title: Signaling to the nucleus by an L-type calcium channel-calmodulin complex through the MAP kinase pathway.
abstract: Increases in the intracellular concentration of calcium ([Ca2+]i) activate various signaling pathways that lead to the expression of genes that are essential for dendritic development, neuronal survival, and synaptic plasticity. The mode of Ca2+ entry into a neuron plays a key role in determining which signaling pathways are activated and thus specifies the cellular response to Ca2+. Ca2+ influx through L-type voltage-activated channels (LTCs) is particularly effective at activating transcription factors such as CREB and MEF-2. We developed a functional knock-in technique to investigate the features of LTCs that specifically couple them to the signaling pathways that regulate gene expression. We found that an isoleucine-glutamine ("IQ") motif in the carboxyl terminus of the LTC that binds Ca2+-calmodulin (CaM) is critical for conveying the Ca2+ signal to the nucleus. Ca2+-CaM binding to the LTC was necessary for activation of the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which conveys local Ca2+ signals from the mouth of the LTC to the nucleus. CaM functions as a local Ca2+ sensor at the mouth of the LTC that activates the MAPK pathway and leads to the stimulation of genes that are essential for neuronal survival and plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroscience, Children's Hospital and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, Room 260, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Dolmetsch
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pajvani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fife
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Spotts
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010768:Phosphoserine / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D002147:Calmodulin; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors; D018006:Myogenic Regulatory Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D010768:Phosphoserine; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D002118:Calcium