title: CaM kinase II-alpha activity, levels and Ca/calmodulin dependent phosphorylation of substrate proteins in mice brain during fatal murine cerebral malaria.
abstract: The activity and levels of CaM kinase II-alpha was investigated in the cytosolic and membrane fraction of mice cerebral cortex and cerebellum using an experimental model of fatal murine cerebral malaria (FMCM). In parallel, Ca(2+)/Calmodulin dependent phosphorylation of target substrate proteins was studied using syntide-2 as substrate. Pathology of FMCM resulted in decreased CaM kinase-II activity in both cortex and cerebellum though western analysis revealed no appreciable changes in the levels of CaM kinase-II alpha in cytosol and membrane fractions from control and cerebral malaria infected brain. Given the abundant expression of Cam kinase-II in neuronal tissue, its significance in neurotransmitter release and synthesis and signal transduction during apoptosis, decreased levels of enzyme activity and altered phosphorylation of substrate proteins by CaM kinase II may serve as important cues in understanding the CaM kinase signal transduction events central to neurological disorders during FMCM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad -500 046, India.
authors.forename: Kota Arun
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Phanithi Prakash
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Babu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010962:Plasmodium berghei; D012016:Reference Values; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D010455:Peptides; C063391:syntide-2; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; C517671:Camk2a protein, mouse