The importance of an asymmetric distribution of acidic lipids for synaptotagmin 1 function as a Ca2+ sensor

Syt1 (synaptotagmin 1) is a major Ca2+ sensor for synaptic vesicle fusion. Although Syt1 is known to bind to SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein-attachment protein receptor) complexes and to the membrane, the mechanism by which Syt1 regulates vesicle fusion is controversial. In the present study we used in vitro lipid-mixing assays to investigate the Ca2+-dependent Syt1 function in proteoliposome fusion. To study the role of acidic lipids, the concentration of negatively charged DOPS (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine) in the vesicle was varied. Syt1 stimulated lipid mixing by 3-10-fold without Ca2+. However, with Ca2+ there was an additional 2-5-fold enhancement. This Ca2+-dependent stimulation was observed only when there was excess PS (phosphatidylserine) on the t-SNARE (target SNARE) side. If there was equal or more PS on the v-SNARE (vesicule SNARE) side the Ca2+-dependent stimulation was not observed. We found that Ca2+ at a concentration between 10 and 50?μM was sufficient to give rise to the maximal enhancement. The single-vesicle-fusion assay indicates that the Ca2+-dependent enhancement was mainly on docking, whereas its effect on lipid mixing was small. Thus for Syt1 to function as a Ca2+ sensor, a charge asymmetry appears to be important and this may play a role in steering Syt1 to productively trans bind to the plasma membrane.     

Phospholipid and calmodulin activation of solubilized calcium-transport ATPase from human erythrocytes: regulation by magnesium

The effect of phospholipids on Triton X-100 solubilized (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase from human erythrocyte membranes has been examined. The enzyme activity was increased by phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidic acid at both low (2 micrometer) and high (65 micrometer) free Ca2+ concentrations, while phosphatidylcholine had little effect and phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin inhibited the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity at all Ca2+ concentrations studied. The diacylglycerol, diolein, inhibited the enzyme at high, but not low, Ca2+ concentrations. Low concentrations of phospholipase A2 (1-2 international units) also activated the solubilized enzyme, at least in part by releasing free fatty acids, as the activation was mimicked by oleic acid (1-2 mumol/mg protein) and was abolished by fatty acid depleted bovine serum albumin. The combined activation by saturating levels of phosphatidylserine and calmodulin was additive at 6.5 mM MgCl2, and probably occurred at distinct sites on a regulatory component of the enzyme. The activation by both effectors was antagonized by MgCl2 at similar concentrations. Analysis of various models suggested that phosphatidylserine had two effects on (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity. First, a low Ca2+ affinity form of the enzyme was converted to a high Ca2+ affinity form, which was more sensitive to Ca2+ inhibition. Second, it increased the turnover of the enzyme, probably by enhancing its dephosphorylation, which was mimicked in this study by the Ca2+-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase partial reaction.     

Characterization of phosphatidylserine synthesis and translocation in permeabilized animal cells

