Crystal structure of a tetradecameric assembly of the association domain of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II

We report the crystal structure of the 143 residue association domain of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). The association domain forms a hub-like assembly, composed of two rings of seven protomers each, which are stacked head to head and held together by extensive interfaces. The tetradecameric organization of the assembly was confirmed by analytical ultracentrifugation and multiangle light scattering. Individual protomers form wedge-shaped structures from which N-terminal helical segments that connect to the kinase domain extend toward the equatorial plane of the assembly, consistent with the arrangement of the kinase domains in a second outer ring. A deep and highly conserved pocket present within the association domain may serve as a docking site for proteins that interact with CaMKII.     

Regulation of Ca2+/calmodulin kinase II by a small C-terminal domain phosphatase

We present here the identification and characterization of an SCP3 (small C-terminal domain phosphatase-3) homologue in smooth muscle and show, for the first time, that it dephosphorylates CaMKII [Ca(2+)/CaM (calmodulin)-dependent protein kinase II]. SCP3 is a PP2C (protein phosphatase 2C)-type phosphatase that is primarily expressed in vascular smooth muscle tissues and specifically binds to the association domain of the CaMKIIgamma G-2 variant. The dephosphorylation is site-specific, excluding the Thr(287) associated with Ca(2+)/CaM-independent activation of the kinase. As a result, the autonomous activity of CaMKIIgamma G-2 is not affected by the phosphatase activity of SCP3. SCP3 co-localizes with CaMKIIgamma G-2 on cytoskeletal filaments, but is excluded from the nucleus in differentiated vascular smooth muscle cells. Upon depolarization-induced Ca(2+) influx, CaMKIIgamma G-2 is activated and dissociates from SCP3. Subsequently, CaMKIIgamma G-2 is targeted to cortical adhesion plaques. We show here that SCP3 regulates phosphorylation sites in the catalytic domain, but not those involved in regulation of kinase activation. This selective dephosphorylation by SCP3 creates a constitutively active kinase that can then be differentially regulated by other phosphorylation-dependent regulatory mechanisms.     

Regulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II by Ca2+/calmodulin-independent autophosphorylation

The autophosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-KII) results in the generation of kinase activity that is largely Ca2+/CaM-independent. We report that continued Ca2+/CaM-independent autophosphorylation of CaM-KII results in the generation of distinct phosphopeptides as identified by high performance liquid chromatography and enzymatic properties that are different than those observed for Ca2+/CaM-dependent autophosphorylation. These Ca2+/CaM-independent properties include (a) increased catalytic activity, (b) higher substrate affinity for the phosphorylation of synapsin I, and (c) decreased CaM-binding to both CaM-KII subunits as analyzed by gel overlays. Our results indicate that the autophosphorylation of only one subunit per holoenzyme is required to generate the Ca2+/CaM-independent CaM-KII. We suggest a two-step process by which autophosphorylation regulates CaM-KII. Step I requires Ca2+/CaM and underlies initial kinase activation. Step II involves continued autophosphorylation of the Ca2+/CaM-independent kinase and results in increased affinity for its substrate synapsin I and decreased affinity for calmodulin. These results indicate a complex mechanism through which autophosphorylation of CaM-KII may regulate its activity in response to transient fluctuations in intracellular calcium.     

CaM kinase II as frequency decoder of Ca2+ oscillations

In many cell types, Ca²⁺ signals are organized in the form of repetitive spikes. The frequency of these intracellular Ca²⁺ oscillations increases with the level of stimulation, suggesting the existence of a frequency encoding phenomenon. The question arises as to how the frequency of Ca²⁺ oscillations can be decoded inside the cell. Ca²⁺/calmodulin kinase II has long been proposed as an attractive candidate, as it is a key target of Ca²⁺ signals. By immobilizing the Ca²⁺/calmodulin kinase II and subjecting it to pulses of Ca²⁺ of variable amplitude, duration, and frequency, De Koninck and Schulman⁽¹⁾ have shown for the first time that the autonomous activity of Ca²⁺/calmodulin kinase II is highly sensitive to the temporal pattern of Ca²⁺ oscillations. BioEssays 20 :607–610, 1998.© 1998 John Wiley & Sons Inc.     

Phosphorylation and activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II.

