Abstract 12676: C-Terminal Residues of Phospholamban are Critical Determinants of the Quaternary Structure and Function of the Calcium ATPase Regulatory Complex

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Abrol ◽  
Nikolai Smolin ◽  
Delaine K Ceholski ◽  
Howard S Young ◽  
Seth L Robia

Rationale: A naturally occurring missense Leu-39stop (L39X) mutation in phospholamban (PLB) results in truncation of the C-terminal transmembrane domain, leading to cardiomyopathy and premature death in humans. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the structural and regulatory role of the C-terminal residues of PLB in the membranes of living cells. Methods and Results: We fused fluorescent protein tags to PLB and cardiac Ca 2+ ATPase (SERCA) to investigate the role of PLB C-terminal residues for membrane localization, PLB oligomerization and SERCA regulation. Alanine substitution of C-terminal residues significantly altered fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from PLB to PLB and SERCA to PLB. Notably, substitution mutation V49A had profound effects on pentamer structure and regulatory complex conformation, increasing and decreasing probe separation distance, respectively. Progressive deletion of only a few C-terminal residues resulted in significant loss of PLB membrane anchoring and mislocalization to the cytoplasm and nucleus. Selective permeabilization of the plasma membrane by saponin resulted in diffusion of fluorescently labeled PLB out of the cells, consistent with solubilization of truncated proteins. Molecular dynamics simulations recapitulated decreased bilayer anchoring for truncated PLB. C-terminal truncations resulted in progressive loss of PLB-PLB FRET, due to a decrease in the apparent affinity of PLB oligomerization. We quantified a similar decrease in the SERCA-PLB binding affinity, and loss of inhibitory potency as quantified by Ca 2+ -dependent ATPase activity. However, despite decreased SERCA-PLB binding, intermolecular FRET was paradoxically increased as a result of a 14.5 Å decrease in the distance between donor and acceptor fluorophores. Conclusions: We conclude that PLB C-terminal residues are critical for membrane anchoring and quaternary structure determination of PLB pentamer and PLB-SERCA regulatory complex. The loss of membrane registration restraint by C-terminal residues (especially V49) causes displacement of PLB to an alternative position on SERCA. The data are compatible with a model in which PLB binds to the canonical inhibitory binding site and an additional novel site.

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1218-1230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicja J. Copik ◽  
M. Scott Webb ◽  
Aaron L. Miller ◽  
Yongxin Wang ◽  
Raj Kumar ◽  
...  

Abstract The mechanism through which the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) stimulates transcription is still unclear, although it is clear that the GR affects assembly of the transcriptional machinery. The binding of the TATA-binding protein (TBP) to the TATA-box is accepted as essential in this process. It is known that the GR can interact in vitro with TBP, but the direct interaction of TBP with GR has not been previously characterized quantitatively and has not been appreciated as an important step in assembling the transcriptional complex. Herein, we demonstrate that the TBP-GR interaction is functionally significant by characterizing the association of TBP and GR in vitro by a combination of techniques and confirming the role of this interaction in vivo. Combined analysis, using native gel electrophoresis, sedimentation equilibrium, and isothermal microcalorimetry titrations, characterize the stoichiometry, affinity, and thermodynamics of the TBP-GR interaction. TBP binds recombinant GR activation function 1 (AF1) with a 1:2 stoichiometry and a dissociation constant in the nanomolar range. In vivo fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments, using fluorescently labeled TBP and various GR constructs, transiently transfected into CV-1 cells, show GR-TBP interactions, dependent on AF1. AF1-deletion variants showed fluorescence resonance energy transfer efficiencies on the level of coexpressed cyan fluorescent protein and yellow fluorescent protein, indicating that the interaction is dependent on AF1 domain. To demonstrate the functional role of the in vivo GR-TBP interaction, increased amounts of TBP expressed in vivo stimulated expression of GR-driven reporters and endogenous genes, and the effect was also specifically dependent on AF1.


2001 ◽  
Vol 357 (3) ◽  
pp. 687-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan P. WAUD ◽  
Alexandra BERMÚDEZ FAJARDO ◽  
Thankiah SUDHAHARAN ◽  
Andrew R. TRIMBY ◽  
Jinny JEFFERY ◽  
...  