The synthesis of phosphatidylserine and its translocation to the mitochondria were examined in permeabilized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells by following the metabolism of a [3H]serine precursor to [3H] phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) and [3H]phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn). In physiological salt solutions approximating the intracellular ionic composition, both the synthesis of PtdSer and its translocation required ATP. The ATP requirement for PtdSer synthesis could be completely bypassed, and that for translocation could be partially bypassed at Ca2+ concentrations 10(3)-10(4) times the intracellular physiological level (i.e. 1 mM). The ATP-dependent synthesis of PtdSer could be inhibited by chelation of Ca2+ with EGTA, inhibition of Ca2+ sequestration with 2,5-di(tert-butyl)hydroquinone, mobilization of sequestered Ca2+ with ionomycin, and competition for [3H]serine with ethanolamine. The inhibition of the ATP-dependent synthesis of PtdSer by the aforementioned inhibitors provided an efficient method to rapidly arrest the incorporation of [3H]serine into [3H]PtdSer. By pulse-labeling the [3H]PtdSer pool and arresting further synthesis with inhibitors, the translocation of nascent PtdSer could be uncoupled from synthesis. The results of these pulse-labeling-arrest experiments provide unambiguous evidence that PtdSer translocation to the mitochondria is not driven by PtdSer synthesis. The addition of apyrase to ATP-supplemented, permeabilized cells abruptly terminates [3H]serine incorporation into [3H]PtdSer and the decarboxylation of [3H]PtdSer to [3H]PtdEtn, thereby demonstrating that a specific ATP requirement exists for the translocation of nascent PtdSer to the mitochondria in permeabilized cells. The translocation of nascent PtdSer to the mitochondria was unaffected by 45-fold dilution of the standard reaction thus indicating that the translocation intermediate was unlikely to be a freely diffusible complex. The requirements for translocation of nascent phosphatidylserine are different from those for the vesicular movement of proteins insofar as the lipid movement does not require cytosol and is unaffected by the addition of Ca2+, GTP, or GTP gamma S. From these studies, we conclude that: 1) the synthesis and translocation of PtdSer can be readily studied in permeabilized cells, 2) the ATP-dependent synthesis of PtdSer is functionally coupled to the ATP-dependent sequestration of Ca2+ by the endoplasmic reticulum or closely related membranes, 3) PtdSer translocation is independent of its synthesis, and 4) there is a specific requirement for ATP in the translocation of PtdSer to the mitochondria.     

Modulation of L-type Ca2+ current by fast and slow Ca2+ buffering in guinea pig ventricular cardiomyocytes.

Free Ca2+ near Ca2+ channel pores is expected to be lower in cardiomyocytes dialyzed with bis-(o-amino-phenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) than with ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethyl)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) because BAPTA chelates incoming Ca2+ more rapidly. The consequences of intracellular Ca2+ buffering by BAPTA (0.2-60 mM) and by EGTA (0.2-67 mM) on whole-cell L-type Ca2+ current (ICa,L) were investigated in voltage-clamped guinea pig ventricular cardiomyocytes; bulk cytoplasmic free Ca2+ (Cac2+) was monitored using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator indo-1. ICa,L was augmented by approximately 12-fold when BAPTA in the cell dialysate was increased from 0.2 to 50 mM (half-maximal stimulation at 31 mM), whereas elevating internal EGTA from 0.2 to 67 mM increased ICa,L only by approximately 2-fold. Cac2+ was < 20 nM with internal BAPTA or EGTA > or = 20 mM. While EGTA up to 67 mM had only an insignificant inhibitory effect on the stimulation of ICa,L by 3 microM forskolin, ICa,L in 50 mM BAPTA-dialyzed myocytes was insensitive to forskolin-induced elevation of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP); conversely, ICa,L in cAMP-loaded cells was unresponsive to BAPTA dialysis. Cell dialysis with BAPTA, but not with EGTA, accelerated the slow component of ICa,L inactivation (tau S) without affecting its fast component (tau F), resembling the effects of cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. BAPTA-stimulated ICa,L was inhibited by acetylcholine and by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) blocker H-89. These results suggest that BAPTA-induced lowering of peri-channel Ca2+ stimulates cAMP synthesis and channel phosphorylation by disinhibiting Ca(2+)-sensitive adenylyl cyclase.     

K(+)- and Mg2(+)-dependent hydrolysis of acetyl phosphate catalyzed by the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum

The (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetyl phosphate in the presence of Mg2+ and EGTA and is stimulated by Ca2+. The Mg2(+)-dependent hydrolysis of acetyl phosphate measured in the presence of 6 mM acetyl phosphate, 5 mM MgCl2, and 2 mM EGTA is increased 2-fold by 20% dimethyl sulfoxide. This activity is further stimulated 1.6-fold by the addition of 30 mM KCl. In this condition addition of Ca2+ causes no further increase in the rate of hydrolysis and Ca2+ uptake is reduced to a low level. In leaky vesicles, hydrolysis continues to be back-inhibited by Ca2+ in the millimolar range. Unlike ATP, acetyl phosphate does not inhibit phosphorylation by Pi unless dimethyl sulfoxide is present. The presence of dimethyl sulfoxide also makes it possible to detect Pi inhibition of the Mg2(+)-dependent acetyl phosphate hydrolysis. These results suggest that dimethyl sulfoxide stabilizes a Pi-reactive form of the enzyme in a conformation that exhibits comparable affinities for acetyl phosphate and Pi. In this conformation the enzyme is transformed from a Ca2(+)- and Mg2(+)-dependent ATPase into a (K+ + Mg2+)-ATPase.     

