Structure-dynamic determinants governing a mode of regulatory response and propagation of allosteric signal in splice variants of Na+/Ca2+ exchange (NCX) proteins

Biochem J. 2015 Feb 1;465(3):489-501. doi: 10.1042/BJ20141036.

Abstract

The Ca(2+)-dependent allosteric regulation of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) proteins represents Ca(2+) interaction with the cytosolic domains, CBD1 (calcium-binding domain 1) and CBD2, which is associated either with activation, inhibition or no response to regulatory Ca(2+) in a given splice variant. CBD1 contains a high affinity Ca(2+)-sensor (which is highly conserved among splice variants), whereas primary information upon Ca(2+) binding to CBD1 is modified by alternative splicing of CBD2, yielding the diverse regulatory responses to Ca(2+). To resolve the structure-dynamic determinants of splicing-dependent regulation, we tested two-domain tandem (CBD12) constructs possessing either positive, negative or no response to Ca(2+) using hydrogen-deuterium exchange MS (HDX-MS), SAXS, equilibrium 45Ca(2+) binding and stopped-flow kinetics. Taken together with previously resolved crystallographic structures of CBD12, the data revealed that Ca(2+) binding to CBD1 rigidifies the main-chain flexibility of CBD2 (but not of CBD1), whereas CBD2 stabilizes the apo-CBD1. Strikingly, the extent and strength of Ca(2+)-dependent rigidification of CBD2 is splice-variant dependent, where the main-chain rigidification spans from the Ca(2+)-binding sites of CBD1, through a helix of CBD2 (positioned at the domains' interface) up to the tip of CBD2 [>50 Å (1 Å = 0.1 nm)] or alternatively, it stops at the CBD2 helix in the splice variant exhibiting an inhibitory response to regulatory Ca(2+). These results provide a structure-dynamic basis by which alternative splicing diversifies the regulatory responses to Ca(2+) as well as controls the extent and strength of allosteric signal propagation over long distance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allosteric Regulation / physiology
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Deuterium Exchange Measurement
  • Dogs
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Binding / physiology
  • Protein Isoforms / chemistry
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics*
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / chemistry
  • Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / genetics*
  • Sodium-Calcium Exchanger / metabolism*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Protein Isoforms
  • Sodium-Calcium Exchanger
  • Calcium