Coupled gating of skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors is modulated by Ca2+, Mg2+, and ATP

Coupled gating (synchronous openings and closures) of groups of skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors (RyR1), which mimics RyR1-mediated Ca(2+) release underlying Ca(2+) sparks, was first described by Marx et al. (Marx SO, Ondrias K, Marks AR. Science 281: 818-821, 1998). The nature of the RyR1-RyR1 interactions for coupled gating still needs to be characterized. Consequently, we defined planar lipid bilayer conditions where ～25% of multichannel reconstitutions contain mixtures of coupled and independently gating RyR1. In ～10% of the cases, all RyRs (2-10 channels; most frequently 3-4) gated in coupled fashion, allowing for quantification. Our results indicated that coupling required cytosolic solutions containing ATP/Mg(2+) and high (50 mM) luminal Ca(2+) (Ca(lum)) or Sr(2+) solutions. Bursts of coupled activity (events) started and ended abruptly, with all channels activating/deactivating within ～300 μs. Coupled RyR1 were heterogeneous, where highly active RyR1 ("drivers") seemed open during the entire coupled event (P(o) = 1), while other RyR1s ("followers") displayed abundant flickering and smaller amplitude. Drivers mean open time increased with cytosolic Ca(2+) (Ca(cyt)) or caffeine, whereas followers flicker frequency was Ca(cyt) independent and more sensitive to inhibition by cytosolic Mg(2+). Coupled events were insensitive to varying lumen-to-cytosol Ca(2+) fluxes from ～1 to 8 pA, which does not corroborate coupling of neighboring RyR1 by local Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release. However, coupling requires specific Ca(lum) sites, as it was lost when Ca(lum) was replaced by luminal Ba(2+) or Mg(2+). In summary, coupled events reveal complex interactions among heterogeneous RyR1, differentially modulated by cytosolic ATP/Mg(2+), Ca(cyt), and Ca(lum,) which under cell-like ionic conditions may parallel synchronous RyR1 gating during Ca(2+) sparks.     

Halothane modulation of skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors: dependence on Ca2+, Mg2+, and ATP

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) susceptibility is a genetic disorder of skeletal muscle associated with mutations in the ryanodine receptor isoform 1 (RyR1) of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). In MH-susceptible skeletal fibers, RyR1-mediated Ca(2+) release is highly sensitive to activation by the volatile anesthetic halothane. Indeed, studies with isolated RyR1 channels (using simple Cs(+) solutions) found that halothane selectively affects mutated but not wild-type RyR1 function. However, studies in skeletal fibers indicate that halothane can also activate wild-type RyR1-mediated Ca(2+) release. We hypothesized that endogenous RyR1 agonists (ATP, lumenal Ca(2+)) may increase RyR1 sensitivity to halothane. Consequently, we studied how these agonists affect halothane action on rabbit skeletal RyR1 reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers. We found that cytosolic ATP is required for halothane-induced activation of the skeletal RyR1. Unlike RyR1, cardiac RyR2 (much less sensitive to ATP) responded to halothane even in the absence of this agonist. ATP-dependent halothane activation of RyR1 was enhanced by cytosolic Ca(2+) (channel agonist) and counteracted by Mg(2+) (channel inhibitor). Dantrolene, a muscle relaxant used to treat MH episodes, did not affect RyR1 or RyR2 basal activity and did not interfere with halothane-induced activation. Studies with skeletal SR microsomes confirmed that halothane-induced RyR1-mediated SR Ca(2+) release is enhanced by high ATP-low Mg(2+) in the cytosol and by increased SR Ca(2+) load. Thus, physiological or pathological processes that induce changes in cellular levels of these modulators could affect RyR1 sensitivity to halothane in skeletal fibers, including the outcome of halothane-induced contracture tests used to diagnose MH susceptibility.     

Heterogeneity of Ca2+ gating of skeletal muscle and cardiac ryanodine receptors.

The single-channel activity of rabbit skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (skeletal RyR) and dog cardiac RyR was studied as a function of cytosolic [Ca2+]. The studies reveal that for both skeletal and cardiac RyRs, heterogeneous populations of channels exist, rather than a uniform behavior. Skeletal muscle RyRs displayed two extremes of behavior: 1) low-activity RyRs (LA skeletal RyRs, approximately 35% of the channels) had very low open probability (Po < 0.1) at all [Ca2+] and remained closed in the presence of Mg2+ (2 mM) and ATP (1 mM); 2) high-activity RyRs (HA skeletal RyRs) had much higher activity and displayed further heterogeneity in their Po values at low [Ca2+] (< 50 nM), and in their patterns of activation by [Ca2+]. Hill coefficients for activation (nHa) varied from 0.8 to 5.2. Cardiac RyRs, in comparison, behaved more homogeneously. Most cardiac RyRs were closed at 100 nM [Ca2+] and activated in a cooperative manner (nHa ranged from 1.6 to 5.0), reaching a high Po (> 0.6) in the presence and absence of Mg2+ and ATP. Heart RyRs were much less sensitive (10x) to inhibition by [Ca2+] than skeletal RyRs. The differential heterogeneity of heart versus skeletal muscle RyRs may reflect the modulation required for calcium-induced calcium release versus depolarization-induced Ca2+ release.     

Luminal Ca2+ controls activation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor by ATP

The synergic effect of luminal Ca(2+), cytosolic Ca(2+), and cytosolic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) on activation of cardiac ryanodine receptor (RYR2) channels was examined in planar lipid bilayers. The dose-response of RYR2 gating activity to ATP was characterized at a diastolic cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration of 100 nM over a range of luminal Ca(2+) concentrations and, vice versa, at a diastolic luminal Ca(2+) concentration of 1 mM over a range of cytosolic Ca(2+) concentrations. Low level of luminal Ca(2+) (1 mM) significantly increased the affinity of the RYR2 channel for ATP but without substantial activation of the channel. Higher levels of luminal Ca(2+) (8-53 mM) markedly amplified the effects of ATP on the RYR2 activity by selectively increasing the maximal RYR2 activation by ATP, without affecting the affinity of the channel to ATP. Near-diastolic cytosolic Ca(2+) levels (<500 nM) greatly amplified the effects of luminal Ca(2+). Fractional inhibition by cytosolic Mg(2+) was not affected by luminal Ca(2+). In models, the effects of luminal and cytosolic Ca(2+) could be explained by modulation of the allosteric effect of ATP on the RYR2 channel. Our results suggest that luminal Ca(2+) ions potentiate the RYR2 gating activity in the presence of ATP predominantly by binding to a luminal site with an apparent affinity in the millimolar range, over which local luminal Ca(2+) likely varies in cardiac myocytes.     

Ca2+ release through ryanodine receptors regulates skeletal muscle L-type Ca2+ channel expression

Skeletal muscle obtained from mice that lack the type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR-1), termed dyspedic mice, exhibit a 2-fold reduction in the number of dihydropyridine binding sites (DHPRs) compared with skeletal muscle obtained from wild-type mice (Buck, E. D., Nguyen, H. T., Pessah, I. N., and Allen, P. D. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 7360-7367 and Fleig, A., Takeshima, H., and Penner, R. (1996) J. Physiol. (Lond.) 496, 339-345). To probe the role of RyR-1 in influencing L-type Ca(2+) channel (L-channel) expression, we have monitored functional L-channel expression in the sarcolemma using the whole-cell patch clamp technique in normal, dyspedic, and RyR-1-expressing dyspedic myotubes. Our results indicate that dyspedic myotubes exhibit a 45% reduction in maximum immobilization-resistant charge movement (Q(max)) and a 90% reduction in peak Ca(2+) current density. Calcium current density was significantly increased in dyspedic myotubes 3 days after injection of cDNA encoding either wild-type RyR-1 or E4032A, a mutant RyR-1 that is unable to restore robust voltage-activated release of Ca(2+) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) following expression in dyspedic myotubes (O'Brien, J. J., Allen, P. D., Beam, K., and Chen, S. R. W. (1999) Biophys. J. 76, A302 (abstr.)). The increase in L-current density 3 days after expression of either RyR-1 or E4032A occurred in the absence of a change in Q(max). However, Q(max) was increased 85% 6 days after injection of dyspedic myotubes with cDNA encoding the wild-type RyR-1 but not E4032A. Because normal and dyspedic myotubes exhibited a similar density of T-type Ca(2+) current (T-current), the presence of RyR-1 does not appear to cause a general overall increase in protein synthesis. Thus, long-term expression of L-channels in skeletal myotubes is promoted by Ca(2+) released through RyRs occurring either spontaneously or during excitation-contraction coupling.     