Ca(2+)-dependent annexin self-association on membrane surfaces

Annexin self-association was studied with 90 degrees light scattering and resonance energy transfer between fluorescein (donor) and eosin (acceptor) labeled proteins. Synexin (annexin VII), p32 (annexin IV), and p67 (annexin VI) self-associated in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner in solution. However, this activity was quite labile and, especially for p32 and p67, was not consistently observed. When bound to chromaffin granule membranes, the three proteins consistently self-associated and did so at Ca2+ levels (pCa 5.0-4.5) approximately 10-fold lower than required when in solution. Phospholipid vesicles containing phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine (1:1 or 1:3) were less effective at supporting annexin polymerization than were those containing phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine (1:0, 1:1, or 1:3). The annexins bound chromaffin granule membranes in a positively cooperative manner under conditions where annexin self-association was observed, and both phenomena were inhibited by trifluoperazine. Ca(2+)-dependent chromaffin granule membrane aggregation, induced by p32 or synexin, was associated with intermembrane annexin polymerization at Ca2+ levels less than pCa 4, but not at higher Ca2+ concentrations, suggesting that annexin self-association may be necessary for membrane contact at low Ca2+ levels but not at higher Ca2+ levels where the protein may bind two membranes as a monomer.     

Calcium is required for the mitogenic activation of lymphocytes by periodic acid oxidation.

This investigation of Ca2+ requirements for the mitogenic activation of lymphocytes by periodic acid has shown that oxidation by periodate causes an immediate and transient increase of Ca2+ influx and efflux in oxidized cells. Oxidized lymphocytes maintained in the medium containing 0.2 mM Ca2+ failed to proliferate or to produce IL-2, whereas a 1.4 mM Ca2+ concentration was shown to be sufficient to sustain cellular proliferation and IL-2 secretion. These results indicate that mitogenic activation of lymphocytes by periodic acid oxidation is Ca(2+)-dependent.     

Polyamines and Ca2+ Mediate Hyperosmolal Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier: In Vitro Studies in Isolated Rat Cerebral Capillaries

We recently presented evidence that the reversible opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by the infusion of 1.6 M mannitol into the rat internal carotid artery is mediated by a rapid stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and putrescine synthesis in cerebral capillaries. We have now investigated this hypothesis further, using isolated rat cerebral capillaries as an in vitro model of the BBB. The ODC activity of cerebral capillary preparations was enriched up to 15-fold over that of the cerebral homogenate. Hyperosmolal mannitol in physiological buffer evoked a rapid (less than 15 s), concentration- and time-dependent increase in capillary ODC activity and an accumulation of putrescine and spermidine which was blocked by the specific ODC inhibitor, alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, 10 mM). Mannitol (1 M), as well as 2 M urea, evoked a two- to fivefold increase in the temperature-sensitive influx of 45Ca2+ and uptake of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and 2-deoxy-D-[1-3H]glucose (DG), but not alpha-[1-14C]aminoisobutyrate, during a 2-min incubation. DFMO (10 mM) abolished 1 M mannitol-mediated stimulation of 45Ca2+ influx and uptake of HRP and DG, whereas 1 mM putrescine replenished capillary polyamines and reversed the DFMO effects. Mannitol (1 M)-induced stimulation of ODC activity and membrane transport processes was Ca2+-dependent and verapamil- and nisoldipine-sensitive. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 10 nM), a protein kinase C activator, also evoked a two- to threefold stimulation of 45Ca2+ transport and HRP and DG uptake. This PMA effect was abolished by DFMO, suggesting involvement of rapid, ODC-controlled polyamine synthesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

N-(6-phenylhexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide, a novel activator of protein kinase C

Naphthalenesulfonamide derivatives were used to study the mechanism of regulation of Ca2+-dependent smooth muscle myosin light chain phosphorylation catalyzed by Ca2+-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) and myosin light chain kinase. Derivatives such as N-(6-phenylhexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (SC-9), with a hydrophobic residue at the end of a hydrocarbon chain, stimulated Ca2+-activated, phospholipid-dependent myosin light chain phosphorylation in a Ca2+-dependent fashion. There was no significant effect of these compounds on Ca2+-calmodulin (CaM) dependent myosin light chain phosphorylation. On the other hand, derivatives with the guanidino or amino residue at the same position had an inhibitory effect on both Ca2+-phospholipid- and Ca2+-CaM-dependent myosin light chain phosphorylation. These observations suggest that activation of Ca2+-activated, phospholipid-dependent myosin light chain phosphorylation by naphthalenesulfonamide derivatives depends on the chemical structure at the end of hydrocarbon chain of each compound. SC-9 was similar to phosphatidylserine with regard to activation, and the apparent Km values for Ca2+ of the enzyme with this compound and phosphatidylserine were 40 microM and 80 microM, respectively. Kinetic analysis indicated that 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate increased the affinity of the enzyme with SC-9 for calcium ion. However, kinetic constants revealed that the Km value of protein kinase C activated by SC-9 for substrate myosin light chain was 5.8 microM, that is, about 10 times lower than that of the enzyme with phosphatidylserine, and that the Vmax value with SC-9 was 0.13 nmol X min-1, that is, 3-fold smaller than that seen with phosphatidylserine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Ion-binding to phospholipids. Interaction of calcium with phosphatidylserine.

The binding of Ca2+ to monolayers and bilayers of phosphatidylserine has been investigated as a function of pH, ionic strength (NaCl concentration) and Ca2+ concentration using surface and colloid chemical techniques. The molar ratio of lipid to bound calcium decreases to 2 as the Ca2+ concentration is increased to about 0.1 mM. At [Ca2+] greater than 0.1 mM a 1:1 complex is formed. The apparent binding constant Ka ranges from about approximately 10(6) - 10(4) l/mol depending on the Ca2+ concentration. After allowing for electrostatic effects and neighbour group interactions, the intrinsic binding constant Ki of the phosphorylserine polar group at pH 7 (I = 0.01 M), where it carries a net negative charge of one, is approximately 10(4) l/mol; consistent values for Ki were obtained using several independent approaches. Ka for Ca2+ binding decreases with increasing NaCl concentration because the monovalent cations compete with Ca2+ for the same binding site. Na+ and K+ are equally effective in displacing 45Ca2+ adsorbed to monolayers of phosphatidylserine, both with respect to the kinetics and the equilibrium of the displacement. Ka for the reaction between phosphatidylserine and monovalent cations is about 10(3)-fold smaller than that of Ca2+. An investigation of the binding of Mn2+ to phosphatidylserine by both surface chemical and nuclear magnetic resonance methods shows that this cation has a similar binding constant to that of Ca2+. The Ca2+-binding capabilities of monolayers containing only carboxyl groups (i.e. arachidic acid) and phosphodiester groups (i.e. dicetyl phosphate) have also been determined; the apparent pK for the - COOH group in monolayers is larger than or equal to 9 and that for the phosphodiester group is less than 4. Since these groups do not retain the same pK values when they are in close proximity in the phosphorylserine group, the relative contributions of the two groups to the binding of Ca2+ to phosphatidylserine is not obvious.     

