title: Calmodulin and calcium-release channels.
abstract: Calmodulin (CaM) is a ubiquitous cytosolic protein that plays a critical role in regulating cellular functions by altering the activity of a large number of ion channels. There are many examples for CaM directly mediating the feedback effects of Ca2+ on Ca2+ channels. Recently the molecular mechanisms by which CaM interacts with voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels and ryanodine receptors have been clarified. CaM plays an important role in regulating these ion channels through lobe-specific Ca2+ detection. CaM seems to behave as a channel subunit. It binds at low [Ca2+] and undergoes conformational changes upon binding of Ca2+, leading to an interaction with another part of the channel to regulate its gating. Here we focus on the mechanism by which CaM regulates the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R). Although the IP3R is inhibited by CaM and by other CaM-like proteins in the presence of Ca2+, we conclude that CaM does not act as the Ca2+ sensor for IP3R function. Furthermore we discuss a novel Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+)-release mechanism found in A7r5 (embryonic rat aorta) and 16HBE14o- (human bronchial mucosa) cells for which CaM acts as a Ca2+ sensor.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorium voor Fysiologie, K.U. Leuven Campus Gasthuisberg O/N, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nael Nadif
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Kasri
authors.forename: Jan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Parys
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Callewaert
authors.forename: Ludwig
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Missiaen
authors.forename: Humbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Smedt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002147:Calmodulin; C506926:ITPR1 protein, human; D053496:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear