Crystal structure of calsequestrin from rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

Calsequestrin, the major Ca2+ storage protein of muscle, coordinately binds and releases 40-50 Ca2+ ions per molecule for each contraction-relaxation cycle by an uncertain mechanism. We have determined the structure of rabbit skeletal muscle calsequestrin. Three very negative thioredoxin-like domains surround a hydrophilic center. Each monomer makes two extensive dimerization contacts, both of which involve the approach of many negative groups. This structure suggests a mechanism by which calsequestrin may achieve high capacity Ca2+ binding. The suggested mechanism involves Ca2+-induced collapse of the three domains and polymerization of calsequestrin monomers arising from three factors: N-terminal arm exchange, helix-helix contacts and Ca2+ cross bridges. This proposed structure-based mechanism accounts for the observed coupling of high capacity Ca2+ binding with protein precipitation.

Ca(2+)-induced folding and aggregation of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum calsequestrin. The involvement of the trifluoperazine-binding site

Calsequestrin is an intermediate affinity, high capacity Ca(2+)-binding protein found in the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum of both skeletal and cardiac muscle cells. Previous sequence analysis suggested that calsequestrin may contain a hydrophobic binding site for the drug trifluoperazine, a site shared by the calmodulin family and shown to play a role in calmodulin/calmodulin receptor interaction. Previous studies showed that, upon Ca2+ binding, calsequestrin undergoes a conformational change, burying the trifluoperazine-binding site, folding into a more compact structure that is trypsin-resistant, and increasing the negative ellipticity of the circular dichroism spectrum. In this study, the structural and functional roles of the trifluoperazine-binding site in the Ca(2+)-induced conformational change of calsequestrin are further studied using the calmodulin antagonists trifluoperazine and melittin. If trifluoperazine or melittin is added to calsequestrin prior to Ca2+ addition, then Ca(2+)-induced folding is inhibited as determined by the changes in circular dichroism spectra and protein sensitivity to trypsin digestion. If, however, Ca2+ is added prior to trifluoperazine or melittin, calsequestrin remains resistant to trypsin digestion, just as if the calmodulin antagonists are not present, suggesting that the conformational change is not affected. Aggregates of calsequestrin that exhibit high Ca2+ binding capacity have previously been shown to occur at high Ca2+ and calsequestrin concentrations. By preventing a prerequisite folding step, trifluoperazine or melittin also prevents the Ca(2+)-induced aggregation of calsequestrin, thus decreasing the maximal Ca2+ binding by calsequestrin. These data suggest that the trifluoperazine-binding site is critically involved in the Ca(2+)-induced intramolecular folding step required for the intermolecular interactions leading to high capacity Ca(2+)-binding by calsequestrin.

A bioassay for cobra cardiotoxin activity using semi-isolated cockroach heart

A semi-isolated cockroach heart preparation was used to rapidly determine the activity of cobra cardiotoxin, monitored as a direct response on heart rate. This preparation produced a dose-response curve in the presence of active cardiotoxin and demonstrated that cardiotoxin retained its biological activity after boiling, although cardiotoxin activity was destroyed by heating in the presence of dithiothreitol. Experiments that cross-linked radiolabeled cardiotoxin to solubilized cockroach heart membranes suggested that cardiotoxin bound specifically to a 59,000 mol. wt membrane protein in this tissue.