Sodium ions regulate a specific population of acidic amino acid receptors in synaptic membranes

The regulatory effects of Na+ on C1-/Ca2+-dependent and C1-/Ca2+-independent L-glutamate binding sites were examined. In Tris-C1-/Ca2+ buffer, the binding of L-[3H]-glutamate to rat brain synaptic membranes was 5-fold higher than in Tris-acetate buffer. Low concentrations of Na+ (less than 5 mM) markedly depressed L-glutamate binding when assayed in Tris-C1/Ca2+ buffer, and this effect was attenuated by the selective blocker of C1-/Ca2+-dependent binding sites, DL-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (APB). Scatchard analyses indicated that the effect of Na+ was due to a decrease in the number of C1-/Ca2+-dependent binding sites with no change in affinity. In Tris-acetate buffer, low concentrations of Na+ had little effect on L-glutamate binding. Dose-response curves for the inhibition of L-glutamate binding by DL-APB indicated a predominant high-affinity (Ki 5-10 microM) inhibitory component in Tris-C1-/Ca2+ buffer, but mainly a low-affinity component (Ki 1-2 mM) in Tris-acetate buffer and in Tris-C1-/Ca2+ buffer containing Na+. These data indicate that low concentrations of Na+ regulate specifically the C1-/Ca2+-dependent, APB-sensitive class of L-glutamate binding sites.     

Regulation of phospholipid biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by inositol. Inositol is an inhibitor of phosphatidylserine synthase activity

The addition of inositol to the growth medium of Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in rapid changes in the rates of phospholipid biosynthesis. The partitioning of the phospholipid intermediate CDP-diacylglycerol was shifted to phosphatidylinositol at the expense of phosphatidylserine and its derivatives phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine. Serine at 133-fold greater concentrations than that of inositol shifted the partitioning of CDP-diacylglycerol to phosphatidylserine at the expense of phosphatidylinositol but to a much lesser degree. Kinetic experiments with pure phosphatidylserine synthase and phosphatidylinositol synthase indicated that the partitioning of CDP-diacylglycerol between phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol was not governed by the affinities both enzymes have for their common substrate CDP-diacylglycerol. Instead, the main regulation of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine synthesis was through the exogenous supply of inositol. The Km of inositol (0.21 mM) for phosphatidylinositol synthase was 9-fold higher than cytosolic concentration of inositol (24 microM). The Km of serine (0.83 mM) for phosphatidylserine synthase was 3-fold below the cytosolic concentration of serine (2.6 mM). Therefore, inositol supplementation resulted in a dramatic increase in the rate of phosphatidylinositol synthesis, whereas serine supplementation resulted in little affect on the rate of phosphatidylserine synthesis. Inositol also contributed to the regulation of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine synthesis by having a direct affect on phosphatidylserine synthase activity. Kinetic experiments with pure phosphatidylserine synthase showed that inositol was a noncompetitive inhibitor of the enzyme with a Ki of 65 microM.     

Activation of phospholipase D by the fucose-sulfate glycoconjugate that induces an acrosome reaction in spermatozoa

We report for the first time that phospholipase D activity in sea urchin spermatozoa can be regulated by a component of egg jelly known to induce an acrosome reaction. The fucose-sulfate glycoconjugate (FSG) of egg jelly that induces an acrosome reaction in spermatozoa caused Ca2+-dependent increases in 1,2-diacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid. Diacylglycerol concentrations were increased 2-fold, and phosphatidic acid concentrations were elevated up to 10-fold 2 min after the addition of FSG to spermatozoa. FSG also caused increases in choline, but not in choline phosphate concentrations. Neither phosphorylation of diacylglycerol nor de novo synthesis from glycerol were significant routes of synthesis of phosphatidic acid during the acrosome reaction. When spermatozoa were incubated with FSG in the presence of ethanol, phosphatidylethanol was produced. As ethanol concentrations in the extracellular medium were increased from 0.1 to 2.5%, the amount of phosphatidylethanol increased, whereas phosphatidic acid concentrations decreased, suggesting a competitive transphosphatidylation reaction catalyzed by phospholipase D. Furthermore, when a phosphatidylcholine pool in spermatozoa was radiolabeled using [3H]1-O-alkyl-2-lyso-glycerol-3-phosphorylcholine, the subsequent addition of FSG caused a 4-fold accumulation of [3H]phosphatidic acid. FSG-induced elevations in [3H]phosphatidic acid were positively correlated with the percent of cells that had undergone an acrosome reaction.     

