Ligand-dependent equilibrium fluctuations of single calmodulin molecules

Science. 2009 Jan 30;323(5914):633-7. doi: 10.1126/science.1166191.

Abstract

Single-molecule force spectroscopy allows superb mechanical control of protein conformation. We used a custom-built low-drift atomic force microscope to observe mechanically induced conformational equilibrium fluctuations of single molecules of the eukaryotic calcium-dependent signal transducer calmodulin (CaM). From this data, the ligand dependence of the full energy landscape can be reconstructed. We find that calcium ions affect the folding kinetics of the individual CaM domains, whereas target peptides stabilize the already folded structure. Single-molecule data of full length CaM reveal that a wasp venom peptide binds noncooperatively to CaM with 2:1 stoichiometry, whereas a target enzyme peptide binds cooperatively with 1:1 stoichiometry. If mechanical load is applied directly to the target peptide, real-time binding/unbinding transitions can be observed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Calmodulin / chemistry*
  • Calmodulin / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Kinetics
  • Ligands
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / chemistry
  • Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase / metabolism*
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Thermodynamics
  • Wasp Venoms / chemistry
  • Wasp Venoms / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calmodulin
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Peptides
  • Wasp Venoms
  • mastoparan
  • Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase
  • Calcium