Differential Ca(2+) sensitivity of skeletal and cardiac muscle ryanodine receptors in the presence of calmodulin

Calmodulin (CaM) activates the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptorCa²⁺ release channel (RyR1) in the presence of nanomolarCa²⁺ concentrations. However, the role of CaM activation inthe mechanisms that control Ca²⁺ release from thesarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in skeletal muscle and in the heart remainsunclear. In media that contained 100 nM Ca²⁺, the rate of⁴⁵Ca²⁺ release from porcine skeletal muscle SRvesicles was increased approximately threefold in the presence of CaM(1 µM). In contrast, cardiac SR vesicle⁴⁵Ca²⁺ release was unaffected by CaM,suggesting that CaM activated the skeletal RyR1 but not the cardiacRyR2 channel isoform. The activation of RyR1 by CaM was associated withan approximately sixfold increase in the Ca²⁺ sensitivityof [³H]ryanodine binding to skeletal muscle SR, whereasthe Ca²⁺ sensitivity of cardiac SR[³H]ryanodine binding was similar in the absence andpresence of CaM. Cross-linking experiments identified both RyR1 andRyR2 as predominant CaM binding proteins in skeletal and cardiac SR,respectively, and [³⁵S]CaM binding determinations furtherindicated comparable CaM binding to the two isoforms in the presence ofmicromolar Ca²⁺. In nanomolar Ca²⁺, however,the affinity and stoichiometry of RyR2 [³⁵S]CaM bindingwas reduced compared with that of RyR1. Together, our results indicatethat CaM activates RyR1 by increasing the Ca²⁺ sensitivityof the channel, and further suggest differences in CaM's functionalinteractions with the RyR1 and RyR2 isoforms that may potentiallycontribute to differences in the Ca²⁺ dependence of channelactivation in skeletal and cardiac muscle.

     

Competitive Mg2+ block of a large-conductance, Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel in rat skeletal muscle. Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ni2+ also block

The patch-clamp technique was used to investigate the effect of intracellular Mg2+ (Mgi2+) on the conductance of the large-conductance, Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel in cultured rat skeletal muscle. Measurements of single-channel current amplitudes indicated that Mgi2+ decreased the K+ currents in a concentration-dependent manner. Increasing Mgi2+ from 0 to 5, 10, 20, and 50 mM decreased channel currents by 34%, 44%, 56%, and 73%, respectively, at +50 mV. The magnitude of the Mgi2+ block increased with depolarization. For membrane potentials of -50, +50, and +90 mV, 20 mM Mgi2+ reduced the currents 22%, 56%, and 70%, respectively. Mgi2+ did not change the reversal potential, indicating that Mg2+ does not permeate the channel. The magnitude of the Mgi2+ block decreased as the concentration of K+ was increased. At a membrane potential of +50 mv, 20 mM Mgi2+ reduced the currents 71%, 56%, and 25% for Ki+ of 75, 150, and 500 mM. These effects of Mgi2+, voltage, and K+ were totally reversible. Although the Woodhull blocking model could approximate the voltage and concentration effects of the Mgi2+ block (Kd approximately 30 mM with 150 mM symmetrical K+; electrical distance approximately 0.22 from the inner surface), the Woodhull model could not account for the effects of K+. Double reciprocal plots of 1/single channel current vs. 1/[K+] in the presence and absence of Mgi2+, indicated that the Mgi2+ block is consistent with apparent competitive inhibition between Mgi2+ and Ki+. Cai2+, Nii2+, and Sri2+ were found to have concentration- and voltage-dependent blocking effects similar, but not identical, to those of Mgi2+. These observations suggest the blocking by Mgi2+ of the large-conductance, Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel is mainly nonspecific, competitive with K+, and at least partially electrostatic in nature.     

