title: Direct modulation of calmodulin targets by the neuronal calcium sensor NCS-1.
abstract: Ca2+ and its ubiquitous intracellular receptor calmodulin (CaM) are required in the nervous system, among a host of cellular responses, for the modulation of several important enzymes and ion channels involved in synaptic efficacy and neuronal plasticity. Here, we report that CaM can be replaced by the neuronal calcium sensor NCS-1 both in vitro and in vivo. NCS-1 is a calcium binding protein with two Ca(2+)-binding domains that shares only 21% of homology with CaM. We observe that NCS-1 directly activates two Ca2+/CaM-dependent enzymes (3':5'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and protein phosphatase calcineurin). Co-activation of nitric oxide synthase by NCS-1 and CaM results in a higher activity than with CaM alone. Moreover, NCS-1 is coexpressed with calcineurin and nitric oxide synthase in several neuron populations. Finally, injections of NCS-1 into calmodulin-defective cam1 Paramecium partially restore wildtype behavioral responses. With this highly purified preparation of NCS-1, we have obtained crystals suitable for crystallographic structure studies. NCS-1, despite its very different structure, distribution, and Ca(2+)-binding affinity as compared with CaM, can substitute for or potentiate CaM functions. Therefore, NCS-1 represents a novel protein capable of mediating multiple Ca(2+)-signaling pathways in the nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Schaad
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Castro
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nef
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hegi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hinrichsen
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Martone
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ellisman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sikkink
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rusnak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sygush
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nef
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D019703:Calcineurin; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008845:Microinjections; D051580:Neuronal Calcium-Sensor Proteins; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010247:Paramecium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002147:Calmodulin; D002148:Calmodulin-Binding Proteins; D051580:Neuronal Calcium-Sensor Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C101464:frequenin calcium sensor proteins; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019703:Calcineurin; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D002118:Calcium