The effects of orthovanadate on fatty acid synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Extracellular Ca2+ stimulated fatty acid synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes. Orthovanadate (0.2--2.0 mM), an inhibitor of Ca2+-dependent ATPases, stimulated fatty acid synthesis in both the presence and the absence of extracellular Ca2+. Insulin stimulated fatty acid synthesis only in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. The contribution of extracellular Ca2+ to insulin stimulation of fatty acid synthesis is discussed.     

Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent pathways for release of arachidonic acid from phosphatidylinositol in endothelial cells

The pathways for degradation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) were investigated in sonicated suspensions prepared from confluent cultures of bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. The time courses of formation of 3H-labeled and 14C-labeled metabolites of phosphatidyl-[3H]inositol ([3H]Ins-PI) and 1-stearoyl-2-[14C] arachidonoyl-PI were determined at 37 degrees C and pH 7.5 in the presence of 2 mM EDTA with or without a 2 mM excess of Ca2+. The rates of formation of lysophosphatidyl-[3H]inositol ([3H]Ins-lyso-PI) and 1-lyso-2-[14C] arachidonoyl-PI were similar in the presence and absence of Ca2+, and the absolute amounts of the two radiolabeled lyso-PI products formed were nearly identical. This indicated that lyso-PI was formed by phospholipase A1, and phospholipase A2 was not measurable. In the presence of EDTA, [14C]arachidonic acid release from 1-stearoyl-2-[14C]arachidonoyl-PI paralleled release of glycerophospho-[3H]inositol ([3H]GPI) from [3H]Ins-PI. Formation of [3H]GPI was inhibited by treatment with the specific sulfhydryl reagent, 2,2'-dithiodipyridine, and this was accompanied by an increase in [3H]Ins-lyso-PI. In the presence of Ca2+, [14C] arachidonic acid release from 1-stearoyl-2-[14C]arachidonoyl-PI was increased 2-fold and was associated with Ca2+-dependent phospholipase C activity. Under these conditions, [3H]inositol monophosphate production exceeded formation of [14C]arachidonic acid-labeled phospholipase C products, diacylglycerol plus monoacylglycerol, by an amount that was equal to the amount of [14C]arachidonic acid formed in excess of [3H]GPI. Low concentrations of phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (15-125 microM) inhibited Ca2+-dependent [14C]arachidonic acid release, and the decrease in [14C] arachidonic acid formed was matched by an equivalent increase in 14C label in diacylglycerol plus monoacyclglycerol. These data supported the existence of two pathways for arachidonic acid release from PI in endothelial cells; a phospholipase A1-lysophospholipase pathway that was Ca2+-independent and a phospholipase C-diacylglycerol lipase pathway that was Ca2+-dependent. The mean percentage of arachidonic acid released from PI via the phospholipase C-diacylglycerol lipase pathway in the presence of Ca2+ was 65 +/- 8%. The mean percentage of nonpolar phospholipase C products of PI metabolized via the diacylglycerol lipase pathway to free arachidonic acid was 28 +/- 3%.     

Mutations in the EF-hand motif impair the inactivation of barium currents of the cardiac alpha1C channel.

Calcium-dependent inactivation has been described as a negative feedback mechanism for regulating voltage-dependent calcium influx in cardiac cells. Most recent evidence points to the C-terminus of the alpha1C subunit, with its EF-hand binding motif, as being critical in this process. The EF-hand binding motif is mostly conserved between the C-termini of six of the seven alpha1 subunit Ca2+ channel genes. The role of E1537 in the C-terminus of the alpha1C calcium channel inactivation was investigated here after expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Whole-cell currents were measured in the presence of 10 mM Ba2+ or 10 mM Ca2+ after intracellular injection of 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. Against all expectations, our results showed a significant reduction in the rate of voltage-dependent inactivation as measured in Ba2+ solutions for all E1537 mutants, whereas calcium-dependent inactivation appeared unscathed. Replacing the negatively charged glutamate residue by neutral glutamine, glycine, serine, or alanine significantly reduced the rate of Ba2+-dependent inactivation by 1.5-fold (glutamine) to 3.5-fold (alanine). The overall rate of macroscopic inactivation measured in Ca2+ solutions was also reduced, although a careful examination of the distribution of the fast and slow time constants suggests that only the slow time constant was significantly reduced in the mutant channels. The fast time constant, the hallmark of Ca2+-dependent inactivation, remained remarkably constant among wild-type and mutant channels. Moreover, inactivation of E1537A channels, in both Ca2+ and Ba2+ solutions, appeared to decrease with membrane depolarization, whereas inactivation of wild-type channels became faster with positive voltages. All together, our results showed that E1537 mutations impaired voltage-dependent inactivation and suggest that the proximal part of the C-terminus may play a role in voltage-dependent inactivation in L-type alpha1C channels.     

