Regulation of intrasteric inhibition of the multifunctional calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase

Synaptic memory and CaMKII

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and long-term potentiation (LTP) were discovered within a decade of each other and have been inextricably intertwined ever since. However, like many marriages, it has had its up and downs. Based on the unique biochemical properties of CaMKII, it was proposed as a memory molecule before any physiological linkage was made to LTP. However, as reviewed here, the convincing linkage of CaMKII to synaptic physiology and behavior took many decades. New technologies were critical in this journey, including in vitro brain slices, mouse genetics, single-cell molecular genetics, pharmacological reagents, protein structure, and two-photon microscopy, as were new investigators attracted by the exciting challenge. This review tracks this journey and assesses the state of this marriage 40 years on. The collective literature impels us to propose a relatively simple model for synaptic memory involving the following steps that drive the process: 1) Ca2+ entry through N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors activates CaMKII. 2) CaMKII undergoes autophosphorylation resulting in constitutive, Ca2+-independent activity and exposure of a binding site for the NMDA receptor subunit GluN2B. 3) Active CaMKII translocates to the postsynaptic density (PSD) and binds to the cytoplasmic C-tail of GluN2B. 4) The CaMKII-GluN2B complex initiates a structural rearrangement of the PSD that may involve liquid-liquid phase separation. 5) This rearrangement involves the PSD-95 scaffolding protein, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors (AMPARs), and their transmembrane AMPAR-regulatory protein (TARP) auxiliary subunits, resulting in an accumulation of AMPARs in the PSD that underlies synaptic potentiation. 6) The stability of the modified PSD is maintained by the stability of the CaMKII-GluN2B complex. 7) By a process of subunit exchange or interholoenzyme phosphorylation CaMKII maintains synaptic potentiation in the face of CaMKII protein turnover. There are many other important proteins that participate in enlargement of the synaptic spine or modulation of the steps that drive and maintain the potentiation. In this review we critically discuss the data underlying each of the steps. As will become clear, some of these steps are more firmly grounded than others, and we provide suggestions as to how the evidence supporting these steps can be strengthened or, based on the new data, be replaced. Although the journey has been a long one, the prospect of having a detailed cellular and molecular understanding of learning and memory is at hand.

CaMKIIα as a Promising Drug Target for Ischemic Grey Matter

Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a major mediator of Ca²⁺-dependent signaling pathways in various cell types throughout the body. Its neuronal isoform CaMKIIα (alpha) centrally integrates physiological but also pathological glutamate signals directly downstream of glutamate receptors and has thus emerged as a target for ischemic stroke. Previous studies provided evidence for the involvement of CaMKII activity in ischemic cell death by showing that CaMKII inhibition affords substantial neuroprotection. However, broad inhibition of this central kinase is challenging because various essential physiological processes like synaptic plasticity rely on intact CaMKII regulation. Thus, specific strategies for targeting CaMKII after ischemia are warranted which would ideally only interfere with pathological activity of CaMKII. This review highlights recent advances in the understanding of how ischemia affects CaMKII and how pathospecific pharmacological targeting of CaMKII signaling could be achieved. Specifically, we discuss direct targeting of CaMKII kinase activity with peptide inhibitors versus indirect targeting of the association (hub) domain of CaMKIIα with analogues of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) as a potential way to achieve more specific pharmacological modulation of CaMKII activity after ischemia.

The calmodulin gene in Neurospora crassa is required for normal vegetative growth, ultraviolet survival, and sexual development

We isolated a Neurospora crassa mutant of the calmodulin (cmd) gene using repeat-induced point mutation and studied its phenotypes. The cmd ^RIP mutant showed a defect in growth, reduced aerial hyphae, decreased carotenoid accumulation, a severe reduction in viability upon ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and a fertility defect. Moreover, meiotic silencing of the cmd gene resulted in a barren phenotype. In addition, we also performed site-directed mutational analysis of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase-2 (Ca²⁺/CaMK-2), a target of the CaM protein encoded by the cmd gene. The camk-2 ^S247A and the camk-2 ^T267A mutants in a homozygous cross, or in a cross with a Δcamk-2 mutant, displayed an intermediate phenotype, suggesting that serine 247 and threonine 267 phosphorylation sites of the Ca²⁺/CaMK-2 are essential for full fertility in N. crassa. Therefore, CaM in N. crassa is required for normal vegetative growth, UV survival, and sexual development. Additionally, serine 247 and threonine 267 phosphorylation sites are important for the Ca²⁺/CaMK-2 function.

Release from meiotic arrest in ascidian eggs requires the activity of two phosphatases but not CaMKII

The fertilising sperm triggers a transient Ca(2+) increase that releases eggs from cell cycle arrest in the vast majority of animal eggs. In vertebrate eggs, Erp1, an APC/C(cdc20) inhibitor, links release from metaphase II arrest with the Ca(2+) transient and its degradation is triggered by the Ca(2+)-induced activation of CaMKII. By contrast, many invertebrate groups have mature eggs that arrest at metaphase I, and these species do not possess the CaMKII target Erp1 in their genomes. As a consequence, it is unknown exactly how cell cycle arrest at metaphase I is achieved and how the fertilisation Ca(2+) transient overcomes the arrest in the vast majority of animal species. Using live-cell imaging with a novel cyclin reporter to study cell cycle arrest and its release in urochordate ascidians, the closest living invertebrate group to the vertebrates, we have identified a new signalling pathway for cell cycle resumption in which CaMKII plays no part. Instead, we find that the Ca(2+)-activated phosphatase calcineurin (CN) is required for egg activation. Moreover, we demonstrate that parthenogenetic activation of metaphase I-arrested eggs by MEK inhibition, independent of a Ca(2+) increase, requires the activity of a second egg phosphatase: PP2A. Furthermore, PP2A activity, together with CN, is required for normal egg activation during fertilisation. As ascidians are a sister group of the vertebrates, we discuss these findings in relation to cell cycle arrest and egg activation in chordates.

CREB-activity and nmnat2 transcription are down-regulated prior to neurodegeneration, while NMNAT2 over-expression is neuroprotective, in a mouse model of human tauopathy

Tauopathies, characterized by neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of phosphorylated tau proteins, are a group of neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal dementia and both sporadic and familial Alzheimer's disease. Forebrain-specific over-expression of human tau(P301L), a mutation associated with frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17, in rTg4510 mice results in the formation of NFTs, learning and memory impairment and massive neuronal death. Here, we show that the mRNA and protein levels of NMNAT2 (nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 2), a recently identified survival factor for maintaining neuronal health in peripheral nerves, are reduced in rTg4510 mice prior to the onset of neurodegeneration or cognitive deficits. Two functional cAMP-response elements (CREs) were identified in the nmnat2 promoter region. Both the total amount of phospho-CRE binding protein (CREB) and the pCREB bound to nmnat2 CRE sites in the cortex and the hippocampus of rTg4510 mice are significantly reduced, suggesting that NMNAT2 is a direct target of CREB under physiological conditions and that tau(P301L) overexpression down-regulates CREB-mediated transcription. We found that over-expressing NMNAT2 or its homolog NMNAT1, but not NMNAT3, in rTg4510 hippocampi from 6 weeks of age using recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors significantly reduced neurodegeneration caused by tau(P301L) over-expression at 5 months of age. In summary, our studies strongly support a protective role of NMNAT2 in the mammalian central nervous system. Decreased endogenous NMNAT2 function caused by reduced CREB signaling during pathological insults may be one of underlying mechanisms for neuronal death in tauopathies.

CaMKII regulates pericyte loss in the retina of early diabetic mouse

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is an essential mediator in diabetic vascular lesions and known to be regulated by activation of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). The aim of this study was to investigate whether CaMKII affects iNOS-mediated pericyte death in the retina of diabetic mice with early stage disease. Total- and phospho-CaMKII, iNOS, and active caspase-3 protein levels were assessed by Western blotting, and CaMKII activity was measured by kinase assay. iNOS-related pericyte death was assessed by double immunofluorescent staining for iNOS and α-smooth muscle actin, followed by the TUNEL assay. Autocamtide-2-related inhibitory peptide (AIP), a specific inhibitor of CaMKII, was injected into the right vitreous 2 days before sacrifice of mice, to examine the effect of CaMKII inactivation in diabetic retinas. The levels of total- and phospho-CaMKII, iNOS, and active caspase-3 protein, and CaMKII activity were significantly increased in the diabetic retinas compared with those of control retinas. Furthermore, TUNEL-positive signals colocalized with iNOS-immunoreactive pericytes in the same retinas. However, inactivation of CaMKII by AIP treatment inhibited all these changes, which was accompanied by less pericyte loss. Our results demonstrate that CaMKII contributes to iNOS-related death of pericytes in the diabetic retina and that inactivation of this enzyme may be a potential treatment for retinal vascular lesion.

Zebrafish calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (cam-kii) inhibitors: expression patterns and their roles in zebrafish brain development

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-KII) plays a critical role in neuronal functions. In this report, we demonstrate the expression patterns, functional analysis, and development role of the two zebrafish CaM-KII inhibitors, cam-kiin1 and cam-kiin2. Both of these genes were detected in the 5-somite stage and are persistently expressed thereafter. The RNA transcripts of cam-kiin1 were prominently expressed in the forebrain and hindbrain regions, especially in the telencephalon, while cam-kiin2 was detected in the anterior brain region and neurons of the hindbrain. Through GST-pull down, co-immunoprecipitation, and kinase assay, cam-kii inhibitors can bind to and reduce cam-kiiα activity. However, no overt alternation of brain marker such as ngn1, otx2, and pax2.1 was observed in morphants received each one or combined MO. Our results suggest that the two cam-kii inhibitors exhibited distinct expression pattern and may play a minor role in zebrafish brain development.

Dynamic Kv4.3-CaMKII unit in heart: an intrinsic negative regulator for CaMKII activation

AIMS

Reduction of transient outward current (I(to)) and excessive activation of Ca(2+)/Calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) are general features of ventricular myocytes in heart failure. We hypothesize that alterations of I(to) directly regulate CaMKII activation in cardiomyocytes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A dynamic coupling of I(to) channel subunit Kv4.3 and inactive CaMKII was discovered in cardiomyocytes with the membrane predominant distribution by co-immunoprecipitation and fluorescence resonance energy transfer techniques. CaMKII dissociation from Kv4.3-CaMKII units caused a significant increase in CaMKII autophosphorylation and L-type calcium current (I(Ca)) facilitation. I(Ca) facilitation was blunted by the compartmental Ca²(+) chelator BAPTA but unaffected by bulk Ca²(+) chelator EGTA, implicating membrane-localized CaMKII. Kv4.3 overexpression reduced basal CaMKII autophosphorylation in myocytes and eliminated Ca²(+)-induced CaMKII activation. Kv4.3 blocks CaMKII activation by binding to the calmodulin binding sites, whereas Kv4.3 uncoupling releases these sites and leads to a substantial CaMKII activation.

CONCLUSION

Our results uncovered an important mechanism that regulates CaMKII activation in the heart and implicate I(to) channel alteration in pathological CaMKII activation.

CaMKII knockdown attenuates H2O2-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, PKB/Akt, and IGF-1R in vascular smooth muscle cells

We have shown earlier a requirement for Ca(2+) and calmodulin (CaM) in the H(2)O(2)-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and protein kinase B (PKB), key mediators of growth-promoting, proliferative, and hypertrophic responses in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). Because the effect of CaM is mediated through CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), we have investigated here the potential role of CaMKII in H(2)O(2)-induced ERK1/2 and PKB phosphorylation by using pharmacological inhibitors of CaM and CaMKII, a CaMKII inhibitor peptide, and siRNA knockdown strategies for CaMKII alpha. Calmidazolium and W-7, antagonists of CaM, as well as KN-93, a specific inhibitor of CaMKII, attenuated H(2)O(2)-induced responses of ERK1/2 and PKB phosphorylation in a dose-dependent fashion. Similar to H(2)O(2), calmidazolium and KN-93 also exhibited an inhibitory effect on glucose/glucose oxidase-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and PKB in these cells. Transfection of VSMC with CaMKII autoinhibitory peptide corresponding to the autoinhibitory domain (aa 281-309) of CaMKII and with siRNA of CaMKII alpha attenuated the H(2)O(2)-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and PKB. In addition, calmidazolium and KN-93 blocked H(2)O(2)-induced Pyk2 and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) phosphorylation. Moreover, treatment of VSMC with CaMKII alpha siRNA abolished the H(2)O(2)-induced IGF-1R phosphorylation. H(2)O(2) treatment also induced Thr(286) phosphorylation of CaMKII, which was inhibited by both calmidazolium and KN-93. These results demonstrate that CaMKII plays a critical upstream role in mediating the effects of H(2)O(2) on ERK1/2, PKB, and IGF-1R phosphorylation.

Dual mechanism of a natural CaMKII inhibitor

Ca(2+)/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a major mediator of cellular Ca(2+) signaling. Several inhibitors are commonly used to study CaMKII function, but these inhibitors all lack specificity. CaM-KIIN is a natural, specific CaMKII inhibitor protein. CN21 (derived from CaM-KIIN amino acids 43-63) showed full specificity and potency of CaMKII inhibition. CNs completely blocked Ca(2+)-stimulated and autonomous substrate phosphorylation by CaMKII and autophosphorylation at T305. However, T286 autophosphorylation (the autophosphorylation generating autonomous activity) was only mildly affected. Two mechanisms can explain this unusual differential inhibitor effect. First, CNs inhibited activity by interacting with the CaMKII T-site (and thereby also interfered with NMDA-type glutamate receptor binding to the T-site). Because of this, the CaMKII region surrounding T286 competed with CNs for T-site interaction, whereas other substrates did not. Second, the intersubunit T286 autophosphorylation requires CaM binding both to the "kinase" and the "substrate" subunit. CNs dramatically decreased CaM dissociation, thus facilitating the ability of CaM to make T286 accessible for phosphorylation. Tat-fusion made CN21 cell penetrating, as demonstrated by a strong inhibition of filopodia motility in neurons and insulin secrection from isolated Langerhans' islets. These results reveal the inhibitory mechanism of CaM-KIIN and establish a powerful new tool for dissecting CaMKII function.

Manipulation of protein kinases reveals different mechanisms for upregulation of heat shock proteins in motor neurons and non-neuronal cells

Motor neurons have a high threshold for induction of heat shock proteins (Hsps) in response to stress, a property associated with impaired ability to activate heat shock transcription factor 1 (Hsf1). Hyperphosphorylation of Hsf1 has been established as a requirement for transactivation of heat shock genes. This study demonstrated that the impaired heat shock response in motor neurons is not due to altered phosphorylation of Hsf1 by kinases previously shown to affect activation of Hsf1 in other cells (PKC, GSK3beta, ERK1, CaMKIIalpha). However, a constitutively active form of CaMKIV induced robust expression of Hsp70, as well as transcription of a GFP reporter gene driven by the human inducible Hsp70 promoter in unstressed motor neurons, but not in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. The results point to novel mechanisms of activation of heat shock genes in motor neurons that have relevance to exploitation of endogenous stress responses therapeutically.

Conserved α-Helix Acts as Autoinhibitory Sequence in AMP-activated Protein Kinase α Subunits

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) acts as an energy sensor, being activated by metabolic stresses and regulating cellular metabolism. AMPK is a heterotrimer consisting of a catalytic alpha subunit and two regulatory subunits, beta and gamma. It had been reported that the mammalian AMPK alpha subunit contained an autoinhibitory domain (alpha1: residues 313-392) and had little kinase activity. We have found that a conserved short segment of the alpha subunit (alpha1-(313-335)), which includes a predicted alpha-helix, is responsible for alpha subunit autoinhibition. The role of the residues in this segment for autoinhibition was further investigated by systematic site-directed mutation. Several hydrophobic and charged residues, in particular Leu-328, were found to be critical for alpha1 autoinhibition. An autoinhibitory structural model of human AMPK alpha1-(1-335) was constructed and revealed that Val-298 interacts with Leu-328 through hydrophobic bonding at a distance of about 4 A and may stabilize the autoinhibitory conformation. Further mutation analysis showed that V298G mutation significantly activated the kinase activity. Moreover, the phosphorylation level of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, the AMPK downstream substrate, was significantly increased in COS7 cells overexpressing AMPK alpha1-(1-394) with deletion of residues 313-335 (Deltaalpha394) and a V298G or L328Q mutation, and the glucose uptake was also significantly enhanced in HepG2 cells transiently transfected with Deltaalpha394, V298G, or L328Q mutants, which indicated that these AMPK alpha1 mutants are constitutively active in mammalian cells and that interaction between Leu-328 and Val-298 plays an important role in AMPK alpha autoinhibitory function.

Molecular basis for the modulation of native T-type Ca2+ channels in vivo by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Ang II receptor activation increases cytosolic Ca2+ levels to enhance the synthesis and secretion of aldosterone, a recently identified early pathogenic stimulus that adversely influences cardiovascular homeostasis. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a downstream effector of the Ang II-elicited signaling cascade that serves as a key intracellular Ca2+ sensor to feedback-regulate Ca2+ entry through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. However, the molecular mechanism(s) by which CaMKII regulates these important physiological targets to increase Ca2+ entry remain unresolved. We show here that CaMKII forms a signaling complex with alpha1H T-type Ca2+ channels, directly interacting with the intracellular loop connecting domains II and III of the channel pore (II-III loop). Activation of the kinase mediated the phosphorylation of Ser1198 in the II-III loop and the positive feedback regulation of channel gating both in intact cells in situ and in cells of the native adrenal zona glomerulosa stimulated by Ang II in vivo. These data define the molecular basis for the in vivo modulation of native T-type Ca2+ channels by CaMKII and suggest that the disruption of this signaling complex in the zona glomerulosa may provide a new therapeutic approach to limit aldosterone production and cardiovascular disease progression.

Structure of the regulatory apparatus of a calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK): a novel mode of calmodulin-target recognition

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are a class of calcium-binding sensory proteins that are found in plants and certain protozoa, including the causative agent of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum. CDPKs have diverse regulatory functions, including involvement in the triggering of the lytic cycle of malarial infection. CDPKs contain an autoinhibitory junction (J) region whose calcium-dependent interaction with the tethered regulatory calmodulin-like domain (CaM-LD) activates the catalytic kinase domain. We report here the X-ray crystal structure of the J-CaM-LD region of CDPK from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtCPK1), determined to 2.0 A resolution using multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD). The structure reveals a symmetric dimer of calcium-bound J-CaM-LD with domain-swap interactions, in which the J region of one protomer interacts extensively with the carboxy-terminal EF-hand domain (C-lobe) of the partner protomer. However, as the J-CaM-LD is monomeric in solution, the activated monomer was modelled to account for the intra-molecular recognition of the two domains. While the J-CaM-LD segment mimics certain aspects of target motif recognition by CaM other features are specific to CDPKs, in particular the combination of the strong interaction between the N and C-lobes of the CaM-LD and the exclusive use of only the C-lobe in the recognition of the covalently tethered target region. Combined with our previous observations showing that there is likely to be strong interactions between this tethered J region and the CaM-LD even at basal Ca(2+) concentrations, the new structural data indicate that the response to calcium of CDPKs is clearly unique among the CaM family.

Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and not protein kinase C, is sufficient for triggering cell-cycle resumption in mammalian eggs

Mouse eggs arrest at metaphase II following ovulation and are only triggered to complete meiosis when fertilized. Sperm break the cell-cycle arrest by a long-lasting series of Ca2+ spikes that lead to an activation of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome. The signal transduction pathway is not fully resolved but both protein kinase C (PKC) and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CamKII) activities increase at fertilization and previous pharmacological studies have implicated both in cell-cycle resumption. We have used a combination of pharmacological inhibitors and constitutively active cRNA constructs of PKCα and CamKIIα microinjected into mouse eggs to show that it is CamKII and not PKC that is the sufficient trigger for cell-cycle resumption from metaphase II arrest.

Constitutively active PKC constructs had no effect on the resumption of meiosis but caused an immediate and persistent elevation in intracellular Ca2+ when store-operated Ca2+ entry was stimulated. With respect to resumption of meiosis, the effects of constitutively active CamKII on eggs were the same as sperm. Eggs underwent second polar body extrusion and pronucleus formation with normal timings; while both securin and cyclin B1 destruction, visualised by coupling to fluorescent protein tags, were complete by the time of polar body extrusion. Induction of a spindle checkpoint by overexpression of Mad2 or by spindle poisons blocked CamKII-induced resumption of meiosis, but the Ca2+ chelator BAPTA did not. Furthermore direct measurement of Ca2+ levels showed that CamKII did not induce exit from metaphase II arrest by raising Ca2+. Therefore, we conclude that PKCs may play an important role in maintaining Ca2+ spiking at fertilization by promoting store-operated Ca2+ entry, while CamKII transduces cell-cycle resumption, and lies downstream of sperm-induced Ca2+ release but upstream of a spindle checkpoint. These data, combined with the knowledge that CamKII activity increase at fertilization, suggest that mouse eggs undergo cell-cycle resumption through stimulation of CamKII.

The autonomous activity of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV is required for its role in transcription

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase IV (CaMKIV) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase that is positively regulated by two main events. The first is the binding of calcium/calmodulin (Ca(2+)/CaM), which relieves intramolecular autoinhibition of the enzyme and leads to basal kinase activity. The second is activation by the upstream kinase, Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase. Phosphorylation of Ca(2+)/CaM-bound CaMKIV on its activation loop threonine (residue Thr(200) in human CaMKIV) by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase leads to increased CaMKIV kinase activity. It has also been repeatedly noted that activation of CaMKIV is accompanied by the generation of Ca(2+)/CaM-independent or autonomous activity, although the significance of this event has been unclear. Here we demonstrate the importance of autonomous activity to CaMKIV biological function. We show that phosphorylation of CaMKIV on Thr(200) leads to the generation of a fully Ca(2+)/CaM-independent enzyme. By analyzing the behavior of wild-type and mutant CaMKIV proteins in biochemical experiments and cellular transcriptional assays, we demonstrate that CaMKIV autonomous activity is necessary and sufficient for CaMKIV-mediated transcription. The ability of wild-type CaMKIV to drive cAMP response element-binding protein-mediated transcription is strictly dependent upon an initiating Ca(2+) stimulus, which leads to kinase activation and development of autonomous activity in cells. Mutant CaMKIV proteins that are incapable of developing autonomous activity within a cellular context fail to drive transcription, whereas certain CaMKIV mutants that possess constitutive autonomous activity drive transcription in the absence of a Ca(2+) stimulus and independent of Ca(2+)/CaM binding or Thr(200) phosphorylation.

