Calmodulin: its potential role in cell proliferation and heavy metal toxicity.
Increasing evidence indicates that calmodulin, the ubiquitous Ca2+-binding protein in eukaryotes, serves as a major intracellular Ca2+ receptor regulating the activity or rate of many key enzymes and cellular processes, including a potential role in cell proliferation. Certain heavy metals are highly toxic to the cell; preliminary findings from our laboratory suggest that these metals effectively substitute for Ca2+ in calmodulin. Activation of calmodulin by these metals could upset its normal regulation by the cellular flux of Ca2+. Perhaps this could constitute in part a basis for the toxicity of these metals in cell physiology.
D000818:Animals; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000266:history / Q000502:physiology*; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D002453:Cell Cycle; D006801:Humans; D008540:Meiosis; D008670:Metals / Q000633:toxicity*; D008938:Mitosis; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D002147:Calmodulin; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D008670:Metals