 1990.
• Craig R., Padron R., Alamo L. Direct determination of scallop myosin filament symmetry by rapid freezing. XXX Annual Meeting. Biophysical Society, San Francisco, Cal. Biophys. J. 59: 577a, 1991.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Guerrero J.R., Craig, R. Thin filaments of ra- bbit skeletal muscle areinrotationalregister. XXX Annual Meeting. Biophysical Society, San Francisco, Cal. Biophys. J. 59:574a, 1991.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Guerrero JR., Craig R. Thin ilaments of rabbit skeletal muscle in rigor are in rotational register. Gordon Research Conferenceson Three-DimensionalElectron Microscopy of macromolecules. New Hampton, New Hampshire USA, Jul., 1991.
• Craig R., Padron R., Alamo L. Direct determination of scallop myosin filament symmetry by rapidfreezing electron microscopy. Gordon Resea- rch Conferences on Three-Dimensional Electron Microscopy of macromole- cules. New Hampton, New Hampshire USA, Jul, 1991.
• Guerrero JR., Granados M., Alamo L., Padron R., Craig R. Visualizati- on of myosin helices in sections ofrapidly frozen, relaxed tarantula muscle. 36 Annual Meeting of Biophysical Society, Biophysical Society and American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Joint Annual Meeting. Houston, Texas, EE.UU. Febrero 913, 1992. Biophysic- al J. 61: 301a, 1992; FASEB J. 6(1): A301, 1992.
• Alamo L.,Guerrero JR., Granados M., Gherbesi N., Craig R., Padron R. Direct determinationofmyosin filament symmetry in tarantula stria- ted muscle by rapid freezing andfreeze-substitution.X European Cong- ress on Electron Microscopy, Granada, Spain, Sep., 1992. Electr. Microsc. 3: 53-54, 1992.
• Alamo L., Padron R., Granados M., Guerrero J.R. Craig R. Three-dimen- sionalreconstruction ofrapidly frozen freeze substituted tarantula muscle: a comparison with negatively stained isolated thick filaments. Gordon Research Conferenceson Three-dimensional Electron Microscopy of Macromolecules. New Hampshire, EE.UU., June 28-July 2, 1993.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Granados M., Guerrero J.R., Craig, R. Three-di- mensional reconstructionofrapidly frozen freeze substituted tarantu- la muscle. Gordon Research Conference on Muscle Contraction, New Ham- pshire, EE.UU., July 19-23, 1993.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Granados M., Guerrero J.R., P. Uman, N. Gherbesi, Craig, R. Three-dimensional reconstruction of thick filaments from rapidly frozen, freeze-substituted tarantula muscle. XXXVIII Annual Meeting. Biophysical Society, New Orlrans, 1994. Biophys. J. 66:A74, 1994.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Guerrero J. R., Granados M., Uman P., Craig R. Three-dimensional reconstruction of thick filaments from rapidly frozen, freeze-substituted tarantula muscle. Gordon Research Conference on Three-dimensional Electron Microscopy of Macromolecules, New Hampton School, New Hampton, New Hampshire, EE.UU., June 25-30, 1995.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Guerrero J. R., Granados M. Backbone sub- structure of crab striated filaments determined by image process- ing of negatively stained cryosections. Gordon Research Confer- ence on Three-dimensional Electron Microscopy of Macromolecules, New Hampton School, New Hampton, New Hampshire, EE.UU., June 25- 30, 1995.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Guerrero J. R., Granados M., Uman P., Craig R. Muscle Thick Filament Structure. 3rd Interamerican Congress on Electron Microscopy. XV Meeting of the Brazilian Society of Electron Microscopy. Caxambu, Brazil. September 2-6, 1995. Acta Microsc. 4(A): 15, 1995.
• Padron R., Alamo L., Craig R. Fitting of Myosin S1 atomic struc- ture to the 3d-reconstruction of negatively stained thick fila- ments. Gordon Research Conference on Muscle: Contractile Pro- teins. Colby-Swayer College, New London, New Hampshire, EE.UU. July 27 - August 2, 1996.
