title: Calcium binding, structural stability and guanylate cyclase  activation in GCAP1 variants associated with human cone  dystrophy.
abstract: Guanylate cyclase activating protein 1 (GCAP1) is a neuronal Ca(2+) sensor (NCS) that regulates the activation of rod outer segment guanylate cyclases (ROS-GCs) in photoreceptors. In this study, we investigated the Ca(2+)-induced effects on the conformation and the thermal stability of four GCAP1 variants associated with hereditary human cone dystrophies. Ca(2+) binding stabilized the conformation of all the GCAP1 variants independent of myristoylation. The myristoylated wild-type GCAP1 was found to have the highest Ca(2+) affinity and thermal stability, whereas all the mutants showed decreased Ca(2+) affinity and significantly lower thermal stability in both apo and Ca(2+)-loaded forms. No apparent cooperativity of Ca(2+) binding was detected for any variant. Finally, the non-myristoylated mutants were still capable of activating ROS-GC1, but the measured cyclase activity was shifted toward high, nonphysiological Ca(2+) concentrations. Thus, we conclude that distorted Ca(2+)-sensor properties could lead to cone dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dell'Orco
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Behnen
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Linse
authors.forename: Karl-Wilhelm
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051604:Guanylate Cyclase-Activating Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011487:Protein Conformation; D055550:Protein Stability; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D051604:Guanylate Cyclase-Activating Proteins; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D002118:Calcium