title: Ca2+-calmodulin binding to caldesmon and the caldesmon-actin-tropomyosin complex. Its role in Ca2+ regulation of the activity of synthetic smooth-muscle thin filaments.
abstract: We measured the concentration of calmodulin required to reverse inhibition by caldesmon of actin-activated myosin MgATPase activity, in a model smooth-muscle thin-filament system, reconstituted in vitro from purified vascular smooth-muscle actin, tropomyosin and caldesmon. At 37 degrees C in buffer containing 120 mM-KCl, 4 microM-Ca2+-calmodulin produced a half-maximal reversal of caldesmon inhibition, but more than 300 microM-Ca2+-calmodulin was necessary at 25 degrees C in buffer containing 60 mM-KCl. The binding affinity (K) of caldesmon for Ca2+-calmodulin was measured by a fluorescence-polarization method: K = 2.7 x 10(6) M-1 at 25 degrees C (60 mM-KCl); K = 1.4 x 10(6) M-1 at 37 degrees C in 70 mM-KCl-containing buffer; K = 0.35 x 10(6) M-1 at 37 degrees C in 120 mM-KCl- containing buffer (pH 7.0). At 37 degrees C/120 mM-KCl, but not at 25 degrees C/60 mM-KCl, Ca2+-calmodulin bound to caldesmon bound to actin-tropomyosin (K = 2.9 x 10(6) M-1). Ca2+ regulation in this system does not depend on a simple competition between Ca2+-calmodulin and actin for binding to caldesmon. Under conditions (37 degrees C/120 mM-KCl) where physiologically realistic concentrations of calmodulin can Ca2+-regulate synthetic thin filaments, Ca2+-calmodulin reverses caldesmon inhibition of actomyosin ATPase by forming a non-inhibited complex of Ca2+-calmodulin-caldesmon-(actin-tropomyosin).
authors.affiliation: National Heart and Lung Institute, London, U.K.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pritchard
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Marston
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism*; D009282:Naphthalenesulfonates; D012756:Sheep; D014335:Tropomyosin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002147:Calmodulin; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009282:Naphthalenesulfonates; D014335:Tropomyosin; C048876:1,5-AEDANS; D002118:Calcium