The DNA/RNA-binding protein MSY2 marks specific transcripts for cytoplasmic storage in mouse male germ cells

During spermatogenesis, male germ cells temporally synthesize many proteins as they differentiate through meiosis and become spermatozoa. The germ cell Y-box protein, MSY2, constituting approximately 0.7% of total protein in male germ cells, binds to a consensus promoter element, and shows a general lack of RNA-binding specificity. Combining immunoprecipitation and suppressive subtractive hybridization, we identified populations of germ cell mRNAs that are not bound or bound by MSY2. The former population is enriched in cell growth and ubiquitously expressed mRNAs, whereas the latter population is enriched for stored or translationally delayed, male gamete-specific transcripts. Chromatin precipitation assays reveal that most of the MSY2 target mRNAs are transcribed from genes containing the Y-box DNA-binding motif in their promoters. In transgenic mice, mRNAs encoding exogenous GFP are directed or not directed into the MSY2-bound fraction by promoters containing or lacking the Y-box motif, respectively. We propose that MSY2 marks specific mRNAs in the nucleus for cytoplasmic storage, thereby linking transcription and mRNA storage/translational delay in meiotic and postmeiotic male germ cells of the mouse.

Influence of a mutation in the ATP-binding region of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II on its interaction with peptide substrates

CaMKII (Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II) is expressed in high concentrations in the brain and is found enriched in the postsynaptic densities. The enzyme is activated by the binding of calmodulin to the autoregulatory domain in the presence of high levels of intracellular Ca2+, which causes removal of auto-inhibition from the N-terminal catalytic domain. Knowledge of the 3D (three-dimensional) structure of this enzyme at atomic resolution is restricted to the association domain, a region at the extreme C-terminus. The catalytic domain of CaMKII shares high sequence similarity with CaMKI. The 3D structure of the catalytic core of CaMKI comprises ATP- and substrate-binding regions in a cleft between two distinct lobes, similar to the structures of all protein kinases solved to date. Mutation of Glu-60, a residue in the ATP-binding region of CaMKII, to glycine exerts different effects on phosphorylation of two peptide substrates, syntide and NR2B ( N -methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B) 17-mer. Although the mutation caused increases in the Km values for phosphorylation for both the peptide substrates, the effect on the kcat values for each was different. The kcat value decreased in the case of syntide, whereas it increased in the case of the NR2B peptide as a result of the mutation. This resulted in a significant decrease in the apparent kcat/Km value for syntide, but the change was minimal for the NR2B peptide. These results indicate that different catalytic mechanisms are employed by the kinase for the two peptides. Molecular modelling suggests structural changes are likely to occur at the peptide-binding pocket in the active state of the enzyme as a consequence of the Glu-60-->Gly mutation.

Targeting of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has diverse roles in virtually all cell types and it is regulated by a plethora of mechanisms. Local changes in Ca2+ concentration drive calmodulin binding and CaMKII activation. Activity is controlled further by autophosphorylation at multiple sites, which can generate an autonomously active form of the kinase (Thr286) or can block Ca2+/calmodulin binding (Thr305/306). The regulated actions of protein phosphatases at these sites also modulate downstream signalling from CaMKII. In addition, CaMKII targeting to specific subcellular microdomains appears to be necessary to account for the known signalling specificity, and targeting is regulated by Ca2+/calmodulin and autophosphorylation. The present review focuses on recent studies revealing the diversity of CaMKII interactions with proteins localized to neuronal dendrites. Interactions with various subunits of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) subtype of glutamate receptor have attracted the most attention, but binding of CaMKII to cytoskeletal and several other regulatory proteins has also been reported. Recent reports describing the molecular basis of each interaction and their potential role in the normal regulation of synaptic transmission and in pathological situations are discussed. These studies have revealed fundamental regulatory mechanisms that are probably important for controlling CaMKII functions in many cell types.

Neuronal CA2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II: the role of structure and autoregulation in cellular function

Highly enriched in brain tissue and present throughout the body, Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is central to the coordination and execution of Ca(2+) signal transduction. The substrates phosphorylated by CaMKII are implicated in homeostatic regulation of the cell, as well as in activity-dependent changes in neuronal function that appear to underlie complex cognitive and behavioral responses, including learning and memory. The architecture of CaMKII holoenzymes is unique in nature. The kinase functional domains (12 per holoenzyme) are attached by stalklike appendages to a gear-shaped core, grouped into two clusters of six. Each subunit contains a catalytic, an autoregulatory, and an association domain. Ca(2+)/calmodulin (CaM) binding disinhibits the autoregulatory domain, allowing autophosphorylation and complex changes in the enzyme's sensitivity to Ca(2+)/CaM, including the generation of Ca(2+)/CaM-independent activity, CaM trapping, and CaM capping. These processes confer a type of molecular memory to the autoregulation and activity of CaMKII. Its function is intimately shaped by its multimeric structure, autoregulation, isozymic type, and subcellular localization; these features and processes are discussed as they relate to known and potential cellular functions of this multifunctional protein kinase.

Structure-function of the multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII) is a ubiquitous mediator of Ca2+-linked signalling that phosphorylates a wide range of substrates to co-ordinate and regulate Ca2+-mediated alterations in cellular function. The transmission of information by the kinase from extracellular stimuli and the intracellular Ca2+ rise is not passive. Rather, its multimeric structure and autoregulation enable this enzyme to participate actively in the sensitivity, timing and location of its action. CaMKII can: (i) be activated in a Ca2+-spike frequency-dependent manner; (ii) become independent of its initial Ca2+/CaM activators; and (iii) undergo a 'molecular switch-like' behaviour, which is crucial for certain forms of learning and memory. CaMKII is derived from a family of four homologous but distinct genes, with over 30 alternatively spliced isoforms described at present. These isoforms possess diverse developmental and anatomical expression patterns, as well as subcellular localization. Six independent catalytic/autoregulatory domains are connected by a narrow stalk-like appendage to each hexameric ring within the dodecameric structure. Ca2+/CaM binding activates the enzyme by disinhibiting the autoregulatory domain; this process initiates an intra-holoenzyme autophosphorylation reaction that induces complex changes in the enzyme's sensitivity to Ca2+/CaM, including the generation of Ca2+/CaM-independent (autonomous) activity and marked increase in affinity for CaM. The role of CaMKII in Ca2+ signal transduction is shaped by its autoregulation, isoenzymic type and subcellular localization. The molecular determinants and mechanisms producing these processes are discussed as they relate to the structure-function of this multifunctional protein kinase.