• Offer G., Knight P., Alamo L., Padron R. Building a tarantula thick filament from myosin molecules. Gordon Research Conference on Muscle: Contractile Proteins. Colby-Swayer College, New London, New Hampshire, EE.UU. July 27 - August 2, 1996.
• Padrón, R.; Alamo, L.; Murgich, J. y Craig, R. Fitting of myosin S1 atomic structure to the 3D-reconstruction of negatively stained thick filaments: towards an atomic model of the thick filament. A ser presentado en la Gordon Research Conference on Three Dimensional Electron Microscopy. New England College, New Hampshire, EE.UU. Junio 22-27, 1997.
• Padrón, R., Alamo, L., Guerrero, J. R. y Craig, R. Towards an atomic model of the activation of thick filaments of muscle by the sarcoplasmic reticulum.14th International Congress on Electron Microscopy, Cancun, Mexico.
• Offer, G., Knight, P. J., Burgess, S. A., Alamo, L. y Padrón, R. A new model for tarantula myosin filaments.  Workshop “Structure and function of Molecular Motor”. Apbach, Austria.
• Alamo L., Padrón R., Horowitz R. y Craig R. Frozen-hydrated thick filaments from tarantula muscle. FSU-Structural Biology: 25 Years of CryoEM of Biological Macromolecules, Tallahassee, USA, January 8-9, 1999.
• Padrón, R.; Alamo, L. y Craig, R. Three-dimensional reconstruction of frozen-hydrated thick filaments from tarantula muscle. 43rd Annual Meeting de la Biophysical Society. Baltimore 1999.Biophys. J. 76:A34, 1999.
• Alamo L., Padrón R., Horowitz R. y Craig R. Frozen-hydrated thick filaments from tarantula muscle. Gordon Research Conference on Three-Dimensional Electron Microscopy of macromolecules. New England College, Henniker, New Hampshire. June 20-25, 1999
• Offer, G.; Knight, P. J.; Burgess, S. A.; Alamo, L. Y Padrón, R. A new model for the surface arrangement of myosin molecules in tarantula thick filaments. Gordon Research Conference on Three-Dimensional Electron Microscopy of macromolecules. New England College, Henniker, New Hampshire. June 20-25, 1999.
• Padrón, R., Alamo, L., Guerrero, J. R. The activation of muscle thick filaments. V Interamerican Electron Microscopy Congress. Margarita, October 25-29, 1999.
• Padrón, R., Horowitz, R., Hidalgo, C., Alamo, L. y Craig, R. Enhancing the atomic model of thick filaments of muscle by cryo-electron microscopy. HHMI International Research Scholars Scientific Meeting, HHMI Conference Center and headquarters en Chevy Chase, Maryland, EE.UU. Junio 20-23, 2000.
• Padrón, R., Offer, G., Alamo, L., Medina, R., Guerrero, J. R., Horowitz, R. y Craig, R. Deteminación de la estructura atómica de arreglos supramoleculares por crio-microscopía electrónica y difracción de rayos-X. IV Congreso Iberoamericano de Biofísica, Allicante, España. Octubre 11-14, 2000.
• Alamo, L., Padron, R., Hidalgo, C., Medina, R., Horowitz y Craig, R. Atomic model of thick filaments from striated muscle based on cryo-electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Gordon Research Conference on Three-Dimensional Electron Microscopy of Macromolecules. Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island, EE.UU. Junio 24-29, 2001.
• Hidalgo, C., Medina, R. Padron, R., Alamo, L., Simon, M. y Craig, R Mass measurementand compasition of ntive purified myosin filaments from muscle. 55th Annual Meeting and Symposium Molecular Motors of the Society of the General Physiologists. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Masachussetts, EE.UU. Septiembre 5-9, 2001 .
• Padrón, R., Hidalgo, C., Medina, R., Alamo, L., Horowitz, R., Craig, R. Atomic model of thick filaments from striated muscle based on cryo-electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Alpbach Workshop 2001: Molecular Motors Workshop. Alpbach, Austria. Marzo 31 -  Abril 6, 2001.
• Padrón, R., Hidalgo, C., Medina, R., Alamo, L, Horowitz, R.,  y R. Craig Atomic model of muscle thick filaments based on cryo-electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. HHMI International Research Scholars Scientific Meeting, Junio 20-23, 2001  Vancouver, Canada.
• C. Ramirez, L. Alamo y R. Padron. Mutational and Structural analysis of the gene MYL2 (myosin light chain regulatory-2) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. College on Biophysics: From Molecular Genetics to Structural Biology, Trieste - Italia. 1 -12 Octubre 2001.
• R. Padrón1, J. Wray2, R. Medina1, C. Hidalgo1, L. Alamo1, P. Tonino3, R. Horowitz4, G. Offer5 and R. Craig4. Molecular model of the backbone of the thick filament of tarantula striated muscle. Gordon Research Conference on Muscle: Contractile Proteins. Colby-Sawyer College, New Hampshire, U.S.A. Junio 9-14, 2002.
• R. Padrón, J. Wray, R. Medina, C. Hidalgo, L. Alamo, J. R.Guerrero, P. Tonino, C. Ramirez, R. Horowitz, G. Offer and R. Craig . Molecular model of the thick filament of striated muscle. 2002 HHMI International Research Scholars Meeting, Palm Cove, Australia. Junio 23-28, 2002
• R. Padrón, J. Wray, R. Medina, C. Hidalgo, L. Alamo, P. Tonino, R. Horowitz, G. Offer and R. Craig. Molecular model of the backbone of the thick filament of tarantula striated muscle. Gordon Research Conference on Muscle: Contractile Proteins. Colby-Sawyer College, New Hampshire, U.S.A. Junio 9-14, 2002.
• R. Padrón, J. Wray, R. Medina, C. Hidalgo, L. Alamo, J. R.Guerrero, P. Tonino, C. Ramirez, R. Horowitz, G. Offer and R. Craig . Molecular model of the thick filament of striated muscle. 2002 HHMI International Research Scholars Meeting, Palm Cove, Australia. Junio 23-28, 2002.
• Raúl Padrón, Rodrigo Medina, Carlos Hidalgo, Lorenzo Alamo, Jose Reinaldo Guerrero, Paola Tonino y Carlos Ramirez. Modelo molecular del filamento grueso de músculo y su importancia para dilucidar las bases moleculares de la cardiomiopatía hipertrófica medioventricular. X Congreso Venezolano de Microscopía Electrónica, Maracaibo, Venezuela. 13-16 Octubre, 2002.
• Hidalgo, C., Alamo, L., Craig, R. y Padrón, R. Efecto del pH y la fuerza iónica sobre la estructura del filamento grueso del músculo estriado de tarántula. X Congreso Venezolano de Microscopía Electrónica, Maracaibo, Venezuela. 13-16 Octubre, 2002.
• Padrón, R., Alamo, L, Zhao, F. Q., Horowitz, R. y Craig, R. 3D Reconstruction of frozen-hydrated thick filaments. Gordon research Conference in Three-dimensional Electron Microscopy. Colby-Sawyer College. New London, New Hampshire, EE.UU. Junio 22-27, 2003.
• M. E. Zoghbi, R. Craig, J. L. Woodhead, L. Alamo y R. Padrón. Helical order in myosin filaments requires the closed conformation of the myosin head. 2004 International Meeting. Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), EE.UU. Tallinn, Estonia, June 24-29, 2004.
• J. R. Guerrero, L. Alamo y R. Padrón Ensayos De Motilidad In Vitro Empleando Filamentos Gruesos Y Finos De Músculo Relajado De Tarántula. XI Congreso Venezolano de Microscopía. Octubre 10-13, 2004. IDEA, Caracas, VENEZUELA.
• L. Alamo, R. Craig, F. Zhao, R. Sherer y R. Padrón Avances En La Reconstrucción Tridimensional De Filamentos Gruesos De Músculo Estriado Congelado-Hidratados Estudiados Por Crio-Microscopía Electrónica. XI Congreso Venezolano de Microscopía. Octubre 10-13, 2004. IDEA, Caracas, VENEZUELA.