Homogeneous assays, without a separation step, are essential for measuring chemical events in live cells and for drug discovery screens, and are desirable for making measurements in cell extracts or clinical samples. Here we demonstrate the principle of chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) as a homogeneous assay system, using two proteases as models, one extracellular (α-thrombin) and the other intracellular (caspase-3). Chimaeras were engineered with aequorin as the chemiluminescent energy donor and green fluorescent protein (GFP) or enhanced GFP as the energy acceptors, with a protease linker (6 or 18 amino acid residues) recognition site between the donor and acceptor. Flash chemiluminescent spectra (20–60 s) showed that the spectra of chimaeras matched GFP, being similar to that of luminous jellyfish, justifying their designation as ‘Rainbow’ proteins. Addition of the protease shifted the emission spectrum to that of aequorin in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Separation of the proteolysed fragments showed that the ratio of green to blue light matched the extent of proteolysis. The caspase-3 Rainbow protein was able to provide information on the specificity of caspases in vitro and in vivo. It was also able to monitor caspase-3 activation in cells provoked into apoptosis by staurosporine (1 or 2μM). CRET can also monitor GFP fluor formation. The signal-to-noise ratio of our Rainbow proteins is superior to that of fluorescence resonance energy transfer, providing a potential platform for measuring agents that interact with the reactive site between the donor and acceptor.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grégoire Denay ◽  
Patrick Schultz ◽  
Sebastian Hänsch ◽  
Stefanie Weidtkamp-Peters ◽  
Rüdiger Simon

AbstractReceptor-like kinases (RLK) and receptor-like proteins (RLP) often interact in a combinatorial manner depending on tissue identity, membrane domains, or endo- and exogenous cues, and the same RLKs or RLPs can generate different signaling outputs depending on the composition of the receptor complexes they are involved in. Investigation of their interaction partners in a spatial and dynamic way is therefore of prime interest to understand their functions. This is however limited by the technical complexity of assessing it in endogenous conditions. A solution to close this gap is to determine protein interaction directly in the relevant tissues at endogenous expression levels using Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). The ideal fluorophore pair for FRET must, however, fulfil specific requirements: (i) the emission and excitation spectra of the donor and acceptor, respectively, must overlap; (ii) they should not interfere with proper folding, activity, or localization of the fusion proteins; (iii) they should be sufficiently photostable in plant cells. Furthermore, the donor must yield sufficient photon counts at near-endogenous protein expression levels. Although many fluorescent proteins were reported to be suitable for FRET experiments, only a handful were already described for applications in plants. Herein, we compare a range of fluorophores, assess their usability to study RLK interactions by FRET-based fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) and explore their differences in FRET efficiency. Our analysis will help to select the optimal fluorophore pair for diverse FRET applications.One-sentence summaryWe compared the performances of several different fluorescent protein pairs to study membrane protein interaction in plants with FRET.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Min Leong ◽  
Bok Eum Kang ◽  
Bradley Baker

AbstractA new family of Genetically Encoded Voltage Indicators (GEVIs) has been developed based on inter-molecular Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). To test the hypothesis that the GEVI, ArcLight, functions via interactions between the fluorescent protein (FP) domain of neighboring probes, the FP of ArcLight was replaced with either a FRET donor or acceptor FP. We discovered relatively large FRET signals only when cells were co-transfected with both the FRET donor and acceptor GEVIs. Using a CFP donor and an RFP acceptor, we were able to observe a voltage dependent signal with a Stokes shift of over 200 nm. The intermolecular FRET strategy also works for rhodopsin-based probes potentially improving their flexibility as well. Separating the FRET pair into two distinct proteins has important advantages over intramolecular FRET constructs. First, the signals are larger. Apparently the voltage-induced conformational change moves the two FPs independently thereby increasing the dynamic range. Second, the expression of the FRET donor and acceptor can be restricted independently enabling greater cell type specificity as well as refined subcellular voltage reporting.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (18) ◽  
pp. 9945
Author(s):  
Luisa Galla ◽  
Nicola Vajente ◽  
Diana Pendin ◽  
Paola Pizzo ◽  
Tullio Pozzan ◽  
...  

Calcium (Ca2+) exerts a pivotal role in controlling both physiological and detrimental cellular processes. This versatility is due to the existence of a cell-specific molecular Ca2+ toolkit and its fine subcellular compartmentalization. Study of the role of Ca2+ in cellular physiopathology greatly benefits from tools capable of quantitatively measuring its dynamic concentration ([Ca2+]) simultaneously within organelles and in the cytosol to correlate localized and global [Ca2+] changes. To this aim, as nucleoplasm Ca2+ changes mirror those of the cytosol, we generated a novel nuclear-targeted version of a Föster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based Ca2+ probe. In particular, we modified the previously described nuclear Ca2+ sensor, H2BD3cpv, by substituting the donor ECFP with mCerulean3, a brighter and more photostable fluorescent protein. The thorough characterization of this sensor in HeLa cells demonstrated that it significantly improved the brightness and photostability compared to the original probe, thus obtaining a probe suitable for more accurate quantitative Ca2+ measurements. The affinity for Ca2+ was determined in situ. Finally, we successfully applied the new probe to confirm that cytoplasmic and nucleoplasmic Ca2+ levels were similar in both resting conditions and upon cell stimulation. Examples of simultaneous monitoring of Ca2+ signal dynamics in different subcellular compartments in the very same cells are also presented.


