title: Essential role for Pro21 in phospholamban for optimal inhibition of the Ca-ATPase.
abstract: We have investigated the functional role of the flexible hinge region centered near the sequence TIEMP(21), which connects the N-terminal cytosolic and C-terminal membrane-spanning helical domains of phospholamban (PLB). Specifically, we ask if the conformation of this region is important to attain optimal inhibitory interactions with the Ca-ATPase. A genetically engineered PLB mutant was constructed in which Pro(21) was mutated to an alanine (P21A-PLB(C)); in this construct, all three transmembrane cysteines were substituted with alanines to stabilize the monomeric form of PLB, and a unique cysteine was introduced at position 24 near the hinge element (A24C), permitting the site-specific attachment of fluorescein-5-maleimide (FMal) to monitor structure changes. In agreement with prior measurements in cardiac SR microsomes, the calcium concentration associated with half-maximal activation (Ca(1/2)) of the Ca-ATPase, 290 +/- 10 nM, is shifted to 580 +/- 20 nM when co-reconstituted with PLB(C) (Pro21) as a result of a reduction in the cooperativity associated with the calcium-dependent structural transition. Kinetic simulations indicate that PLB(C) association with the Ca-ATPase results in a 75% reduction in the equilibrium constant associated with the formation of the second high-affinity calcium binding site. In comparison, there is a 43% reduction in KCa(1/2) upon reconstitution of the Ca-ATPase with P21A-PLB(C), which can be simulated by decreasing the equilibrium constant associated with the calcium-dependent structural activation by 50%. The diminished inhibitory action of P21A-PLB(C) is associated with alterations in the structure of the hinge element, as evidenced by the diminished solvent accessibility of FMal relative to the native structure. Likewise, increases in the alpha-helical content and decreases in the mobility of the carboxyl-terminal domain of P21A-PLB(C) are observed using circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy. Collectively, these results indicate that the overall dimensions of the carboxyl-terminal domain of PLB are increased through a stabilization of secondary structural elements upon mutation in P21A-PLB(C) that result in a reduction in the ability of the amino-terminal cytosolic portion of PLB to productively inhibit the Ca-ATPase. Further, these results suggest that the unstructured characteristics of the flexible hinge region in PLB are critical for optimal inhibitory interactions with the Ca-ATPase and suggest its role as a conformational switch.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Biochemistry Group, Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
authors.forename: Jinhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Curt B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Boschek
authors.forename: Yijia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Colette A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sacksteder
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Squier
authors.forename: Diana J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bigelow
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000737:chemistry; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D011392:Proline / Q000737:chemistry*; D011487:Protein Conformation; D000099211:Phospholamban
chemical_list: D000409:Alanine; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases; D011392:Proline; D000099211:Phospholamban