Nitroxyl triggers Ca2+ release from skeletal and cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum by oxidizing ryanodine receptors

The biological activity of nitric oxide (NO) and NO-donors has been extensively investigated yet few studies have examined those of nitroxyl (HNO) species even though both exist in chemical equilibrium but oxidize thiols by different reaction mechanisms: S-nitrosation versus disulfide bond formation. Here, sodium trioxodinitrate (Na2N2O3; Angeli's salt; ANGS) was used as an HNO donor to investigate its effects on skeletal (RyR1) and cardiac (RyR2) ryanodine receptors. At steady-state concentrations of nanomoles/L, HNO induced a rapid Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles then the reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT) reversed the oxidation by HNO resulting in Ca2+ re-uptake by SR vesicles. With RyR1 channel proteins reconstituted in planar bilayers, HNO added to the cis-side increased the open probability (Po) from 0.056+/-0.026 to 0.270+/-0.102 (P<0.005, n=4) then DTT (3 mM) reduced Po to 0.096+/-0.040 (P<0.01, n=4). In parallel experiments, the time course of HNO production from ANGS was monitored by EPR and UV spectroscopy and compared with the rate of SR Ca2+ release indicating that picomolar concentrations of HNO triggered SR Ca2+ release. Controls showed that the hydroxyl radical scavenger, phenol did not alter ANGS-induced SR Ca2+ release, indicating that hydroxyl radical production from ANGS did not account for Ca2+ release from the SR. The findings indicate that HNO is a more potent activator of RyR1 than NO and that HNO activation of RyRs may contribute to NO's activation of RyRs and to the therapeutic effects of HNO-releasing prodrugs in heart failure.     

Role of Mg(2+) in Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release through ryanodine receptors of frog skeletal muscle: modulations by adenine nucleotides and caffeine

Mg(2+) serves as a competitive antagonist against Ca(2+) in the high-affinity Ca(2+) activation site (A-site) and as an agonist of Ca(2+) in the low-affinity Ca(2+) inactivation site (I-site) of the ryanodine receptor (RyR), which mediates Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (CICR). This paper presents the quantitative determination of the affinities for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) of A- and I-sites of RyR in frog skeletal muscles by measuring [(3)H]ryanodine binding to purified alpha- and beta-RyRs and CICR activity in skinned fibers. There was only a minor difference in affinity at most between alpha- and beta-RyRs. The A-site favored Ca(2+) 20- to 30-fold over Mg(2+), whereas the I-site was nonselective between the two cations. The RyR in situ showed fivefold higher affinities for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) of both sites than the purified alpha- and beta-RyRs with unchanged cation selectivity. Adenine nucleotides, whose stimulating effect was found to be indistinguishable between free and complexed forms, did not alter the affinities for cations in either site, except for the increased maximum activity of RyR. Caffeine increased not only the affinity of the A-site for Ca(2+) alone, but also the maximum activity of RyR with otherwise minor changes. The results presented here suggest that the rate of CICR in frog skeletal muscles appears to be too low to explain the physiological Ca(2+) release, even though Mg(2+) inhibition disappears.     

Interdomain interactions within ryanodine receptors regulate Ca2+ spark frequency in skeletal muscle.