Decorin suppresses transforming growth factor-beta-induced expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in human mesangial cells through a mechanism that involves Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of Smad2 at serine-240

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta) is a key mediator of extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation in sclerotic kidney diseases such as diabetic nephropathy. One of the main target cells for TGFbeta in the kidney are glomerular mesangial cells, which respond by increasing expression of ECM proteins, such as collagens, laminin and fibronectin, while suppressing the expression of ECM-degrading proteases and increasing the synthesis of ECM protease inhibitors, including plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Previous studies have shown that exposure of mesangial cells to chronic high-glucose conditions, such as those seen in diabetes, increases ECM deposition in a mechanism involving glucose-mediated up-regulation of TGFbeta expression. Naturally occurring inhibitors of this TGFbeta-dependent fibrotic response include decorin, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan. While the mechanism by which TGFbeta stimulates gene expression via the Smad signal-transduction pathway is becoming clear, the precise mechanism by which decorin may impinge upon TGFbeta activity remains to be established. In this study, for the first time we provide evidence that decorin can disrupt glucose- and TGFbeta/Smad-dependent transcriptional events in human mesangial cells through a mechanism that involves an increase in Ca(2+) signalling, the activation of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and ensuing phosphorylation of Smad2 at Ser-240. We show that decorin also induces Ser-240 phospho-Smad hetero-oligomerization with Smad4 and the nuclear localization of this complex independently of TGFbeta receptor activation. Thus, in human mesangial cells, the mechanism of decorin-mediated inhibition of TGFbeta signalling may involve activation of Ca(2+) signalling, the subsequent phosphorylation of Smad2 at a key regulatory site, and the sequestration of Smad4 in the nucleus.

Calcium-stimulated autophosphorylation site of plant chimeric calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase

The existence of two molecular switches regulating plant chimeric Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CCaMK), namely the C-terminal visinin-like domain acting as Ca(2+)-sensitive molecular switch and calmodulin binding domain acting as Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation-sensitive molecular switch, has been described (Sathyanarayanan, P. V., Cremo, C. R., and Poovaiah, B. W. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 30417-30422). Here we report the identification of Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation site of CCaMK by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight-mass spectrometry. Thr(267) was confirmed as the Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation site by post-source decay experiments and by site-directed mutagenesis. The purified T267A mutant form of CCaMK did not show Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation, autophosphorylation-dependent variable calmodulin affinity, or Ca(2+)/calmodulin stimulation of kinase activity. Sequence comparison of CCaMK from monocotyledonous plant (lily) and dicotyledonous plant (tobacco) suggests that the autophosphorylation site is conserved. This is the first identification of a phosphorylation site specifically responding to activation by second messenger system (Ca(2+) messenger system) in plants. Homology modeling of the kinase and calmodulin binding domain of CCaMK with the crystal structure of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 1 suggests that the Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation site is located on the surface of the kinase and far from the catalytic site. Analysis of Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation with increasing concentration of CCaMK indicates the possibility that the Ca(2+)-stimulated phosphorylation occurs by an intermolecular mechanism.

Molecular characterization of calmodulin trapping by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Autophosphorylation of alpha-Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) at Thr(286) results in calmodulin (CaM) trapping, a >10,000-fold decrease in the dissociation rate of CaM from the enzyme. Here we present the first site-directed mutagenesis study on the dissociation of the high affinity complex between CaM and full-length CaM kinase II. We measured dissociation kinetics of CaM and CaM kinase II proteins by using a fluorescently modified CaM that is sensitive to binding to target proteins. In low [Ca(2+)], the phosphorylated mutant kinase F293A and the CaM mutant E120A/M124A exhibited deficient trapping compared with wild-type. In high [Ca(2+)], the CaM mutations E120A, M124A, and E120A/M124A and the CaM kinase II mutations F293A, F293E, N294A, N294P, and R297E increased dissociation rate constants by factors ranging from 2.3 to 116. We have also identified residues in CaM and CaM kinase II that interact in the trapped state by mutant cycle-based analysis, which suggests that interactions between Phe(293) in the kinase and Glu(120) and Met(124) in CaM specifically stabilize the trapped CaM-CaM kinase II complex. Our studies further show that Phe(293) and Asn(294) in CaM kinase II play dual roles, because they likely destabilize the low affinity state of CaM complexed to unphosphorylated kinase but stabilize the trapped state of CaM bound to phosphorylated kinase.

Ca(2+)/CaM-dependent kinases: from activation to function

Calmodulin (CaM) is an essential protein that serves as a ubiquitous intracellular receptor for Ca(2+). The Ca(2+)/CaM complex initiates a plethora of signaling cascades that culminate in alteration of cellular functions. Among the many Ca(2+)/CaM-binding proteins to be discovered, the multifunctional protein kinases CaMKI, II, and IV play pivotal roles. Our review focuses on this class of CaM kinases to illustrate the structural and biochemical basis for Ca(2+)/CaM interaction with and regulation of its target enzymes. Gene transcription has been chosen as the functional endpoint to illustrate the recent advances in Ca(2+)/CaM-mediated signal transduction mechanisms.

Inactivation of smad-transforming growth factor beta signaling by Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) family transduce signals through Smad proteins. Smad signaling can be regulated by the Ras/Erk/mitogen-activated protein pathway in response to receptor tyrosine kinase activation and the gamma interferon pathway and also by the functional interaction of Smad2 with Ca(2+)-calmodulin. Here we report that Smad-TGF-beta-dependent transcriptional responses are prevented by expression of a constitutively activated Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (Cam kinase II). Smad2 is a target substrate for Cam kinase II in vitro at serine-110, -240, and -260. Cam kinase II induces in vivo phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad4 and, to a lesser extent, Smad3. A phosphopeptide antiserum raised against Smad2 phosphoserine-240 reacted with Smad2 in vivo when coexpressed with Cam kinase II and by activation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor, the epidermal growth factor receptor, HER2 (c-erbB2), and the TGF-beta receptor. Furthermore, Cam kinase II blocked nuclear accumulation of a Smad2 and induced Smad2-Smad4 hetero-oligomerization independently of TGF-beta receptor activation, while preventing TGF-beta-dependent Smad2-Smad3 interactions. These findings provide a novel cross-talk mechanism by which Ca(2+)-dependent kinases activated downstream of multiple growth factor receptors antagonize cell responses to TGF-beta.

Ca2+-induced redistribution of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II associated with an endoplasmic reticulum stress response in vascular smooth muscle

The relation between CaM kinase II activity and high Ca2+-mediated stress responses was studied in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Treatment with ionomycin (1 microM) for 5 min caused a significant loss of CaM kinase II activity in whole cell homegenates and prominent vesiculation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Similar losses of CaM kinase II activity were observed in the soluble lysate as assessed by activity measurements and Western blotting. Examination of the post-lysate particulate fraction showed that the loss of CaM kinase II from the soluble lysate was accompanied by a redistribution of CaM kinase II to this fraction. The ionomycin-mediated response was limited to this concentration (1 microM); lower concentrations of ionomycin as well as stimulation with angiotensin II (1 microM) orATP (100 microM) did not cause a shift in CaM kinase II distribution. Treatment with neither the CaM kinase II inhibitor KN-93 nor the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid altered the ionomycin-induced redistribution indicating that CaM kinase II activation and/or phosphorylation was not part of the mechanism. The response, however, was eliminated when the cells were treated in Ca2+-free medium. Washout of ionomycin led to only a partial restoration of the kinase activity in the soluble fraction after 10 min. Immunofluorescence microscopy of resting cells indicated colocalization of antibodies to CaM kinase II and an ER protein marker. ER vesiculation induced by ionomycin coincided with a parallel redistribution of CaM kinase II and ER marker proteins. These data link ionomycin-induced ER restructuring to a progressive redistribution of CaM kinase II protein to an insoluble particulate fraction and loss of cellular CaM kinase II activity. We propose that redistribution of CaM kinase II and loss of cellular activity are components of a common Ca2+-overload induced cellular stress response in cells.