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphatase (CaMKPase) is a protein phosphatase which dephosphorylates autophosphorylated Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and deactivates the enzyme (Ishida, A., Kameshita, I. and Fujisawa, H. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 1904-1910). In this study, a phosphorylation-dephosphorylation relationship between CaMKII and CaMKPase was examined. CaMKPase was not significantly phosphorylated by CaMKII under the standard phosphorylation conditions but was phosphorylated in the presence of poly-L-lysine, which is a potent activator of CaMKPase. The maximal extent of the phosphorylation was about 1 mol of phosphate per mol of the enzyme and the phosphorylation resulted in an about 2-fold increase in the enzyme activity. Thus, the activity of CaMKPase appears to be regulated through phosphorylation by its target enzyme, CaMKII.     

Mapping of calmodulin-binding domain of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II from rat brain

Recent molecular cloning experiments have identified a 25 amino-acid region as the calmodulin-binding domain of the alpha-subunit of rat brain Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent multifunctional protein kinase II (CaM-K II). Synthetic peptides, derived from the deduced amino-acid sequence encompassing this region, were examined for their ability to bind calmodulin in a calcium dependent manner and to inhibit the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent autophosphorylation of CaM-K II. Comparison of these structure-function relationships highlighted a region of 5 amino-acids, which was essential for calmodulin interaction and inhibition of kinase activity. This region demonstrated some homology with other calmodulin-binding peptides, and may represent a key site of interaction of the kinase with calmodulin. These analyses provide additional insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the Ca2+ regulation of CaM-K II.     

Structural characterization of Ca2+/CaM in complex with the phosphorylase kinase PhK5 peptide

Phosphorylase kinase (PhK) is a large hexadecameric enzyme consisting of four copies of four subunits: (alphabetagammadelta)4. An intrinsic calmodulin (CaM, the delta subunit) binds directly to the gamma protein kinase chain. The interaction site of CaM on gamma has been localized to a C-terminal extension of the kinase domain. Two 25-mer peptides derived from this region, PhK5 and PhK13, were identified previously as potential CaM-binding sites. Complex formation between Ca2+/CaM with these two peptides was characterized using analytical gel filtration and NMR methods. NMR chemical shift perturbation studies showed that while PhK5 forms a robust complex with Ca2+/CaM, no interactions with PhK13 were observed. 15N relaxation characteristics of Ca2+/CaM and Ca2+/CaM/PhK5 complexes were compared with the experimentally determined structures of several Ca2+/CaM/peptide complexes. Good fits were observed between Ca2+/CaM/PhK5 and three structures: Ca2+/CaM complexes with peptides from endothelial nitric oxide synthase, with smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase and CaM kinase I. We conclude that the PhK5 site is likely to have a direct role in Ca2+-regulated control of PhK activity through the formation of a classical 'compact' CaM complex.     

钙离子／钙调素依赖性蛋白激酶Ⅱ及其功能

所有引起细胞内钙离子浓度升高的激素或神经递质都可通过不同的钙离子／钙调素依赖性蛋白激酶达到调节细胞生理功能的作用。在神经元活动、细胞分泌、平滑肌缩等 细胞活动中起重要作用。     

Multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase: domain structure and regulation

Cells respond to many hormones, neurotransmitters and growth factors by increasing intracellular Ca2+. This second messenger, in turn, affects cellular function via activation of a novel multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. The kinase displays an interesting form of biochemical 'memory'; activation elicits an autophosphorylation which converts it to a Ca2+-independent enzyme that can continue to phosphorylate cellular proteins for some time following termination of the initial Ca2+ stimulus.     

Neurogranin controls the spatiotemporal pattern of postsynaptic Ca2+/CaM signaling

Neurogranin (Ng) is a postsynaptic IQ-motif containing protein that accelerates Ca²⁺ dissociation from calmodulin (CaM), a key regulator of long-term potentiation and long-term depression in CA1 pyramidal neurons. The exact physiological role of Ng, however, remains controversial. Two genetic knockout studies of Ng showed opposite outcomes in terms of the induction of synaptic plasticity. To understand its function, we test the hypothesis that Ng could regulate the spatial range of action of Ca²⁺/CaM based on its ability to accelerate the dissociation of Ca²⁺ from CaM. Using a mathematical model constructed on the known biochemistry of Ng, we calculate the cycle time that CaM molecules alternate between the fully Ca²⁺ saturated state and the Ca²⁺ unbound state. We then use these results and include diffusion of CaM to illustrate the impact that Ng has on modulating the spatial profile of Ca²⁺-saturated CaM within a model spine compartment. Finally, the first-passage time of CaM to transition from the Ca²⁺-free state to the Ca²⁺-saturated state was calculated with or without Ng present. These analyses suggest that Ng regulates the encounter rate between Ca²⁺ saturated CaM and its downstream targets during postsynaptic Ca²⁺ transients.     