2004 ◽  
Vol 378 (2) ◽  
pp. 509-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolin NEUMANN-GIESEN ◽  
Bianca FALKENBACH ◽  
Peter BEICHT ◽  
Stephanie CLAASEN ◽  
Georg LÜERS ◽  
...  

The reggie protein family consists of two proteins, reggie-1 and -2, also called flotillins, which are highly ubiquitous and evolutionarily conserved. Both reggies have been shown to be associated with membrane rafts and are involved in various cellular processes such as T-cell activation, phagocytosis and insulin signalling. However, the exact molecular function of these proteins remains to be determined. In addition, the mechanism of membrane association of reggie-1, which does not contain any transmembrane domain, is not known. In this study, we have produced a fusion protein of reggie-1 with enhanced green fluorescent protein and generated targeted substitutions for the inactivation of putative palmitoylation and myristoylation sites. We were able to show that reggie-1 is myristoylated and multiply palmitoylated and that lipid modifications are necessary for membrane association of reggie-1. Overexpression of reggie-1 resulted in the induction of numerous filopodia-like protrusions in various cell lines, suggesting a role for reggie-1 as a signalling protein in actin-dependent processes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 7918
Author(s):  
Jisun Hwang ◽  
Bohee Jang ◽  
Ayoung Kim ◽  
Yejin Lee ◽  
Joonha Lee ◽  
...  

Despite the known importance of the transmembrane domain (TMD) of syndecan receptors in cell adhesion and signaling, the molecular basis for syndecan TMD function remains unknown. Using in vivo invertebrate models, we found that mammalian syndecan-2 rescued both the guidance defects in C. elegans hermaphrodite-specific neurons and the impaired development of the midline axons of Drosophila caused by the loss of endogenous syndecan. These compensatory effects, however, were reduced significantly when syndecan-2 dimerization-defective TMD mutants were introduced. To further investigate the role of the TMD, we generated a chimera, 2eTPC, comprising the TMD of syndecan-2 linked to the cytoplasmic domain of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR). This chimera exhibited SDS-resistant dimer formation that was lost in the corresponding dimerization-defective syndecan-2 TMD mutant, 2eT(GL)PC. Moreover, 2eTPC specifically enhanced Tyr 579 and Tyr 857 phosphorylation in the PDGFR cytoplasmic domain, while the TMD mutant failed to support such phosphorylation. Finally, 2eTPC, but not 2eT(GL)PC, induced phosphorylation of Src and PI3 kinase (known downstream effectors of Tyr 579 phosphorylation) and promoted Src-mediated migration of NIH3T3 cells. Taken together, these data suggest that the TMD of a syndecan-2 specifically regulates receptor cytoplasmic domain function and subsequent downstream signaling events controlling cell behavior.


Function ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelly Redolfi ◽  
Elisa Greotti ◽  
Giulia Zanetti ◽  
Tino Hochepied ◽  
Cristina Fasolato ◽  
...  

AbstractMitochondria play a key role in cellular calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis. Dysfunction in the organelle Ca2+ handling appears to be involved in several pathological conditions, ranging from neurodegenerative diseases, cardiac failure and malignant transformation. In the past years, several targeted green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs) have been developed to study Ca2+ dynamics inside mitochondria of living cells. Surprisingly, while there is a number of transgenic mice expressing different types of cytosolic GECIs, few examples are available expressing mitochondria-localized GECIs, and none of them exhibits adequate spatial resolution. Here we report the generation and characterization of a transgenic mouse line (hereafter called mt-Cam) for the controlled expression of a mitochondria-targeted, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based Cameleon, 4mtD3cpv. To achieve this goal, we engineered the mouse ROSA26 genomic locus by inserting the optimized sequence of 4mtD3cpv, preceded by a loxP-STOP-loxP sequence. The probe can be readily expressed in a tissue-specific manner upon Cre recombinase-mediated excision, obtainable with a single cross. Upon ubiquitous Cre expression, the Cameleon is specifically localized in the mitochondrial matrix of cells in all the organs and tissues analyzed, from embryos to aged animals. Ca2+ imaging experiments performed in vitro and ex vivo in brain slices confirmed the functionality of the probe in isolated cells and live tissues. This new transgenic mouse line allows the study of mitochondrial Ca2+ dynamics in different tissues with no invasive intervention (such as viral infection or electroporation), potentially allowing simple calibration of the fluorescent signals in terms of mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]).


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