title: RGK small GTP-binding proteins interact with the nucleotide kinase domain of Ca2+-channel beta-subunits via an uncommon effector binding domain.
abstract: RGK proteins (Kir/Gem, Rad, Rem, and Rem2) form a small subfamily of the Ras superfamily. Despite a conserved GTP binding core domain, several differences suggest that structure, mechanism of action, and functional regulation differ from Ras. RGK proteins down-regulate voltage-gated calcium channel activity by binding in a GTP-dependent fashion to the Cavbeta subunits. Mutational analysis combined with homology modeling reveal a novel effector binding mechanism distinct from that of other Ras GTPases. In this model the Switch 1 region acts as an allosteric activator that facilitates electrostatic interactions between Arg-196 in Kir/Gem and Asp-194, -270, and -272 in the nucleotide-kinase (NK) domain of Cavbeta3 and wedging Val-223 and His-225 of Kir/Gem into a hydrophobic pocket in the NK domain. Kir/Gem interacts with a surface on the NK domain that is distinct from the groove where the voltage-gated calcium channel Cavalpha1 subunit binds. A complex composed of the RGK protein and the Cavbeta3 and Cav1.2 subunits could be revealed in vivo using coimmunoprecipitation experiments. Intriguingly, docking of the RGK protein to the NK domain of the Cavbeta subunit is reminiscent of the binding of GMP to guanylate kinase.
authors.affiliation: Epithelial Cell Biology Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Republic of Singapore.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Béguin
authors.forename: Yu Jin Alvin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Carola
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Ramasubbu N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Mahalakshmi
authors.forename: Mei Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hunziker
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D051381:Rats; D040681:Structural Homology, Protein
chemical_list: C484333:Cacnb3 protein, rat; D015220:Calcium Channels; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; C419385:L-type calcium channel alpha(1C); D009711:Nucleotides; D010770:Phosphotransferases; C088119:Gem protein, mouse; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins