scholarly journals Regulation of Bestrophin Cl Channels by Calcium: Role of the C Terminus

2008 ◽  
Vol 132 (6) ◽  
pp. 681-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinghuan Xiao ◽  
Andrew Prussia ◽  
Kuai Yu ◽  
Yuan-yuan Cui ◽  
H. Criss Hartzell

Human bestrophin-1 (hBest1), which is genetically linked to several kinds of retinopathy and macular degeneration in both humans and dogs, is the founding member of a family of Cl− ion channels that are activated by intracellular Ca2+. At present, the structures and mechanisms responsible for Ca2+ sensing remain unknown. Here, we have used a combination of molecular modeling, density functional–binding energy calculations, mutagenesis, and patch clamp to identify the regions of hBest1 involved in Ca2+ sensing. We identified a cluster of a five contiguous acidic amino acids in the C terminus immediately after the last transmembrane domain, followed by an EF hand and another regulatory domain that are essential for Ca2+ sensing by hBest1. The cluster of five amino acids (293–308) is crucial for normal channel gating by Ca2+ because all but two of the 35 mutations we made in this region rendered the channel incapable of being activated by Ca2+. Using homology models built on the crystal structure of calmodulin (CaM), an EF hand (EF1) was identified in hBest1. EF1 was predicted to bind Ca2+ with a slightly higher affinity than the third EF hand of CaM and lower affinity than the second EF hand of troponin C. As predicted by the model, the D312G mutation in the putative Ca2+-binding loop (312–323) reduced the apparent Ca2+ affinity by 20-fold. In addition, the D312G and D323N mutations abolished Ca2+-dependent rundown of the current. Furthermore, analysis of truncation mutants of hBest1 identified a domain adjacent to EF1 that is rich in acidic amino acids (350–390) that is required for Ca2+ activation and plays a role in current rundown. These experiments identify a region of hBest1 (312–323) that is involved in the gating of hBest1 by Ca2+ and suggest a model in which Ca2+ binding to EF1 activates the channel in a process that requires the acidic domain (293–308) and another regulatory domain (350–390). Many of the ∼100 disease-causing mutations in hBest1 are located in this region that we have implicated in Ca2+ sensing, suggesting that these mutations disrupt hBest1 channel gating by Ca2+.

Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 150 (3) ◽  
pp. 977-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yangsuk Park ◽  
John Hanish ◽  
Arthur J Lustig

Abstract Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that tethering of Sir3p at the subtelomeric/telomeric junction restores silencing in strains containing Rap1-17p, a mutant protein unable to recruit Sir3p. This tethered silencing assay serves as a model system for the early events that follow recruitment of silencing factors, a process we term initiation. A series of LexA fusion proteins in-frame with various Sir3p fragments were constructed and tested for their ability to support tethered silencing. Interestingly, a region comprising only the C-terminal 144 amino acids, termed the C-terminal domain (CTD), is both necessary and sufficient for restoration of silencing. Curiously, the LexA-Sir3N205 mutant protein overcomes the requirement for the CTD, possibly by unmasking a cryptic initiation site. A second domain spanning amino acids 481-835, termed the nonessential for initiation domain (NID), is dispensable for the Sir3p function in initiation, but is required for the recruitment of the Sir4p C terminus. In addition, in the absence of the N-terminal 481 amino acids, the NID negatively influences CTD activity. This suggests the presence of a third region, consisting of the N-terminal half (1-481) of Sir3p, termed the positive regulatory domain (PRD), which is required to initiate silencing in the presence of the NID. These data suggest that the CTD “active” site is under both positive and negative control mediated by multiple Sir3p domains.


2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamila Hirbawi ◽  
Kamila Bledzka ◽  
Yan Qing Ma ◽  
Jun Qin ◽  
Edward F Plow

Integrins are heterodimeric cell membrane receptors that regulate cell adhesion, migration, and survival. The kindlins are known to be key regulators of integrin activation, the transition from a low affinity, default state to a high affinity state for ligand. This function depends on their binding, together with talin, to the cytoplasmic tails (CT) of the β subunit of integrins. Kindlins are FERM domain containing proteins, and it is its F3 (PTB) subdomain of the FERM that is the primary binding site for integrin β CT. At its very C-terminus, beyond the F3, is a short extension of 21 amino acids, K2 660-680, and we have focused on the role of this region in the co-activator function of kindlin-2 (K2). For this analysis, we performed PAC-1 (antibody to detect activated αIIbβ3 integrin) binding assays in CHO cells stably expressing integrin α IIb β 3 that were transiently transfected with talin head domain and K2 mutants. Expression levels of all proteins were verified to be similar by western blotting and FACS. Truncation of K2 at residue 660 essentially eliminated the co-activator function of K2. Deletion of smaller segments also reduced co-activator activity by 50% to 100%. Deletion of just the last two amino acids in the sequence, W 679 V 680 , resulted in a 50% reduction in co-activator activity and a single point mutation of Y 673 A also led to a 50% loss of function. A combination mutant consisting of the W 679 V 680 deletion and the Y 673 point mutation resulted in 100% loss of kindlin-2 co-activator activity. Pull-down experiments performed using GST tagged β 3 CT and CHO lysates transfected with GFP-kindlin-2 forms suggested that the C-terminal deletion did not disrupt binding to β 3 CT. This observation was corroborated by surface plasmon resonance studies in which the binding of full-length K2 and K2Δ666C (Δ666) was compared, and their K D values for immobilized β3 CT were found to be essentially the same. Overall, these data establish an important and unanticipated role of the carboxy-terminal region of kindlin-2 in its integrin co-activator function that is not dependent of its binding to integrin.


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (6) ◽  
pp. F1038-F1048 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Morales ◽  
T. P. Carroll ◽  
T. Morita ◽  
E. M. Schwiebert ◽  
O. Devuyst ◽  
...  

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) consists of five domains, two transmembrane-spanning domains, each composed of six transmembrane segments, a regulatory domain, and two nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs). CFTR is expressed in kidney, but its role in overall renal function is not well understood, because mutations in CFTR found in patients with cystic fibrosis are not associated with renal dysfunction. To learn more about the distribution and functional forms of CFTR in kidney, we used a combination of molecular, cell biological, and electrophysiological approaches. These include an evaluation of CFTR mRNA and protein expression, as well as both two-electrode and patch clamping of CFTR expressed either in Xenopus oocytes or mammalian cells. In addition to wild-type CFTR mRNA, an alternate form containing only the first transmembrane domain (TMD), the first NBD, and the regulatory domain (TNR-CFTR) is expressed in kidney. Although missing the second set of TMDs and the second NBD, when expressed in Xenopus oocytes, TNR-CFTR has cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA)-stimulated single Cl- channel characteristics and regulation of PKA activation of outwardly rectifying Cl- channels that are very similar to those of wild-type CFTR. TNR-CFTR mRNA is produced by an unusual mRNA processing mechanism and is expressed in a tissue-specific manner primarily in renal medulla.


1995 ◽  
Vol 270 (7) ◽  
pp. 3115-3122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazunori Yamada ◽  
Jean-Louis Carpentier ◽  
Bentley Cheatham ◽  
Edison Goncalves ◽  
Steven E. Shoelson ◽  
...  

2004 ◽  
Vol 124 (6) ◽  
pp. 759-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven D. Gage ◽  
William R. Kobertz