Physical properties of phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidylinositol liposomes in relation to a calcium effect

Physical properties of binary mixtures of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and yeast phosphatidylinositol were studied by ESR analysis using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) and lipid spin probes, freeze-fracture electronmicroscopy and particle microelectrophoresis, and they were compared with those of phosphatidylcholine/bovine brain phosphatidylserine mixtures. The phase diagram of the binary mixtures of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol was obtained from the thermal features of TEMPO spectral parameter in the lipid mixtures. The phase diagram provided evidence that these two phospholipids in various combinations were miscible in the crystalline state. The addition of 10 mM Ca2+ slightly shifted the phase diagram upward. TEMPO titration of the binary mixture of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and bovine brain phosphatidylserine revealed that 10 mM Ca2+ caused the complete phase separation of this lipid mixture. Studies of phase separations using phosphatidylcholine spin probe manifested that 10 mM Ca2+ induced almost complete phase separation in egg yolk phosphatidylcholine/bovine brain phosphatidylserine mixtures but only slight phase separation in egg yolk phosphatidylcholine/yeast phosphatidylinositol mixtures. However, some phase changes around the fluidus and the solidus curves were visualized by the freeze-fracture electronmicroscopy. The molecular motion of lipid spin probe was decreased by the addition of Ca2+ in the liposomes containing phosphatidylinositol. The temperature dependence of electrophoretic mobility was also examined in the absence and presence of 1 mM Ca2+. Liposomes of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine-phosphatidylinositol (90 : 10, mol/mol) exhibited a clear transition in the thermal features of electrophoretic mobilities. Raising the phosphatidylinositol content up to 25 mol% rendered the transition broad and unclear. The addition of 1 mM Ca2+ decreased the electrophoretic mobility but did not change its general profile of the thermal dependence. These results suggest that the addition of calcium ions induced a small phase change in the binary mixture of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol while Ca2+ causes a remarkable phase separation in phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylserine mixture. The physical role of phosphatidylinositol is discussed related to the formation of diacylglycerol.     

Guanine-nucleotide and hormone regulation of polyphosphoinositide phospholipase C activity of rat liver plasma membranes. Bivalent-cation and phospholipid requirements.

The effect of the GTP analogue guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) on the polyphosphoinositide phospholipase C (PLC) of rat liver was examined by using exogenous [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]. GTP[S] stimulated the membrane-bound PLC up to 20-fold, with a half-maximal effect at approx. 100 nM. Stimulation was also observed with guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate, but not with adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate, and was inhibited by guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate. Membrane-bound PLC was entirely Ca2+-dependent, and GTP[S] produced both a decrease in the Ca2+ requirement and an increase in activity at saturating [Ca2+]. The stimulatory action of GTP[S] required millimolar Mg2+. [8-arginine]Vasopressin (100 nM) stimulated the PLC activity approx. 2-fold in the presence of 10 nM-GTP[S], but had no effect in the absence of GTP[S] or at 1 microM-GTP[S]. The hydrolysis of PtdIns(4,5)P2 by membrane-bound PLC was increased when the substrate was mixed with phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine or various combinations of these with phosphatidylserine. With PtdIns(4,5)P2, alone or mixed with phosphatidylcholine, GTP[S] evoked little or no stimulation of the PLC activity. However, maximal stimulation by GTP[S] was observed in the presence of a 2-fold molar excess of phosphatidylserine or various combinations of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine. Hydrolysis of [3H]phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate by membrane-bound PLC was also increased by GTP[S]. However, [3H]phosphatidylinositol was a poor substrate, and its hydrolysis was barely affected by GTP[S]. Cytosolic PtdIns(4,5)P2-PLC exhibited a Ca2+-dependence similar to that of the membrane-bound activity, but was unaffected by GTP[S]. It is concluded that rat liver plasma membranes possess a Ca2+-dependent polyphosphoinositide PLC that is activated by hormones and GTP analogues, depending on the Mg2+ concentration and phospholipid environment. It is proposed that GTP analogues and hormones, acting through a guanine nucleotide-binding protein, activate the enzyme mainly by lowering its Ca2+ requirement.     

