Trypsin destruction of the high affinity ryanodine binding sites of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum

Tryptic digestion of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes in sucrose but not NaCl buffer leads to complete loss of ryanodine binding capacity. The presence of MgCl2 in the sucrose buffer prevents the loss of ryanodine binding by the trypsin treatment. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the treated membranes reveal that the 400-kDa protein band disappeared under all the different digestion conditions. However, the presence of 135-kDa tryptic fragment is observed only when ryanodine binding is retained. Quantitative analysis of the gels shows that the loss of ryanodine binding is well correlated with the cleavage of the 135-kDa tryptic fragment. This correlation is obtained when the cleavage was controlled either by the digestion time or by NaCl or MgCl2 concentrations. The same concentrations of MgCl2 and NaCl affect the ryanodine binding activity, the cleavage of the 135-kDa tryptic fragment, and the solubility and stability of the [3H]ryanodine-receptor complex in a detergent-containing medium. Tryptic digestion of the ryanodine receptor/junctional Ca2+ release channel, which leads to complete loss of ryanodine binding capacity, has no effect or slightly stimulates the Ca2+ accumulation activity of these membranes.     

Calcium-ryanodine receptor complex. Solubilization and partial characterization from skeletal muscle junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

The Ca2+-ryanodine receptor complex is solubilized in functional form on treating sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles from rabbit fast skeletal muscle with 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane-sulfonate (CHAPS) (1 mg/mg protein) and 1 M NaCl at pH 7.1 by shaking for 30 min at 5 degrees C. The heavy membrane preparations obtained from pyrophosphate homogenates frequently exhibit junctional feet and appear to be derived primarily from the terminal cisternae of the SR. The characteristics of [3H]ryanodine binding are similar for the soluble receptor and the heavy SR vesicles with respect to dependence on Ca2+, pharmacological specificity for inhibition by six ryanoids and ruthenium red, and lack of sensitivity to voltage-dependent Ca2+-channel blockers, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate, or doxorubicin. In contrast, the cation sensitivity is decreased on receptor solubilization. The soluble receptor is modulated by cyclic nucleotides and rapidly denatured at 50 degrees C. Saturation experiments reveal a single class of receptors (Kd = 9.6 nM), whereas kinetic measurements yield a calculated association constant of 5.5 X 10(6) min-1 M-1 and a dissociation constant of 5.7 X 10(-4) min-1, suggesting that the [3H]ryanodine receptor complex ages with time to a state which is recalcitrant to dissociation. Sepharose chromatography shows that the receptor complex consists primarily of two protein fractions, one of apparent Mr 150,000-300,000 and a second, the [3H]ryanodine binding component, of approximately Mr 1.2 X 10(6). Preliminary analysis of the soluble receptor preparation by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals subunits of Mr greater than 200,000 and major bands of calsequestrin and Ca2+-transport ATPase. These findings indicate that [3H]ryanodine binds to the Ca2+-induced open state of the channel involved in the release of contractile Ca2+.     

Calcium efflux from sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

Ca²⁺ efflux was studied in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle. In experimental conditions in which the Ca²⁺ pump is reversed, the rate of Ca^2? efflux varies with the ADP, orthophosphate and Mg²⁺ concentrations of the assay medium and is inhibited by Na⁺.     

The unraveling architecture of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of skeletal muscle controls the contraction-relaxation cycle by raising and lowering the myoplasmic free-Ca²⁺ concentration. The coupling between excitation, i.e., depolarization of sarcolemma and transvers tubule (TT) and Ca²⁺ release from the terminal cisternae (TC) of SR takes place at the triad. The triad junction is formed by a specialized region of the TC, the junctional SR, and the TT. The molecular architecture and protein composition of the junctional SR are under active investigation. Since the junctional SR plays a central role in excitation-contraction coupling and Ca²⁺ release, some of its protein constituents are directly involved in these processes. The biochemical evidence supporting this contention is reviewed in this article.     

A functional identification of cardiac junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum

Junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) has been identified in microsomes from canine ventricular muscle by the presence of calsequestrin and ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channels. These properties, however, are not common to cardiac cells from all species. Seiler et al (1) have recently described a high Mr polypeptide in canine junctional SR similar to the spanning protein subunits of skeletal muscle triads. We now report the existence of a polypeptide with the same mobility in SR from rabbit ventricular muscle and show that those cardiac membranes can associate with transverse (T-) tubules from rabbit skeletal muscle in K cacodylate medium. We propose that this polypeptide and the reaction with T-tubules be considered as criteria for the identification of cardiac junctional SR.     

Functional characterization of reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

A detailed functional characterization of reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles with similar lipid content as normal SR was obtained by studies of ATPase activity and calcium transport in transient state, steady state, and equilibrium conditions. For this purpose, enzyme phosphorylation with ATP, hydrolytic activity, calcium transport, phosphorylation with Pi, and ATP synthesis by reversal of the pump were measured, and utilized to demonstrate function and orientation of catalytic sites. The preparations used in these studies displayed the highest activity reported for reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum systems. The rates of phosphoenzyme formation from ATP and hydrolysis as well as steady state levels matched the values obtained with normal SR vesicles. Calcium transport and repeated cycles of ATP synthesis by reversal of the pump were also obtained. However, the efficiency of transport and ATP synthesis from a Ca2+ gradient was approximately three times lower than in native vesicles. This deficiency could not be attributed to passive calcium leak from the reconstituted vesicles but, in part, can be explained by the bidirectional alignment of the calcium pump in reconstituted SR. It is suggested that vectorial transport requires a more complex level of protein structure than that for sustaining simple ATPase activity. Time resolution of the phosphorylation reaction by rapid quench methods can be used to estimate the orientation of the calcium pump in the membrane. Such studies indicate that the calcium pump protein is largely bidirectionally oriented in reconstituted SR vesicles.     