Plant chimeric Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. Role of the neural visinin-like domain in regulating autophosphorylation and calmodulin affinity

Chimeric Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) is characterized by a serine-threonine kinase domain, an autoinhibitory domain, a calmodulin-binding domain and a neural visinin-like domain with three EF-hands. The neural visinin-like Ca(2+)-binding domain at the C-terminal end of the CaM-binding domain makes CCaMK unique among all the known calmodulin-dependent kinases. Biological functions of the plant visinin-like proteins or visinin-like domains in plant proteins are not well known. Using EF-hand deletions in the visinin-like domain, we found that the visinin-like domain regulated Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation of CCaMK. To investigate the effects of Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation on the interaction with calmodulin, the equilibrium binding constants of CCaMK were measured by fluorescence emission anisotropy using dansylated calmodulin. Binding was 8-fold tighter after Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation. This shift in affinity did not occur in CCaMK deletion mutants lacking Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation. A variable calmodulin affinity regulated by Ca(2+)-stimulated autophosphorylation mediated through the visinin-like domain is a new regulatory mechanism for CCaMK activation and calmodulin-dependent protein kinases. Our experiments demonstrate the existence of two functional molecular switches in a protein kinase regulating the kinase activity, namely a visinin-like domain acting as a Ca(2+)-triggered switch and a CaM-binding domain acting as an autophosphorylation-triggered molecular switch.

Regulatory mechanism of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase

Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase (CaM-KK) is a novel member of the CaM kinase family, which specifically phosphorylates and activates CaM kinase I and IV. In this study, we characterized the CaM-binding peptide of alphaCaM-KK (residues 438-463), which suppressed the activity of constitutively active CaM-KK (84-434) in the absence of Ca(2+)/CaM but competitively with ATP. Truncation and site-directed mutagenesis of the CaM-binding region in CaM-KK reveal that Ile(441) is essential for autoinhibition of CaM-KK. Furthermore, CaM-KK chimera mutants containing the CaM-binding sequence of either myosin light chain kinases or CaM kinase II located C-terminal of Leu(440), exhibited enhanced Ca(2+)/CaM-independent activity (60% of total activity). Although the CaM-binding domains of myosin light chain kinases and CaM kinase II bind to the N- and C-terminal domains of CaM in the opposite orientation to CaM-KK (Osawa, M., Tokumitsu, H., Swindells, M. B., Kurihara, H., Orita, M., Shibanuma, T., Furuya, T., and Ikura, M. (1999) Nat. Struct. Biol. 6, 819-824), the chimeric CaM-KKs containing Ile(441) remained Ca(2+)/CaM-dependent. This result demonstrates that the orientation of the CaM binding is not critical for relief of CaM-KK autoinhibition. However, the requirement of Ile(441) for autoinhibition, which is located at the -3 position from the N-terminal anchoring residue (Trp(444)) to CaM, accounts for the opposite orientation of CaM binding of CaM-KK compared with other CaM kinases.

A novel calcium signaling pathway targets the c-fos intragenic transcriptional pausing site

In many cell types, increased intracellular calcium gives rise to a robust induction of c-fos gene expression. Here we show that in mouse Ltk(-) fibroblasts, calcium ionophore acts in synergy with either cAMP or PMA to strongly induce the endogenous c-fos gene. Run-on analysis shows that this corresponds to a substantial increase in active polymerases on downstream gene sequences, i.e. relief of an elongation block by calcium. Correspondingly a chimeric gene, in which the human metallothionein promoter is fused to the fos gene, is strongly induced by ionophore alone, unlike a c-fos promoter/beta-globin coding unit chimeric construct. Internal deletions in the hMT-fos reporter localize the intragenic calcium regulatory element to the 5' portion of intron 1, thereby confirming and extending previous in vitro mapping data. Ionophore induced cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation on Ser(133) without affecting the extracellular signal-regulated kinase cascade. Surprisingly, induction involved neither CaM-Ks nor calcineurin, while the calmodulin antagonist W7 activated c-fos transcription on its own. These data suggest that a novel calcium signaling pathway mediates intragenic regulation of c-fos expression via suppression of a transcriptional pause site.

Structural examination of autoregulation of multifunctional calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Regulation of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II is likely based on an auto-inhibitory mechanism in which a segment of the kinase occupies the catalytic site in the absence of calmodulin. We analyze potential auto-inhibitory associations by employing charge reversal and hydrophobic-to-charged residue mutagenesis. We identify interacting amino acid pairs by using double mutants to test which modification in the catalytic domain complements a given change in the auto-inhibitory domain. Our studies identify the core pseudosubstrate sequence (residues 297-300) but reveal that distinct sequences centered about the autophosphorylation site at Thr-286 are involved in the critical auto-inhibitory interactions. Individual changes in any of the residues Arg-274, His-282, Arg-283, Lys-291, Arg-297, Phe-293, and Asn-294 in the auto-inhibitory domain or their interacting partners in the catalytic domain produces an enhanced affinity for calmodulin or generates a constitutively active enzyme. A structural model of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II that incorporates these interactions shows that Thr-286 is oriented inwardly into a hydrophobic channel. The model explains why calmodulin must bind to the auto-inhibitory domain in order for Thr-286 in that domain to be phosphorylated and why introduction of phospho-Thr-286 produces the important Ca(2+)-independent state of the enzyme.

A recombinant form of the catalytic subunit of phosphorylase kinase that is soluble, monomeric, and includes key C-terminal residues

Residues 302-326 of the catalytic (gamma) subunit of phosphorylase kinase (PhK) may comprise an autoinhibitory, pseudosubstrate domain that binds calmodulin. To study this, the cDNA corresponding to rabbit muscle PhKgamma was expressed using Escherichia coli. This yielded two stable, high-activity PhKgamma forms (35 and 42 kDa by SDS-PAGE) that were smaller than an authentic sample of rabbit muscle PhKgamma (45 kDa by SDS-PAGE). Each recombinant form was purified to homogeneity. The N-terminal sequence of the larger, 42-kDa form (pk42) matched that of the rabbit muscle enzyme. This suggested that pk42 consisted of PhKgamma residues 1-362, including the putative calmodulin-binding, autoinhibitory domain. Kinetic parameters obtained for pk42 were like those previously reported for the intact gamma subunit. This implied that the lack of 25 PhKgamma C-terminal residues did not affect phosphorylase kinase activity, but greatly improved enzyme stability. An additional 60 residues were removed from the C-terminus of pk42 using the protease m-calpain. This increased the kinase activity 1.5-fold. Consistent with this, the activity of a mutant PhKgamma that consisted of residues 1-300, denoted gamma1-300, was like that of the m-calpain-treated enzyme. Therefore, although the effect was small, some influence by the C-terminus of pk42 was noted. Moreover, when pk42 was incubated with ATP alone, a C-terminal threonine residue became phosphorylated. Although the influence of this autophosphorylation cannot be inferred from this data, it was evidence that the C-terminus accessed the enzyme's active site. Taken together, these data imply that pk42 will be useful to study phosphorylase kinase structure/activity relationships.

Inhibition of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I cascade by cAMP-dependent protein kinase

Several recent studies have shown that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I (CaMKI) is phosphorylated and activated by a protein kinase (CaMKK) that is itself subject to regulation by Ca2+/calmodulin. In the present study, we demonstrate that this enzyme cascade is regulated by cAMP-mediated activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). In vitro, CaMKK is phosphorylated by PKA and this is associated with inhibition of enzyme activity. The major site of phosphorylation is threonine 108, although additional sites are phosphorylated with lower efficiency. In vitro, CaMKK is also phosphorylated by CaMKI at the same sites as PKA, suggesting that this regulatory phosphorylation might play a role as a negative-feedback mechanism. In intact PC12 cells, activation of PKA with forskolin resulted in a rapid inhibition of both CaMKK and CaMKI activity. In hippocampal slices CaMKK was phosphorylated under basal conditions, and activation of PKA led to an increase in phosphorylation. Two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping indicated that activation of PKA led to increased phosphorylation of multiple sites including threonine 108. These results indicate that in vitro and in intact cells the CaMKK/CaMKI cascade is subject to inhibition by PKA-mediated phosphorylation of CaMKK. The phosphorylation and inhibition of CaMKK by PKA is likely to be involved in modulating the balance between cAMP- and Ca2+-dependent signal transduction pathways.

