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The complex structure of calmodulin bound to a calcineurin peptide
Author(s) -
Ye Qilu,
Wang Hailong,
Zheng Jimin,
Wei Qun,
Jia Zongchao
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
proteins: structure, function, and bioinformatics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.699
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0134
pISSN - 0887-3585
DOI - 10.1002/prot.22032
Subject(s) - calmodulin , linker , chemistry , peptide , dimer , binding site , stereochemistry , protein subunit , protein structure , biophysics , crystallography , biochemistry , enzyme , biology , organic chemistry , computer science , gene , operating system
Abstract The activity of the protein phosphatase calcineurin (CN) is regulated by an autoinhibition mechanism wherein several domains from its catalytic A subunit, including the calmodulin binding domain (CaMBD), block access to its active site. Upon binding of Ca 2+ and calmodulin (Ca 2+ /CaM) to CaMBD, the autoinhibitory domains dissociate from the catalytic groove, thus activating the enzyme. To date, the structure of the CN/CaM/Ca 2+ complex has not been determined in its entirety. Previously, we determined the structure of a fusion protein consisting of CaM and a 25‐residue peptide taken from the CaMBD, joined by a 5‐glycine linker. This structure revealed a novel CaM binding motif. However, the presence of the extraneous glycine linker cast doubt on the authenticity of this structure as an accurate representation of CN/CaM binding in vivo . Thus, here, we have determined the crystal structure of CaM complexed with the 25‐residue CaMBD peptide without the glycine linker at a resolution of 2.1 Å. The structure is essentially identical to the fusion construction which displays CaM bound to the CaMBD peptide as a dimer with an open, elongated conformation. The N‐lobe from one molecule and C‐lobe from another encompass and bind the CaMBD peptide. Thus, it validates the existence of this novel CaM binding motif. Our experiments suggest that the dimeric CaM/CaMBD complex exists in solution, which is unambiguously validated using a carefully‐designed CaM‐sepharose pull‐down experiment. We discuss structural features that produce this novel binding motif, including the role of the CaMBD peptide residues Arg‐408, Val‐409, and Phe‐410, which work to provide rigidity to the otherwise flexible central CaM helix joining the N‐ and C‐lobes, ultimately keeping these lobes apart and forcing “head‐to‐tail” dimerization to attain the requisite N‐ and C‐lobe pairing for CaMBD binding. Proteins 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.