Separation of dihydropyridine binding sites from cardiac junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum

When microsomes from feline ventricular muscle are centrifuged on continuous linear sucrose gradients, the major peak for the distribution pattern of the dihydropyridine binding sites corresponds in position and shape with the distribution of the Mr 300K polypeptide marker for junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Plasma membrane vesicles are also present in those gradient fractions and appear to be joined to the junctional SR as native dyads. We now report that when such putative dyads are passed through the French press, both the dihydropyridine binding sites and the plasma membrane marker band together at a new isopycnic point distinct from the junctional SR. We conclude that as has been found in the skeletal muscle system the dihydropyridine binding sites are a marker for the junctional domain of the plasma membrane and that separation of the dyad components of the mammalian myocardium can be attained.     

Characterization of junctional and longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum from heart muscle

Longitudinal tubules and junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were prepared from heart muscle microsomes by Ca2+-phosphate loading followed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The longitudinal SR had a high Ca2+ loading rate (0.93 +/- 0.08 mumol.mg-1.min) which was unchanged by addition of ruthenium red. Junctional SR had a low Ca2+ loading rate (0.16 +/- 0.02 mumol.mg-1.min) which was enhanced about 5-fold by ruthenium red. Junctional SR had feet structures observed by electron microscopy and a high molecular weight protein with Mr of 340,000, whereas longitudinal SR was essentially devoid of both. Thus, these subfractions have similar characteristics to longitudinal and junctional terminal cisternae of SR from fast twitch skeletal muscle. Ryanodine binding was localized to junctional cardiac SR as determined by [3H]ryanodine binding. Scatchard analysis of the binding data showed two types of binding (high affinity, Kd approximately 7.9 nM; low affinity, Kd approximately 1 microM), contrasting with skeletal junctional terminal cisternae where only one site with Kd of approximately 50 nM was observed. The ruthenium red enhancement of Ca2+ loading rate in junctional cardiac SR was blocked by pretreatment with low concentrations of ryanodine as reported for junctional terminal cisternae of skeletal muscle SR. The Ca2+ loading rate of junctional cardiac SR was enhanced by preincubation with high concentrations of ryanodine. The apparent inhibition constant (Ki approximately 7 nM) and stimulation constant (Km approximately 1.1 microM) for ryanodine on junctional SR corresponded to the Kd for high affinity binding (Kd approximately 7.9 nM) and low affinity binding (Kd approximately 1.1 microM), respectively. These results suggest that high affinity ryanodine binding locks the Ca2+ release channels in the open state and that low affinity binding closes the Ca2+ release channels of the junctional cardiac SR. The characteristics of the Ca2+ release channels of junctional cardiac SR appear to be similar to that of skeletal muscle SR, but the Ca2+ release channels of cardiac SR are more sensitive to ryanodine.     

Spatial organization of CaATPase molecules in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

Fluorescence intensity, polarization, and (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase (CaATPase) activity were measured for sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) CaATPase with varying amounts of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) attached at a specific site at or near the ATP binding site. The stoichiometry of attached FITC was proportional to the inhibition of ATPase activity, consistent with the independent labeling of one FITC site per CaATPase molecule. Polarization measurements on vesicular CaATPase indicated the occurrence of energy-transfer depolarization that increased as the fraction of binding sites labeled by FITC increased. Addition of the nonionic detergent dodecyl nonaoxyethylene alcohol (C12E9) eliminated the energy-transfer depolarization for all degrees of labeling with little direct effect on the attached FITC molecule. Fluorescence polarization measurements on sizing-column-purified FITC-labeled CaATPase in the presence of 30 mM C12E9 indicated that the sample consisted of homogeneous monomeric CaATPase. The attached FITC molecule was not sensitive to the bulk viscosity for either the vesicular or the detergent-solubilized CaATPase. The midpoints of the transition from vesicular to monomeric CaATPase as a function of increasing detergent concentration were determined from fluorescence polarization and light-scattering measurements. The dependence of these midpoints on the CaATPase concentration indicated a stoichiometry of 262 +/- 35 molecules of C12E9 per CaATPase in the detergent-protein complex. Both measurements gave the same result. The decrease of fluorescence polarization with increasing saturation of the FITC binding sites for vesicular and detergent-solubilized CaATPase was analyzed in terms of energy-transfer depolarization to determine the spatial arrangements of CaATPase molecules.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Evidence for a junctional feet-ryanodine receptor complex from sarcoplasmic reticulum

Heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, labelled with the Ca2+ release channel probe [3H]ryanodine, were solubilized in detergent, then centrifuged through sucrose gradients. A single peak of ryanodine binding activity was observed with an apparent sedimentation coefficient of 30S. Electron microscopy of the peak fraction showed disk structures of 25-28 nm diameter and 10 nm thickness. Proteins specifically enriched in the peak fraction were the Mr 160,000 and 260,000 and junctional feet proteins (Mr 320,000 and 300,000). This suggests that the feet proteins and ryanodine receptor may be specifically associated into a large oligomeric complex comprising subunits of Mr 160,000-320,000.