• F. Zhao, R. Craig, J. Woodhead, R. Sherer, E. Egelman, L. Alamo, R. Padrón Three dimensional structure of frozen-hydrated tarantula thick filaments by single particle reconstruction. 49th Annual Meeting Biophysical Society, February 12 - 16, 2005. Long Beach, California, EE.UU. (seleccionado para el Simposium New and Notable). Biophys. J. 88(1): 129a, 2005
• R. Padrón, J. Woodhead, F. Zhao, E. Egelman, L. Alamo y R. Craig. Molecular mechanism of myosin-linked regulation of muscle contraction: the structure of the thick filament "off" state. Gordon Research Conference on 3D Electron Microscopy, New Hampshire, EE.UU. Junio 12 - 17, 2005.
• Padrón, J. Woodhead, F. Zhao, E. Egelman, L. Alamo y R. Craig. Molecular mechanism of myosin-linked regulation of muscle contraction: the structure of the thick filament "off" state. 2005 International Meeting, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Merida, Mexico. Junio 21 - 26, 2005.
• Woodhead, F. Zhao, R. Craig., E. Egelman, L. Alamo y R. Padrón Molecular mechanism of myosin-linked regulation of muscle contraction: the structure of the thick filament "off" state. Gordon Research Conference on Muscle: Contractile Proteins, New Hampshire, EE.UU. Julio 3 - 8, 2005.
• J. R. Guerrero, L. Alamo, L. Lindsay y R. Padrón. In vitro motility assay in tarantula thick filaments. Gordon Research Conference on Muscle: Contractile Proteins, New Hampshire, EE.UU. Julio 3 - 8, 2005.
• R. Padrón, J. Woodhead, F. Zhao, E. Egelman, L. Alamo y R. Craig. Molecular mechanism of myosin-linked regulation of muscle contraction. (Invited Speaker) Inter American Congress on Electron Microscopy 2005, La Habana, Cuba. Septiembre 24 - 30, 2005.
• R. Padron, L. Alamo, J. R. Guerrero, A. Pinto, F. Bartoli, L. Salazar Molecular mechanism of thick filament activation by phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain. 2006 Meeting of International Research Scholars, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, Virginia, EE.UU. Septiembre 26-29, 2006
• M. Granados, M. Cimino, L. Alamo, R. Padrón, y L. Salazar, "Crioseccionamiento y microscopía de fluorescencia para la determinación de la localización de proteinas en micobacterias". XII Congreso Venezolano de Microscopia, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. Noviembre 5-8, 2006.
• J. R. Guerrero, L. Alamo y R. Padrón "Caracterización de los ensayos de motilidad in vitro de filamentos gruesos y delgados de músculo de tarántula". XII Congreso Venezolano de Microscopia, Puerto Ordaz,Venezuela. Noviembre 5-8, 2006.
• Padrón, R., Alamo, L., Guerrero, J. R., Pinto, A., Bártoli, F y Salazar, L. Determinación de modelos atómicos de arreglos supra- moleculares por crio-microscopía electrónica y procesamiento digital de imágenes: hacia la dilucidación del mecanismo molecular de la activación del filamento grueso por la fosforilación de la cadena ligera reguladora de miosina. XII Congreso Venezolano de Microscopia, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. Noviembre 5-8, 2006.
• F. Sanchez, L. Alamo, A. Pinto, R. Padrón. Is the interacting-heads structure a general motif in muscle thick filaments? Alpbach Workshop on Molecular Motors 2007. Alpbach-Austria. March 24 - 30, 2007.
• J. R. Guerrero, L. Alamo, R. Padrón. Are thick filaments from tarantula striated muscle phosphorylation-regulated? Alpbach Workshop on Molecular Motors 2007. Alpbach-Austria. March 24 - 30, 2007.
• G. Marquez, A. Pinto, L. Alamo, R. Padrón, B. Baumann, F. Ye, H. Winkler, K. Taylor. Electron tomography of tarantula thick filaments. Alpbach Workshop on Molecular Motors 2007. Alpbach-Austria. March 24 - 30, 2007.
• L. Alamo, W. Wriggers, A. Pinto, F. Bartoli, L. Salazar, R. Padrón. A new 3d-map of frozen-hydrated tarantula myosin filament reveals a new intermolecular myosin interaction involved on myosin regulatory light chain phosphorylation-mediated activation. Alpbach Workshop on Molecular Motors 2007. Alpbach-Austria. March 24 - 30, 2007.