Identification of domains essential for the assembly of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II holoenzymes

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II), as isolated from brain, is a multimeric complex composed predominantly of two subunits, alpha and beta, products of unique genes. Little is known about how subunit composition influences holoenzyme structure or how the domain(s) of each subunit interact to form holoenzymes. We show here that holoenzymes composed of only alpha or only beta subunits exhibit different biophysical properties. The S values of alpha and beta are 17.2 and 14.5 S while the Stokes's radii are 85 and 111 A, respectively, indicating their structures are different. C-terminal truncations of the alpha subunit show that amino acids 382-478 are necessary for holoenzyme formation and that amino acids 427-478 contribute to holoenzyme stability. Additionally, the C-terminal domains of both the alpha subunit, alpha315-478, and beta subunit, beta314-542, formed oligomers indicating the sufficiency of the C-terminal domain for multimer formation. Using the yeast two-hybrid system we show, in vivo, that full-length subunits, alpha1-478 and beta1-542, interact with themselves or each other interchangeably. Additionally, the C-terminal domains of the alpha subunit, alpha315-478 and beta subunit, beta314-542 associated with themselves in a manner indistinguishable from their association with full-length alpha or beta subunits. Further studies revealed that the C-terminal domains of the alpha and beta subunits contain information necessary for interaction with beta but not alpha. These data are summarized into a model describing the assembly of CaM kinase II holoenzymes.

Characterization of the mechanism of regulation of Ca2+/ calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I by calmodulin and by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I (CaMKI) is maintained in an autoinhibited state by the interaction of a COOH-terminal helix-loop-helix (Ile286-Met316) regulatory domain with the catalytic core. Activation of the enzyme by calmodulin (CaM) also allows CaMKI to be phosphorylated and activated by a second enzyme, CaMK kinase (CaMKK). To more thoroughly characterize the regulation of CaMKI by CaM and its interrelationship with phosphorylation by CaMKK, we have carried out a detailed structure-function analysis using recombinant wild-type (WT) and mutant forms of CaMKI and CaMKK. CaMKI-WT, in the absence of CaM, or CaMKI-299 and CaMKI-298 were autoinhibited and could not be phosphorylated by CaMKK-433 (a truncated constitutively active form of CaMKK). Removal of Phe298 (CaMK-297) generated a constitutively active form of CaMKI that was also phosphorylated by CaMKK-433. CaMKI-WT was essentially inactive in the absence of CaM (K0.5 for activation by CaM approximately 30 nM). Mutation of Ile294 and Phe298 to alanine (CaMKI-2A) resulted in measurable basal enzyme activity. Additional mutation of Ile286 and Val290 to alanine (CaMKI-4A) increased this basal activity. Mutation of Trp303 (CaMKI-W303S) resulted in a large increase in the K0.5 for CaM ( approximately 100 microM), supporting a role for this residue as an initial target for CaM. Mutation of Phe307 (CaMKI-F307A) resulted in increased basal enzyme activity, supporting a role for this residue in autoinhibition of CaMKI. Together these studies demonstrate the critical role of specific amino acids in the autoinhibition of CaMKI and also in its activation by CaM and phosphorylation by CaMKK.

A mechanism for calmodulin (CaM) trapping by CaM-kinase II defined by a family of CaM-binding peptides

Autophosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) induces a striking >1,000-fold increase in its affinity for CaM, which has been called CaM trapping. Two peptides modeled after the CaM binding domain of CaM-kinase II were previously shown to kinetically resemble CaM binding to phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms of the enzyme, thus providing a model system with which to define the molecular basis of CaM trapping. In this report, the specific contribution of each amino acid to the rates of association and dissociation, and the overall Kd of CaM binding to CaM-kinase II was determined using an overlapping peptide family, and a fluorescently labeled CaM. The association rate constants were similar for the entire family of peptides and ranged from 8 x 10(7) to 32 x 10(7) M-1 s-1. In contrast, the dissociation rate constants for the peptides varied by >3500-fold and ranged from 0.26 to 7 x 10(-5) s-1. These rate constants yield overall Kd values for binding CaM to the peptides that range from 2 x 10(-9) M to 2 x 10(-13) M. Extending the low affinity CaM-binding peptide, CKII(296-312), to include 293Phe-Asn-Ala295 provided the single largest contribution to the decreased dissociation rate constant, 1,300-fold. It was further shown using Ala-substituted peptides that the basic residues 296Arg-Arg-Lys299 were also essential for slow CaM dissociation; however, their contribution was realized only when 293Phe-Asn-Ala295 were present. These results suggest a plausible model in which autophosphorylation of CaM-kinase II leads to a conformational change in the region of 293Phe-Asn-Ala295 which makes these residues accessible for binding to CaM. As a consequence of these changes, further CaM contacts with 296Arg-Arg-Lys299 are established leading to high affinity CaM binding or "CaM trapping."

Regulatory segments of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases

Catalytic cores of skeletal and smooth muscle myosin light chain kinases and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II are regulated intrasterically by different regulatory segments containing autoinhibitory and calmodulin-binding sequences. The functional properties of these regulatory segments were examined in chimeric kinases containing either the catalytic core of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II with different regulatory segments. Recognition of protein substrates by the catalytic core of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase was altered with the regulatory segment of protein kinase II but not with smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase. Similarly, the catalytic properties of the protein kinase II were altered with regulatory segments from either myosin light chain kinase. All chimeric kinases were dependent on Ca2+/calmodulin for activity. The apparent Ca2+/calmodulin activation constant was similarly low with all chimeras containing the skeletal muscle catalytic core. The activation constant was greater with chimeric kinases containing the catalytic core of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II with its endogenous or myosin light chain kinase regulatory segments. Thus, heterologous regulatory segments affect substrate recognition and kinase activity. Furthermore, the sensitivity to calmodulin activation is determined primarily by the respective catalytic cores, not the calmodulin-binding sequences.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II controls alpha5beta1 integrin-mediated inside-out signaling

Fibronectin binding on alpha5beta1 integrin is strictly dependent on intracellular calcium. Using an in vitro assay, we previously found that either calcineurin inhibitors or a blocking calcineurin monoclonal antibody added to cell lysates completely abolished the fibronectin/integrin interaction, which suggested that the activity of calcineurin, a calcium/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase, was required to counteract some kinase activity and maintain the high affinity state of alpha5beta1. In this paper, we show that blocking of the calcium/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) activity with the specific inhibitor KN-62 or with its pseudosubtrate Autocamtide-2 preserved the high affinity state of the integrin even under experimental conditions that inhibit calcineurin. Conversely, the addition of purified CaMKII to the cell lysate inhibited alpha5beta1 binding to fibronectin in vitro. Consistent with these results, cell adhesion on fibronectin was stimulated by KN-62. Moreover, Scatchard analysis of fibronectin binding on CHO cells revealed that KN-62 decreased the Kd value from 0.3 to 0.05 microM. Finally the expression of exogenous constitutively active CaMKII resulted in a dramatic defect in cell adhesion with no significant modification in alpha5beta1 cell surface expression. In summary our results demonstrate that CaMKII controls the affinity state of the integrin alpha5beta1 in vitro and in living cells.