DP4 is a 36-residue synthetic peptide that corresponds to the Leu(2442)-Pro(2477) region of RyR1 that contains the reported malignant hyperthermia (MH) mutation site. It has been proposed that DP4 disrupts the normal interdomain interactions that stabilize the closed state of the Ca(2)+ release channel (Yamamoto, T., R. El-Hayek, and N. Ikemoto. 2000. J. Biol. Chem. 275:11618-11625). We have investigated the effects of DP4 on local SR Ca(2)+ release events (Ca(2)+ sparks) in saponin-permeabilized frog skeletal muscle fibers using laser scanning confocal microscopy (line-scan mode, 2 ms/line), as well as the effects of DP4 on frog SR vesicles and frog single RyR Ca(2)+ release channels reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers. DP4 caused a significant increase in Ca(2)+ spark frequency in muscle fibers. However, the mean values of the amplitude, rise time, spatial half width, and temporal half duration of the Ca(2)+ sparks, as well as the distribution of these parameters, remained essentially unchanged in the presence of DP4. Thus, DP4 increased the opening rate, but not the open time of the RyR Ca(2)+ release channel(s) generating the sparks. DP4 also increased [(3)H]ryanodine binding to SR vesicles isolated from frog and mammalian skeletal muscle, and increased the open probability of frog RyR Ca(2)+ release channels reconstituted in bilayers, without changing the amplitude of the current through those channels. However, unlike in Ca(2)+ spark experiments, DP4 produced a pronounced increase in the open time of channels in bilayers. The same peptide with an Arg(17) to Cys(17) replacement (DP4mut), which corresponds to the Arg(2458)-to-Cys(2458) mutation in MH, did not produce a significant effect on RyR activation in muscle fibers, bilayers, or SR vesicles. Mg(2)+ dependence experiments conducted with permeabilized muscle fibers indicate that DP4 preferentially binds to partially Mg(2)+-free RyR(s), thus promoting channel opening and production of Ca(2)+ sparks.     

Calmodulin activation and inhibition of skeletal muscle Ca2+ release channel (ryanodine receptor).

The calmodulin-binding properties of the rabbit skeletal muscle Ca2+ release channel (ryanodine receptor) and the channel's regulation by calmodulin were determined at < or = 0.1 microM and micromolar to millimolar Ca2+ concentrations. [125I]Calmodulin and [3H]ryanodine binding to sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and purified Ca2+ release channel preparations indicated that the large (2200 kDa) Ca2+ release channel complex binds with high affinity (KD = 5-25 nM) 16 calmodulins at < or = 0.1 microM Ca2+ and 4 calmodulins at 100 microM Ca2+. Calmodulin-binding affinity to the channel showed a broad maximum at pH 6.8 and was highest at 0.15 M KCl at both < or = 0.1 MicroM and 100 microM Ca2+. Under condition closely related to those during muscle contraction and relaxation, the half-times of calmodulin dissociation and binding were 50 +/- 20 s and 30 +/- 10 min, respectively. SR vesicle-45Ca2+ flux, single-channel, and [3H]ryanodine bind measurements showed that, at < or = 0.2 microM Ca2+, calmodulin activated the Ca2+ release channel severalfold. Ar micromolar to millimolar Ca2+ concentrations, calmodulin inhibited the Ca(2+)-activated channel severalfold. Hill coefficients of approximately 1.3 suggested no or only weak cooperative activation and inhibition of Ca2+ release channel activity by calmodulin. These results suggest a role for calmodulin in modulating SR Ca2+ release in skeletal muscle at both resting and elevated Ca2+ concentrations.     

