Hing-Cheung Wong

Design and application of a class of sensors to monitor Ca2+ dynamics in high Ca2+ concentration cellular compartments

Quantitative analysis of Ca2+ fluctuations in the endoplasmic/sarcoplasmic reticulum (ER/SR) is essential to defining the mechanisms of Ca2+-dependent signaling under physiological and pathological conditions. Here, we developed a unique class of genetically encoded indicators by designing a Ca2+ binding site in the EGFP. One of them, calcium sensor for detecting high concentration in the ER, exhibits unprecedented Ca2+ release kinetics with an off-rate estimated at around 700 s−1 and appropriate Ca2+ binding affinity, likely attributable to local Ca2+-induced conformational changes around the designed Ca2+ binding site and reduced chemical exchange between two chromophore states. Calcium sensor for detecting high concentration in the ER reported considerable differences in ER Ca2+ dynamics and concentration among human epithelial carcinoma cells (HeLa), human embryonic kidney 293 cells (HEK-293), and mouse myoblast cells (C2C12), enabling us to monitor SR luminal Ca2+ in flexor digitorum brevis muscle fibers to determine the mechanism of diminished SR Ca2+ release in aging mice. This sensor will be invaluable in examining pathogenesis characterized by alterations in Ca2+ homeostasis.

Molecular interaction and functional regulation of connexin50 gap junctions by calmodulin.

Cx50 (connexin50), a member of the α-family of gap junction proteins expressed in the lens of the eye, has been shown to be essential for normal lens development. In the present study, we identified a CaMBD [CaM (calmodulin)-binding domain] (residues 141-166) in the intracellular loop of Cx50. Elevations in intracellular Ca2+ concentration effected a 95% decline in gj (junctional conductance) of Cx50 in N2a cells that is likely to be mediated by CaM, because inclusion of the CaM inhibitor calmidazolium prevented this Ca2+-dependent decrease in gj. The direct involvement of the Cx50 CaMBD in this Ca2+/CaM-dependent regulation was demonstrated further by the inclusion of a synthetic peptide encompassing the CaMBD in both whole-cell patch pipettes, which effectively prevented the intracellular Ca2+-dependent decline in gj. Biophysical studies using NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy reveal further that the peptide stoichiometrically binds to Ca2+/CaM with an affinity of ~5 nM. The binding of the peptide expanded the Ca2+-sensing range of CaM by increasing the Ca2+ affinity of the C-lobe of CaM, while decreasing the Ca2+ affinity of the N-lobe of CaM. Overall, these results demonstrate that the binding of Ca2+/CaM to the intracellular loop of Cx50 is critical for mediating the Ca2+-dependent inhibition of Cx50 gap junctions in the lens of the eye.

Calmodulin regulates Ca2+-sensing receptor-mediated Ca2+ signaling and its cell surface expression.

The Ca2+-sensing receptor (CaSR) is a member of family C of the GPCRs responsible for sensing extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o) levels, maintaining extracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, and transducing Ca2+ signaling from the extracellular milieu to the intracellular environment. In the present study, we have demonstrated a Ca2+-dependent, stoichiometric interaction between CaM and a CaM-binding domain (CaMBD) located within the C terminus of CaSR (residues 871–898). Our studies suggest a wrapping around 1–14-like mode of interaction that involves global conformational changes in both lobes of CaM with concomitant formation of a helical structure in the CaMBD. More importantly, the Ca2+-dependent association between CaM and the C terminus of CaSR is critical for maintaining proper responsiveness of intracellular Ca2+ responses to changes in extracellular Ca2+ and regulating cell surface expression of the receptor.