The five KCNE genes encode a family of type I transmembrane peptides that assemble with KCNQ1 and other voltage-gated K+ channels, resulting in potassium conducting complexes with varied channel-gating properties. It has been recently proposed that a triplet of amino acids within the transmembrane domain of KCNE1 and KCNE3 confers modulation specificity to the peptide, since swapping of these three residues essentially converts the recipient KCNE into the donor (Melman, Y.F., A. Domenech, S. de la Luna, and T.V. McDonald. 2001. J. Biol. Chem. 276:6439–6444). However, these results are in stark contrast with earlier KCNE1 deletion studies, which demonstrated that a COOH-terminal region, highly conserved between KCNE1 and KCNE3, was responsible for KCNE1 modulation of KCNQ1 (Tapper, A.R., and A.L. George. 2000 J. Gen. Physiol. 116:379–389.). To ascertain whether KCNE3 peptides behave similarly to KCNE1, we examined a panel of NH2- and COOH-terminal KCNE3 truncation mutants to directly determine the regions required for assembly with and modulation of KCNQ1 channels. Truncations lacking the majority of their NH2 terminus, COOH terminus, or mutants harboring both truncations gave rise to KCNQ1 channel complexes with basal activation, a hallmark of KCNE3 modulation. These results demonstrate that the KCNE3 transmembrane domain is sufficient for assembly with and modulation of KCNQ1 channels and suggests a bipartite model for KCNQ1 modulation by KCNE1 and KCNE3 subunits. In this model, the KCNE3 transmembrane domain is active in modulation and overrides the COOH terminus' contribution, whereas the KCNE1 transmembrane domain is passive and reveals COOH-terminal modulation of KCNQ1 channels. We furthermore test the validity of this model by using the active KCNE3 transmembrane domain to functionally rescue a nonconducting, yet assembly and trafficking competent, long QT mutation located in the conserved COOH-terminal region of KCNE1.


2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 7839-7850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian D. Pullinger ◽  
R. Sowdhamini ◽  
Alistair J. Lax

ABSTRACT The locations of the catalytic and receptor-binding domains of thePasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) were investigated. N- and C-terminal fragments of PMT were cloned and expressed as fusion proteins with affinity tags. Purified fusion proteins were assessed in suitable assays for catalytic activity and cell-binding ability. A C-terminal fragment (amino acids 681 to 1285) was catalytically active. When microinjected into quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells, it induced changes in cell morphology typical of toxin-treated cells and stimulated DNA synthesis. An N-terminal fragment with a His tag at the C terminus (amino acids 1 to 506) competed with full-length toxin for binding to surface receptors and therefore contains the cell-binding domain. The inactive mutant containing a mutation near the C terminus (C1165S) also bound to cells in this assay. Polyclonal antibodies raised to the N-terminal PMT region bound efficiently to full-length native toxin, suggesting that the N terminus is surface located. Antibodies to the C terminus of PMT were microinjected into cells and inhibited the activity of toxin added subsequently to the medium, confirming that the C terminus contains the active site. Analysis of the PMT sequence predicted a putative transmembrane domain with predicted hydrophobic and amphipathic helices near the N terminus over the region of homology to the cytotoxic necrotizing factors. The C-terminal end of PMT was predicted to be a mixed α/β domain, a structure commonly found in catalytic domains. Homology to proteins of known structure and threading calculations supported these assignments.


2008 ◽  
Vol 283 (14) ◽  
pp. 9049-9059 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yajuan Gao ◽  
Cavita K. Chotoo ◽  
Corina M. Balut ◽  
Fei Sun ◽  
Mark A. Bailey ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 452 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Scudieri ◽  
Elvira Sondo ◽  
Emanuela Caci ◽  
Roberto Ravazzolo ◽  
Luis J. V. Galietta

TMEM16A and TMEM16B proteins are CaCCs (Ca2+-activated Cl− channels) with eight putative transmembrane segments. As shown previously, expression of TMEM16B generates CaCCs characterized by a 10-fold lower Ca2+ affinity and by faster activation and deactivation kinetics with respect to TMEM16A. To investigate the basis of the different properties, we generated chimaeric proteins in which different domains of the TMEM16A protein were replaced by the equivalent domains of TMEM16B. Replacement of the N-terminus, TMD (transmembrane domain) 1–2, the first intracellular loop and TMD3–4 did not change the channel's properties. Instead, replacement of intracellular loop 3 decreased the apparent Ca2+ affinity by nearly 8-fold with respect to wild-type TMEM16A. In contrast, the membrane currents derived from chimaeras containing TMD7–8 or the C-terminus of TMEM16B showed higher activation and deactivation rates without a change in Ca2+ sensitivity. Significantly accelerated kinetics were also found when the entire C-terminus of the TMEM16A protein (77 amino acid residues) was deleted. Our findings indicate that the third intracellular loop of TMEM16A and TMEM16B is the site involved in Ca2+-sensitivity, whereas the C-terminal part, including TMD7–8, affect the rate of transition between the open and the closed state.