Definition of optimal substrate recognition motifs of Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinases IV and II reveals shared and distinctive features

The substrate recognition determinants of Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) IV and CaMKIIalpha were investigated using peptide substrates modeled on the amino acid sequence encompassing Ser-9 of synapsin I. For both kinases, hydrophobic residues (Leu or Phe) at the -5 position, are well tolerated, whereas non-hydrophobic residues (Arg, Ala, or Asp) decrease Vmax/Km by 55- to >4000-fold. At the -3 position, substitution of Ala for Arg leads to decreases of 99- and 343- fold in Vmax/Km for CaMKIV and CaMKIIalpha, respectively. For both kinases, the nature of the residues occupying the -4, -1, and + 4 positions exerts relatively little influence on phosphorylation kinetics. CaMKIV and CaMKIIalpha respond differently to substitutions at the -2 and +1 positions. Substitution of Arg at the -2 position with non-basic residues (Gln or Ala) leads to 6-fold decreases in Vmax/Km for CaMKIV, but 17-28-fold increases for CaMKIIalpha. Additionally, peptides containing Leu, Asp, or Ala at the +1 position are phosphorylated with similar efficiencies by CaMKIV, whereas the Leu-substituted peptide is preferred by CaMKIIalpha (by a factor of 5.8-9.7-fold). Thus, CaMKIV and CaMKIIalpha preferentially phosphorylate substrates with the motifs: Hyd-X-Arg-X-X-Ser*/Thr*, and Hyd-X-Arg-NB-X-Ser*/Thr*-Hyd, respectively, where Hyd represents a hydrophobic, X any, and NB a non-basic amino acid residue. The different specificities of the two kinases may contribute to their targeting to distinct physiological substrates during Ca2+-dependent cellular events.

Effects of zinc on phospholamban phosphorylation

The effects of zinc on the phosphorylation of phospholamban (PLB) were studied in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membranes prepared from swine ventricular muscle. Zinc produced a dose dependent inhibition of PLB phosphorylation. With the use of phosphorylation site specific antibodies, it was shown that this inhibition was specific for the PLB phosphorylation at Thr-17. Since phosphorylation of this site is known to be mediated by the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase endogenous to the cardiac SR (SRCaM kinase), the action of zinc on SRCaM kinase was investigated. It was found that (i) zinc inhibited the activity of SRCaM kinase (IC50: 15 microM) and (ii) zinc concentrations, at the millimolar range, stimulated Ca(2+)-independent SRCaM kinase autophosphorylation. This ability of zinc to differentiate between autophosphorylation and substrate phosphorylation activities of SRCaM kinase raises the possibility that zinc mediated independent regulation of these processes can occur in the intact heart.

Expression of a constitutively active Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase in Aspergillus nidulans spores prevents germination and entry into the cell cycle

The unique gene for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMK) has been shown to be essential in Aspergillus nidulans. Disruption of the gene prevents entry of spores into the nuclear division cycle. Here we show that expression of a constitutively active form of CaMK also prevents spores from entering the first S phase in response to a germinating stimulus. Expression of the constitutively active kinase induces premature activation of NIMEcyclin B/NIMXcdc2 in G0/G1. As NIMXcdc2 is present in spores, the elevation of maturation promotion factor activity may be secondary to the early production of NIMEcyclin B or post-translation modification of maturation promotion factor. The expression of the constitutively active CaMK also results in the appearance of NIMA kinase activity within 1 h of the germinating signal. These results support the contention that the activities of maturation promotion factor and NIMA are coincidentally regulated in A. nidulans and suggest that the unscheduled appearance of one or both of these activities may be sufficient to prevent A. nidulans spores from entering into DNA synthesis.

Methionine to glutamine substitutions in the C-terminal domain of calmodulin impair the activation of three protein kinases

The 9 methionine residues of vertebrate calmodulin (CaM) were individually changed to glutamine residues in order to investigate their roles in enzyme binding and activation. The mutant proteins showed three classes of effect on the activation of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase, CaM-dependent protein kinase IIalpha, and CaM-dependent protein kinase IV. First, some mutations had no appreciable effect on the ability of CaM to activate the three protein kinases. Included in this category were glutamine substitutions at residues 36 and 51 in the N-terminal domain, at residue 76 in the domain linker sequence, and at residues 144 and 145 in the C-terminal domain. Second, glutamine substitutions in the N-terminal domain of CaM, particularly those at positions 71 and 72, lowered the maximal activity of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase while having no effect on the other two enzymes. Finally the affinity of CaM for all three enzymes was lowered by glutamine mutations at the neighboring methionines 109 and 124, located on a solvent-accessible surface of the C-terminal domain of Ca2+/CaM. This last result provides the first demonstration of the involvement of the same hydrophobic groups in the high affinity binding of CaM to three different enzymes.

Characterization of the reductase domain of rat neuronal nitric oxide synthase generated in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. Calmodulin response is complete within the reductase domain itself

Rat neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) is comprised of a flavin-containing reductase domain and a heme-containing oxygenase domain. Calmodulin binding to nNOS increases the rate of electron transfer from NADPH into its flavins, triggers electron transfer from flavins to the heme, activates NO synthesis, and increases reduction of artificial electron acceptors such as cytochrome c. To investigate what role the reductase domain plays in calmodulin's activation of these functions, we overexpressed a form of the nNOS reductase domain (amino acids 724-1429) in the yeast Pichia pastoris that for the first time exhibits a complete calmodulin response. The reductase domain was purified by 2',5'-ADP affinity chromatography yielding 25 mg of pure protein per liter of culture. It contained 1 FAD and 0.8 FMN per molecule. Most of the protein as isolated contained an air-stable flavin semiquinone radical that was sensitive to FeCN6 oxidation. Anaerobic titration of the FeCN6-oxidized reductase domain with NADPH indicated the flavin semiquinone re-formed after addition of 1-electron equivalent and the flavins could accept up to 3 electrons from NADPH. Calmodulin binding to the recombinant reductase protein increased its rate of NADPH-dependent flavin reduction and its rate of electron transfer to cytochrome c, FeCN6, or dichlorophenolindophenol to fully match the rate increases achieved when calmodulin bound to native full-length nNOS. Calmodulin's activation of the reductase protein was associated with an increase in domain tryptophan and flavin fluorescence. We conclude that many of calmodulin's actions on native nNOS can be fully accounted for through its interaction with the nNOS reductase domain itself.

Homologous DNA pairing promoted by a 20-amino acid peptide derived from RecA

The molecular structure of the Escherichia coli RecA protein in the absence of DNA revealed two disordered or mobile loops that were proposed to be DNA binding sites. A short peptide spanning one of these loops was shown to carry out the key reaction mediated by the whole RecA protein: pairing (targeting) of a single-stranded DNA to its homologous site on a duplex DNA. In the course of the reaction the peptide bound to both substrate DNAs, unstacked the single-stranded DNA, and assumed a beta structure. These events probably recapitulate the underlying molecular pathway or mechanism used by homologous recombination proteins.

Structural basis for the autoinhibition of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I

The crystal structure of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I has been determined in the autoinhibited form. The C-terminal regulatory region of the enzyme forms a helix-loop-helix segment that extends across the two domains of the catalytic core, making multiple inhibitory interactions. Elements of the first regulatory alpha helix and the loop interfere with the binding site for peptide substrates, while the loop and the second helix interact with the ATP-binding domain to induce conformational changes that obstruct the nucleotide binding pocket. One part of the calmodulin recognition element protrudes away from the catalytic domain and is potentially available for an initial interaction with calmodulin. The structure provides a view of an intact calmodulin target and suggests that substantial structural changes will accompany kinase activation by calmodulin binding to the regulatory region.