Elucidation of a Novel Extracellular Calcium-binding Site on Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 1α (mGluR1α) That Controls Receptor Activation

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 1α (mGluR1α) exerts important effects on numerous neurological processes. Although mGluR1α is known to respond to extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o) and the crystal structures of the extracellular domains (ECDs) of several mGluRs have been determined, the calcium-binding site(s) and structural determinants of Ca2+-modulated signaling in the Glu receptor family remain elusive. Here, we identify a novel Ca2+-binding site in the mGluR1α ECD using a recently developed computational algorithm. This predicted site (comprising Asp-318, Glu-325, and Asp-322 and the carboxylate side chain of the receptor agonist, Glu) is situated in the hinge region in the ECD of mGluR1α adjacent to the reported Glu-binding site, with Asp-318 involved in both Glu and calcium binding. Mutagenesis studies indicated that binding of Glu and Ca2+ to their distinct but partially overlapping binding sites synergistically modulated mGluR1α activation of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) signaling. Mutating the Glu-binding site completely abolished Glu signaling while leaving its Ca2+-sensing capability largely intact. Mutating the predicted Ca2+-binding residues abolished or significantly reduced the sensitivity of mGluR1α not only to [Ca2+]o and [Gd3+]o but also, in some cases, to Glu. The dual activation of mGluR1α by [Ca2+]o and Glu has important implications for the activation of other mGluR subtypes and related receptors. It also opens up new avenues for developing allosteric modulators of mGluR function that target specific human diseases.

A single EF‐hand isolated from STIM1 forms dimer in the absence and presence of Ca2+

Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) is responsible for activating the Ca2+ release‐activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel by first sensing the changes in Ca2+ concentration in the endoplasmic reticulum ([Ca2+]ER) via its luminal canonical EF‐hand motif and subsequently oligomerizing to interact with the CRAC channel pore‐forming subunit Orai1. In this work, we applied a grafting approach to obtain the intrinsic metal‐binding affinity of the isolated EF‐hand of STIM1, and further investigated its oligomeric state using pulsed‐field gradient NMR and size‐exclusion chromatography. The canonical EF‐hand bound Ca2+ with a dissociation constant at a level comparable with [Ca2+]ER (512 ± 15 μm). The binding of Ca2+ resulted in a more compact conformation of the engineered protein. Our results also showed that D to A mutations at Ca2+‐coordinating loop positions 1 and 3 of the EF‐hand from STIM1 led to a 15‐fold decrease in the metal‐binding affinity, which explains why this mutant was insensitive to changes in Ca2+ concentration in the endoplasmic reticulum ([Ca2+]ER) and resulted in constitutive punctae formation and Ca2+ influx. In addition, the grafted single EF‐hand motif formed a dimer regardless of the presence of Ca2+, which conforms to the EF‐hand paring paradigm. These data indicate that the STIM1 canonical EF‐hand motif tends to dimerize for functionality in solution and is responsible for sensing changes in [Ca2+]ER.

Calcium-dependent Association of Calmodulin with the Rubella Virus Nonstructural Protease Domain *

The rubella virus (RUBV) nonstructural (NS) protease domain, a Ca2+- and Zn2+-binding papain-like cysteine protease domain within the nonstructural replicase polyprotein precursor, is responsible for the self-cleavage of the precursor into two mature products, P150 and P90, that compose the replication complex that mediates viral RNA replication; the NS protease resides at the C terminus of P150. Here we report the Ca2+-dependent, stoichiometric association of calmodulin (CaM) with the RUBV NS protease. Co-immunoprecipitation and pulldown assays coupled with site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that both the P150 protein and a 110-residue minidomain within NS protease interacted directly with Ca2+/CaM. The specific interaction was mapped to a putative CaM-binding domain. A 32-mer peptide (residues 1152–1183, denoted as RUBpep) containing the putative CaM-binding domain was used to investigate the association of RUBV NS protease with CaM or its N- and C-terminal subdomains. We found that RUBpep bound to Ca2+/CaM with a dissociation constant of 100–300 nm. The C-terminal subdomain of CaM preferentially bound to RUBpep with an affinity 12.5-fold stronger than the N-terminal subdomain. Fluorescence, circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopic studies revealed a “wrapping around” mode of interaction between RUBpep and Ca2+/CaM with substantially more helical structure in RUBpep and a global structural change in CaM upon complex formation. Using a site-directed mutagenesis approach, we further demonstrated that association of CaM with the CaM-binding domain in the RUBV NS protease was necessary for NS protease activity and infectivity.