Laser Raman study of internally perfused muscle fibers. Effect of Mg2+, ATP and Ca2+

Raman spectra of an intact muscle fiber and of internally perfused fibers in capillary tubes have been obtained. The use of internal perfusion has insured a good control of the concentration of Ca2+, Mg2+ and ATP. The comparison of the spectra obtained with the two types of fibers shows that the muscle structure is well preserved in capillary tubes. In addition, it appears that the sarcomere length has no significant effect on the Raman spectrum of muscle fibers. Our results on perfused fibers demonstrate that a fiber can be kept in the relaxed state for several hours, then displaying an intact fiber spectrum, when the concentration of ATP, Mg2+ and Ca2+ is maintained at 5, 2 and 0 mM, respectively. Therefore ATP and Mg2+ do not affect the Raman spectrum of muscle fibers. When one of these components is removed, or when Ca2+ is added, contraction occurs and causes major spectral changes. These results are interpreted as being due to strong electrostatic interactions between basic and acidic residues during contraction, and to a change of the alpha-helical content, or of the orientation, of some of the contractile proteins.     

Cytoplasmic Ca2+ inhibits the ryanodine receptor from cardiac muscle

Ca²⁺-dependent inhibition of native and isolated ryanodine receptor (RyR) calcium release channels from sheep heart and rabbit skeletal muscle was investigated using the lipid bilayer technique. We found that cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ inhibited cardiac RyRs with an average K _m = 15 mm, skeletal RyRs with K _m = 0.7 mm and with Hill coefficients of 2 in both isoforms. This is consistent with measurements of Ca²⁺ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in skinned fibers and with [³H]-ryanodine binding to SR vesicles, but is contrary to previous bilayer studies which were unable to demonstrate Ca²⁺-inhibition in cardiac RyRs (Chu, Fill, Stefani &; Entman (1993) J. Membrane Biol. 135, 49–59). Ryanodine prevented Ca²⁺ from inhibiting either cardiac or skeletal RyRs. Ca²⁺-inhibition in cardiac RyRs appeared to be the most fragile characteristic of channel function, being irreversibly disrupted by 500 mm Cs⁺, but not by 500 mm K⁺, in the cis bath or by solublization with the detergent CHAPS. These treatments had no effect on channel regulation by AMP-PNP, caffeine, ryanodine, ruthenium red, or Ca²⁺-activation. Ca²⁺-inhibition in skeletal RyRs was retained in the presence of 500 mm Cs⁺. Our results provide an explanation for previous findings in which cardiac RyRs in bilayers with 250 mm Cs⁺ in the solutions fail to demonstrate Ca²⁺-inhibition, while Ca²⁺-inhibition of Ca²⁺ release is observed in vesicle studies where K⁺ is the major cation. A comparison of open and closed probability distributions from individual RyRs suggested that the same gating mechanism mediates Ca²⁺-inhibition in skeletal RyRs and cardiac RyRs, with different Ca²⁺ affinities for inhibition. We conclude that differences in the Ca²⁺-inhibition in cardiac and skeletal channels depends on their Ca²⁺ binding properties.     

Properties of (Mg2+ + Ca2+)-ATPase of erythrocyte membranes prepared by different procedures: Influence of Mg2+, Ca2+, ATP,and protein activator

Erythrocyte membranes prepared by three different procedures showed (Mg²⁺ + Ca²⁺)-ATPase activities differing in specific activity and in affinity for Ca²⁺. The (Mg²⁺ + Ca²⁺)-ATPase activity of the three preparations was stimulated to different extents by a Ca²⁺-dependent protein activator isolated from hemolystes. The Ca²⁺ affinity of the two most active preparations was decreased as the ATP concentration in the assay medium was increased. Lowering the ATP concentration from 2 mM to 2–200 μM or lowering the Mg:ATP ratio to less than one shifted the (Mg²⁺ + Ca²⁺)-ATPase activity in stepwise hemolysis membranes from mixed “high” and “low” affinity to a single high Ca²⁺ affinity. Membranes from which soluble proteins were extracted by EDTA (0.1 mM) in low ionic strengh, or membranes prepared by the EDTA (1–10 mM) procedure, did not undergo the shift in the Ca²⁺ affinity with changes in ATP and MgCl₂ concentrations. The EDTA-wash membranes were only weakly activated by the protein activator. It is suggested that the differences in properties of the (Mg²⁺ + Ca²⁺)-ATPase prepared by these three procedures reflect differences determined in part by the degree of association of the membrane with a soluble protein activator and changes in the state of the enzyme to a less activatable form.     