2003 ◽  
Vol 369 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Y. LIU ◽  
Teah L. WITT ◽  
Larry H. MATHERLY

The reduced folate carrier (RFC; SLC19A1) is closely related to the thiamine transporter, SLC19A2 (ThTr1). Hydropathy models for these homologous transporters predict up to 12 transmembrane domains (TMDs), with internally oriented N- and C-termini and a large central loop between TMDs 6 and 7. The homologies are localized mostly in the TMDs. However, there is little similarity in their N- and C-terminal domains and the central peptide linkers connecting putative TMDs 1—6 and TMDs 7—12. To explore the functional role of the 61-amino acid central linker in the human RFC (hRFC), we introduced deletions of 49 and 60 amino acids into this region, differing by the presence of a stretch of 11 highly conserved amino acids between the human and rodent RFCs (positions 204—214). An additional hRFC construct was prepared in which only the 11 conserved amino acids were deleted. The resulting hRFCD215—R263Δ, hRFCK204—R263Δ and hRFCK204—R214Δ proteins were transfected into transport-impaired K562 cells. The deletion constructs were all expressed in plasma membranes; however, they were completely inactive for methotrexate and (6S)5-formyl tetrahydrofolate transport. Insertion of non-homologous 73- and 84-amino acid fragments from the structurally analogous ThTr1 linker region into position 204 of hRFCK204—R263Δ restored low levels of transport (16—21% of the wild type). Insertion of the ThTr1 linkers into hRFCD215—R263Δ at position 215 restored 60—80% of wild-type levels of transport. Collectively, our results suggest that the role of the hRFC linker peptide is to provide the proper spatial orientation between the two halves of the hRFC protein for optimal function, and that this is largely independent of amino acid sequence. Our results also demonstrate a critical transport role for the stretch of 11 conserved amino acids starting at position 204 of hRFC.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
George A. Pantelopulos ◽  
John E. Straub ◽  
D. Thirumalai ◽  
Yuji Sugita

AbstractThe 99 amino acid C-terminal fragment of Amyloid Precursor Protein APP-C99 (C99) is cleaved by γ-secretase to form Aβ peptide, which plays a critical role in the etiology of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The structure of C99 consists of a single transmembrane domain flanked by intra and intercellular domains. While the structure of the transmembrane domain has been well characterized, little is known about the structure of the flanking domains and their role in C99 processing by γ-secretase. To gain insight into the structure of full-length C99, REMD simulations were performed for monomeric C99 in model membranes of varying thickness. We find equilibrium ensembles of C99 from simulation agree with experimentally-inferred residue insertion depths and protein backbone chemical shifts. In thin membranes, the transmembrane domain structure is correlated with extra-membrane structural states. Mean and variance of the transmembrane and G37G38 hinge angles are found to increase with thinning membrane. The N-terminus of C99 forms β-strands that may seed aggregation of Aβ on the membrane surface, promoting amyloid formation. The N-terminus, which forms α-helices that interact with the nicastrin domain of γ-secretase. The C-terminus of C99 becomes more α-helical as the membrane thickens, forming structures that may be suitable for binding by cytoplasmic proteins, while C-terminal residues essential to cytotoxic function become α-helical as the membrane thins. The heterogeneous but discrete extra-membrane domain states analyzed here open the path to new investigations of the role of C99 structure and membrane in amyloidogenesis.


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