Ischemia-elicited oxidative modulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) plays a critical role in neuronal signal transduction and synaptic plasticity. Here, we showed that this kinase was very susceptible to oxidative modulation. Treatment of mouse brain synaptosomes with H2O2, diamide, and sodium nitroprusside caused aggregation of CaMKII through formation of disulfide and non-disulfide linkages, and partial inhibition of the kinase activity. These CaMKII aggregates were found to associate with the post synaptic density. However, treatment of purified CaMKII with these oxidants did not replicate those effects observed in the synaptosomes. Using two previously identified potential mediators of oxidants in the brain, glutathione disulfide S-monoxide (GS-DSMO) and glutathione disulfide S-dioxide (GS-DSDO), we showed that they oxidized and inhibited CaMKII in a manner partly related to those of the oxidant-treated synaptosomes as well as the ischemia-elicited oxidative stress in the acutely prepared hippocampal slices. Interestingly, the autophosphorylated and activated CaMKII was relatively refractory to GS-DSMO- and GS-DSDO-mediated aggregation. Short term ischemia (10 min) caused a depression of basal synaptic response of the hippocampal slices, and re-oxygenation (after 10 min) reversed the depression. However, oxidation of CaMKII remained at above the pre-ischemic level throughout the treatment. Oxidation of CaMKII also prevented full recovery of CaMKII autophosphorylation after re-oxygenation. Subsequently, the high frequency stimulation-mediated synaptic potentiation in the hippocampal CA1 region was significantly reduced compared with the control without ischemia. Thus, ischemia-evoked oxidation of CaMKII, probably via the action of glutathione disulfide S-oxides or their analogues, may be involved in the suppression of synaptic plasticity.     

Expression of a neuronal Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, CaM kinase-Gr, in rat thymus

The regional and tissue-specific expression of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, CaM kinase-Gr, were examined. The Mr 65,000 alpha-polypeptide of CaM kinase-Gr is expressed ubiquitously in different anatomical regions of rat brain, whereas an additional Mr 67,000 beta-polypeptide is observed solely in the cerebellum. The alpha-polypeptide appears in the neonatal rat forebrain and cerebellum, whereas the beta-polypeptide appears by the second postnatal week and may reflect cerebellar granule cell differentiation. Most peripheral tissues do not express either CaM kinase-Gr polypeptide. However, rat thymus and thymocytes derived therefrom express CaM kinase-Gr at levels comparable to those of the central nervous system. The identity of the enzyme in rat thymus was corroborated by immunoblot assays, Northern blots, and direct enzyme purification. Rat spleen and testis also produce CaM kinase-Gr, but at lower levels than either thymus or brain. These observations demonstrate selective regional and developmental expression of CaM kinase-Gr polypeptide in brain, and suggest that it may participate in Ca2+ signalling in cells derived both from the immune system as well as the central nervous system.     

Regulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase by the autophosphorylated form of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

The 63-kDa subunit, but not the 60-kDa subunit, of brain calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase was phosphorylated in vitro by the autophosphorylated form of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. When calmodulin was bound to the phosphodiesterase, 1.33 +/- 0.20 mol of phosphate was incorporated per mol of the 63-kDa subunit within 5 min with no significant effect on enzyme activity. Phosphorylation in the presence of low concentrations of calmodulin resulted in a phosphorylation stoichiometry of 2.11 +/- 0.21 and increased about 6-fold the concentration of calmodulin necessary for half-maximal activation of the phosphodiesterase. Peptide mapping analyses of complete tryptic digests of the 63-kDa subunit revealed two major (P1, P4) and two minor (P2, P3) 32P-peptides. Calmodulin-binding to the phosphodiesterase almost completely inhibited phosphorylation of P1 and P2 with reduced phosphorylation rates of P3 and P4, suggesting the affinity change of the enzyme for calmodulin may be caused by phosphorylation of P1 and/or P2. When Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II was added without prior autophosphorylation, there was no phosphorylation of the 63-kDa phosphodiesterase subunit or of the kinase itself in the presence of a low concentration of calmodulin, and with excess calmodulin the phosphodiesterase subunit was phosphorylated only at P3 and P4. Thus the 63-kDa subunit of phosphodiesterase has a regulatory phosphorylation site(s) that is phosphorylated by the autophosphorylated form of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and blocked by Ca2+/calmodulin binding to the subunit.     

Identification of the site on calcineurin phosphorylated by Ca2+/CaM-dependent kinase II: modification of the CaM-binding domain

The catalytic subunit of the Ca2+/calmodulin- (CaM) dependent phosphoprotein phosphatase calcineurin (CN) was phosphorylated by an activated form of Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) incorporating approximately 1 mol of phosphoryl group/mol of catalytic subunit, in agreement with a value previously reported (Hashimoto et al., 1988). Cyanogen bromide cleavage of radiolabeled CN followed by peptide fractionation using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography yielded a single labeled peptide that contained a phosphoserine residue. Microsequencing of the peptide allowed both the determination of the cleavage cycle that released [32P]phosphoserine and the identity of amino acids adjacent to it. Comparison of this sequence with the sequences of methionyl peptides deduced from the cDNA structure of CN (Kincaid et al., 1988) allowed the phosphorylated serine to be uniquely identified. Interestingly, the phosphoserine exists in the sequence Met-Ala-Arg-Val-Phe-Ser(P)-Val-Leu-Arg-Glu, part of which lies within the putative CaM-binding site. The phosphorylated serine residue was resistant to autocatalytic dephosphorylation, yet the slow rate of hydrolysis could be powerfully stimulated by effectors of CN phosphatase activity. The mechanism of dephosphorylation may be intramolecular since the initial rate was the same at phosphoCN concentrations of 2.5-250 nM.     

Tyrosine kinase activity of a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II catalytic fragment

A 30-kDa fragment of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (30K-CaMKII) is a constitutively active protein Ser/Thr kinase devoid of autophosphorylation activity. We have produced a chimeric enzyme of 30K-CaMKII (designated CX₄₀-30K-CaMKII), in which the N-terminal 40 amino acids of Xenopus Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase I (CX₄₀) were fused to the N-terminal end of 30K-CaMKII. Although CX₄₀-30K-CaMKII exhibited essentially the same substrate specificity as 30K-CaMKII, it underwent significant autophosphorylation. Surprisingly, its autophosphorylation site was found to be Tyr-18 within the N-terminal CX₄₀ region of the fusion protein, although it did not show any Tyr kinase activity toward exogenous substrates. Several lines of evidence suggested that the autophosphorylation occurred via an intramolecular mechanism. These data suggest that even typical Ser/Thr kinases such as 30K-CaMKII can phosphorylate Tyr residues under certain conditions. The possible mechanism of the Tyr residue autophosphorylation is discussed.     

Regulation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II by brain gangliosides

Purified rat brain Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) is stimulated by brain gangliosides to a level of about 30% the activity obtained in the presence of Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM). Of the various gangliosides tested, GT1b was the most potent, giving half-maximal activation at 25 microM. Gangliosides GD1a and GM1 also gave activation, but asialo-GM1 was without effect. Activation was rapid and did not require calcium. The same gangliosides also stimulated the autophosphorylation of CaM-kinase II on serine residues, but did not produce the Ca2+-independent form of the kinase. Ganglioside stimulation of CaM-kinase II was also present in rat brain synaptic membrane fractions. Higher concentrations (125-250 microM) of GT1b, GD1a, and GM1 also inhibited CaM-kinase II activity. This inhibition appears to be substrate-directed, as the extent of inhibition is very dependent on the substrate used. The molecular mechanism of the stimulatory effect of gangliosides was further investigated using a synthetic peptide (CaMK 281-309), which contains the CaM-binding, inhibitory, and autophosphorylation domains of CaM-kinase II. Using purified brain CaM-kinase II in which these regulatory domains were removed by limited proteolysis. CaMK 281-309 strongly inhibited kinase activity (IC50 = 0.2 microM). GT1b completely reversed this inhibition, but did not stimulate phosphorylation of the peptide on threonine-286. These results demonstrate that GT1b can partially mimic the effects of Ca2+/CaM on native CaM-kinase II and on peptide CaMK 281-309.