Spatial and temporal Ca2+, Mg2+, and ATP2- dynamics in cardiac dyads during calcium release

We have constructed a three-dimensional reaction-diffusion model of the mammalian cardiac calcium release unit. We analyzed effects of diffusion coefficients, single channel current amplitude, density of RyR channels, and reaction kinetics of ATP(2-) with Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) ions on spatiotemporal concentration profiles of Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and ATP(2-) in the dyadic cleft during Ca(2+) release. The model revealed that Ca(2+) concentration gradients persist near RyRs in the steady state. Even with low number of open RyRs, peak [Ca(2+)] in the dyadic space reached values similar to estimates of luminal [Ca(2+)] in approximately 1 ms, suggesting that during calcium release the Ca(2+) gradient moves from the cisternal membrane towards the boundary of the dyadic space with the cytosol. The released Ca(2+) bound to ATP(2-), and thus substantially decreased ATP(2-) concentration in the dyadic space. The released Ca(2+) could also replace Mg(2+) in its complex with ATP(2-) during first milliseconds of release if dissociation of MgATP was fast. The results suggest that concentration changes of Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and ATP(2-) might be large and fast enough to reduce dyadic RyR activity. Thus, under physiological conditions, termination of calcium release may be facilitated by the synergic effect of the construction and chemistry of mammalian cardiac dyads.     

Mg2+ and ATP effects on K+ activation of the Ca2+-transport ATPase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.

ATP and the divalent cations Mg2+ and Ca2+ regulated K+ stimulation of the Ca2+-transport ATPase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. Millimolar concentrations of total ATP increased the K+-stimulated ATPase activity of the Ca2+ pump by two mechanisms. First, ATP chelated free Mg2+ and, at low ionized Mg2+ concentrations, K+ was shown to be a potent activator of ATP hydrolysis. In the absence of K+ ionized Mg2+ activated the enzyme half-maximally at approximately 1 mM, whereas in the presence of K+ the concentration of ionized Mg2+ required for half-maximal activation was reduced at least 20-fold. Second MgATP apparently interacted directly with the enzyme at a low affinity nucleotide site to facilitate K+-stimulation. With a saturating concentration of ionized Mg2+, stimulation by K+ was 2-fold, but only when the MgATP concentration was greater than 2 mM. Hill plots showed that K+ increased the concentration of MgATP required for half-maximal enzymic activation approx. 3-fold. Activation of K+-stimulated ATPase activity by Ca2+ was maximal at an ionized Ca2+ concentration of approx. 1 microM. At very high concentrations of either Ca2+ or Mg2+, basal Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity persisted, but the enzymic response to K+ was completely inhibited. The results provide further evidence that the Ca2+-transport ATPase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum has distinct sites for monovalent cations, which in turn interact allosterically with other regulatory sites on the enzyme.     

Chloride-dependent sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release correlates with increased Ca2+ activation of ryanodine receptors.