Ca2(+)-dependence of arachidonic acid redistribution among phospholipids of cultured mouse keratinocytes

Mouse keratinocytes cultured in a medium containing less than 0.1 mM Ca2+ (low Ca2+) incorporated [1-14C]arachidonic acid (AA) into phospholipids by kinetics including; (i) a rapid labelling of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) and both acid-stable and alkenylacyl forms of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho); and (ii) a slow but long-lasting radiolabel incorporation into both acid-stable and alkenylacyl forms of phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn), partly associated with a net radioactivity loss from acid stable-PtdCho. Under low Ca2+ conditions no radioactivity transfer apparently occurred between PtdIns and other phospholipid classes. When cells were prelabelled for 24 h with [1-14C]AA and reincubated in label-free medium containing 1.2 mM Ca2+ (normal Ca2+), an early and extensive loss of radioactivity from PtdIns was observed, reasonably in connection with Ca2+ stimulation of phosphoinositide turnover. Cell shift to normal Ca2+ did not result in an increased synthesis of labelled eicosanoids, but was consistent with an increase of radioactivity incorporation into diacylglycerol (DAG) and with a complex pattern of [1-14C]AA redistribution, eventually leading to a marked radioactivity incorporation into acid stable-PtdEtn (but not into alkenylacyl-PtdEtn) and to a labelling decrease of acid stable-PtdCho. The possible mechanisms driving AA recycling after cell shift to normal Ca2+ are discussed.     

Involvement of a guanine-nucleotide-binding protein-mediated mechanism in the enhancement of arachidonic acid liberation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and Ca2+ in saponin-permeabilized platelets

A mechanism by which protein kinase C potentiates arachidonic acid (AA) liberation in rabbit platelets was examined using [3H]AA-labeled, saponin (7 micrograms/ml)-permeabilized rabbit platelets. Pretreatment of the [3H]AA-labeled platelets with 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 10-40 nM) or 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (DOG, 20 microM) enhanced [3H]AA liberation induced by an addition of Ca2+ (1 mM) after cell permeabilization, whereas 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate (80 nM) did not exert such an effect. The potentiating effects of PMA and DOG were inhibited by staurosporine (200 nM). PMA (40 nM) also potentiated [3H]AA liberation induced by guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP gamma S, 100 microM), 5'-guanylyl imidodiphosphate (200 microM) or NaF (20 mM) plus AlCl3 (10 microM) in the presence of Ca2+ (100 microM). The enhancement by PMA of the GTP gamma S-induced AA liberation was also inhibited by staurosporine (200 nM). Furthermore, guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate (GDP beta S, 0.5-2 mM) suppressed the PMA (40 nM)- and DOG (20 microM)-enhanced, Ca2+ (1 mM)-dependent [3H]AA liberation. This inhibitory effect of GDP beta S was reversed by a further addition of GTP gamma S (200 microM). However, pertussis toxin (0.2-1 micrograms/ml) had no effect on the PMA-enhanced [3H]AA liberation. These results indicate a possibility that protein kinase C may potentiate AA liberation through a guanine-nucleotide-binding protein-mediated mechanism in saponin-permeabilized rabbit platelets.