The mechanism by which chloride increases sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ permeability was investigated. In the presence of 3 microM Ca2+, Ca2+ release from 45Ca(2+)-loaded SR vesicles prepared from procine skeletal muscle was increased approximately 4-fold when the media contained 150 mM chloride versus 150 mM propionate, whereas in the presence of 30 nM Ca2+, Ca2+ release was similar in the chloride- and the propionate-containing media. Ca(2+)-activated [3H]ryanodine binding to skeletal muscle SR was also increased (2- to 10-fold) in media in which propionate or other organic anions were replaced with chloride; however, chloride had little or no effect on cardiac muscle SR 45Ca2+ release or [3H]ryanodine binding. Ca(2+)-activated [3H]ryanodine binding was increased approximately 4.5-fold after reconstitution of skeletal muscle RYR protein into liposomes, and [3H]ryanodine binding to reconstituted RYR protein was similar in chloride- and propionate-containing media, suggesting that the sensitivity of the RYR protein to changes in the anionic composition of the media may be diminished upon reconstitution. Together, our results demonstrate a close correlation between chloride-dependent increases in SR Ca2+ permeability and increased Ca2+ activation of skeletal muscle RYR channels. We postulate that media containing supraphysiological concentrations of chloride or other inorganic anions may enhance skeletal muscle RYR activity by favoring a conformational state of the channel that exhibits increased activation by Ca2+ in comparison to the Ca2+ activation exhibited by this channel in native membranes in the presence of physiological chloride (< or = 10 mM). Transitions to this putative Ca(2+)-activatable state may thus provide a mechanism for controlling the activation of RYR channels in skeletal muscle.     

Ruthenium red modifies the cardiac and skeletal muscle Ca(2+) release channels (ryanodine receptors) by multiple mechanisms.

The effects of ruthenium red (RR) on the skeletal and cardiac muscle ryanodine receptors (RyRs) were studied in vesicle-Ca(2+) flux, [(3)H]ryanodine binding, and single channel measurements. In vesicle-Ca(2+) flux measurements, RR was more effective in inhibiting RyRs at 0.2 microM than 20 microM free Ca(2+). [(3)H]Ryanodine binding measurements suggested noncompetitive interactions between RR inhibition and Ca(2+) regulatory sites of RyRs. In symmetric 0.25 M KCl with 10-20 microM cytosolic Ca(2+), cytosolic RR decreased single channel activities at positive and negative holding potentials. In close to fully activated skeletal (20 microM Ca(2+) + 2 mM ATP) and cardiac (200 microM Ca(2+)) RyRs, cytosolic RR induced a predominant subconductance at a positive but not negative holding potential. Lumenal RR induced a major subconductance in cardiac RyR at negative but not positive holding potentials and several subconductances in skeletal RyR. The RR-related subconductances of cardiac RyR showed a nonlinear voltage dependence, and more than one RR molecule appeared to be involved in their formation. Cytosolic and lumenal RR also induced subconductances in Ca(2+)-conducting skeletal and cardiac RyRs recorded at 0 mV holding potential. These results suggest that RR inhibits RyRs and induces subconductances by binding to cytosolic and lumenal sites of skeletal and cardiac RyRs.     

Unitary Ca2+ current through mammalian cardiac and amphibian skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor Channels under near-physiological ionic conditions

Ryanodine receptor (RyR) channels from mammalian cardiac and amphibian skeletal muscle were incorporated into planar lipid bilayers. Unitary Ca2+ currents in the SR lumen-to-cytosol direction were recorded at 0 mV in the presence of caffeine (to minimize gating fluctuations). Currents measured with 20 mM lumenal Ca2+ as exclusive charge carrier were 4.00 and 4.07 pA, respectively, and not significantly different. Currents recorded at 1-30 mM lumenal Ca2+ concentrations were attenuated by physiological [K+] (150 mM) and [Mg2+] (1 mM), in the same proportion (approximately 55%) in mammalian and amphibian channels. Two amplitudes, differing by approximately 35%, were found in amphibian channel studies, probably corresponding to alpha and beta RyR isoforms. In physiological [Mg2+], [K+], and lumenal [Ca2+] (1 mM), the Ca2+ current was just less than 0.5 pA. Comparison of this value with the Ca2+ flux underlying Ca2+ sparks suggests that sparks in mammalian cardiac and amphibian skeletal muscles are generated by opening of multiple RyR channels. Further, symmetric high concentrations of Mg2+ substantially reduced the current carried by 10 mM Ca2+ (approximately 40% at 10 mM Mg2+), suggesting that high Mg2+ may make sparks smaller by both inhibiting RyR gating and reducing unitary current.