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Background: Evolutionary conserved Bax inhibitor-1 (BI-1) protects against ER stress-mediated apoptosis. Results: We identified a Ca 2ϩ -permeable channel pore in the C terminus of BI-1. Critical pore properties are an ␣-helical structure and two aspartate residues conserved among animals, but not among plants and yeast. Conclusion: C-terminal domain of BI-1 harbors a Ca 2ϩ -permeable channel pore. Significance: BI-1 has Ca 2ϩ channel properties likely relevant for its function in ER stress and apoptosis. Bax inhibitor-1 (BI-1) is a multitransmembrane domainspanning endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-located protein that is evolutionarily conserved and protects against apoptosis and ER stress. Furthermore, BI-1 is proposed to modulate ER Ca 2؉homeostasis by acting as a Ca 2؉ -leak channel. Based on experimental determination of the BI-1 topology, we propose that its C terminus forms a Ca 2؉ pore responsible for its Ca 2؉ -leak properties. We utilized a set of C-terminal peptides to screen for Ca 2؉ leak activity in unidirectional 45 Ca 2؉ -flux experiments and identified an ␣-helical 20-amino acid peptide causing Ca 2؉ leak from the ER. The Ca 2؉ leak was independent of endogenous ER Ca 2؉ -release channels or other Ca 2؉ -leak mechanisms, namely translocons and presenilins. The Ca 2؉ -permeating property of the peptide was confirmed in lipid-bilayer experiments. Using mutant peptides, we identified critical residues responsible for the Ca 2؉ -leak properties of this BI-1 peptide, including a series of critical negatively charged aspartate residues. Using peptides corresponding to the equivalent BI-1 domain from various organisms, we found that the Ca 2؉ -leak properties were conserved among animal, but not plant and yeast orthologs. By mutating one of the critical aspartate residues in the proposed Ca 2؉ -channel pore in full-length BI-1, we found that Asp-213 was essential for BI-1-dependent ER Ca 2؉ leak. Thus, we elucidated residues critically important for BI-1-mediated Ca 2؉ leak and its potential channel pore. Remarkably, one of these residues was not conserved among plant and yeast BI-1 orthologs, indicating that the ER Ca2؉ -leak properties of BI-1 are an added function during evolution. leak from the ER (9, 10). BI-1 seems to be strongly evolutionarily conserved and BI-1 orthologs from plants can substitute for mammalian BI-1 in regard to its anti-apoptotic function (11). Besides this, other diverse functions of BI-1 have been described. BI-1 is a negative regulator of the ER-stress sensor (12), it interacts with G-actin and increases actin polymerization (13), enhances cancer metastasis by altering glucose metabolism and by activating a sodium-hydrogen exchanger (14), and it reduces production of reactive oxygen species through direct interaction with NADPH-P450 reductase (15), a member of the microsomal monooxygenase system.Recently, the role of BI-1 in Ca 2ϩ signaling has been further explored. The effect of BI-1 on cell death seems to involve changes in the amount of Ca 2ϩ that is releasable from intrace...

The anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein is emerging as an efficient inhibitor of IP3R function, contributing to its oncogenic properties. Yet, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain not fully understood. Using mutations or pharmacological inhibition to antagonize Bcl-2's hydrophobic cleft, we excluded this functional domain as responsible for Bcl-2-mediated IP3Rs inhibition. In contrast, the deletion of the C-terminus, containing the trans-membrane domain, which is only present in Bcl-2α, but not in Bcl-2β, led to impaired inhibition of IP3R-mediated Ca2+ release and staurosporine-induced apoptosis. Strikingly, the trans-membrane domain was sufficient for IP3R binding and inhibition. We therefore propose a novel model, in which the Bcl-2's C-terminus serves as a functional anchor, which beyond mere ER-membrane targeting, underlies efficient IP3R inhibition by (i) positioning the BH4 domain in the close proximity of its binding site on IP3R, thus facilitating their interaction; (ii) inhibiting IP3R-channel openings through a direct interaction with the C-terminal region of the channel downstream of the channel-pore. Finally, since the hydrophobic cleft of Bcl-2 was not involved in IP3R suppression, our findings indicate that ABT-199 does not interfere with IP3R regulation by Bcl-2 and its mechanism of action as a cell-death therapeutic in cancer cells likely does not involve Ca2+ signaling.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) performs multiple functions in the cell: it is the major site of protein and lipid synthesis as well as the most important intracellular Ca(2+) reservoir. Adverse conditions, including a decrease in the ER Ca(2+) level or an increase in oxidative stress, impair the formation of new proteins, resulting in ER stress. The subsequent unfolded protein response (UPR) is a cellular attempt to lower the burden on the ER and to restore ER homeostasis by imposing a general arrest in protein synthesis, upregulating chaperone proteins and degrading misfolded proteins. This response can also lead to autophagy and, if the stress can not be alleviated, to apoptosis. The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor (IP3R) and IP3-induced Ca(2+) signaling are important players in these processes. Not only is the IP3R activity modulated in a dual way during ER stress, but also other key proteins involved in Ca(2+) signaling are modulated. Changes also occur at the structural level with a strengthening of the contacts between the ER and the mitochondria, which are important determinants of mitochondrial Ca(2+) uptake. The resulting cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca(2+) signals will control cellular decisions that either promote cell survival or cause their elimination via apoptosis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 12th European Symposium on Calcium.

Calcium ions (Ca2+) are crucial, ubiquitous, intracellular second messengers required for functional mitochondrial metabolism during uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells. The mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are connected via “mitochondria-associated ER membranes” (MAMs) where ER–mitochondria Ca2+ transfer occurs, impacting the mitochondrial biology related to several aspects of cellular survival, autophagy, metabolism, cell death sensitivity, and metastasis, all cancer hallmarks. Cancer cells appear addicted to these constitutive ER–mitochondrial Ca2+ fluxes for their survival, since they drive the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the production of mitochondrial substrates needed for nucleoside synthesis and proper cell cycle progression. In addition to this, the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter and mitochondrial Ca2+ have been linked to hypoxia-inducible factor 1α signaling, enabling metastasis and invasion processes, but they can also contribute to cellular senescence induced by oncogenes and replication. Finally, proper ER–mitochondrial Ca2+ transfer seems to be a key event in the cell death response of cancer cells exposed to chemotherapeutics. In this review, we discuss the emerging role of ER–mitochondrial Ca2+ fluxes underlying these cancer-related features.

Bcl-2 protein has emerged as a critical regulator of intracellular Ca 2+ dynamics by directly targeting and inhibiting the IP3 receptor (IP3R), a major intracellular Ca 2+ -release channel. Here, we demonstrate that such inhibition occurs under conditions of basal, but not high IP3R activity, since overexpressed and purified Bcl-2 (or its BH4 domain) can inhibit IP3R function provoked by low concentration of agonist or IP3, while fails to attenuate against high concentration of agonist or IP3. Surprisingly, Bcl-2 remained capable of inhibiting IP3R1 channels lacking the residues encompassing the previously identified Bcl-2-binding site (a.a. 1380-1408) located in the ARM2 domain, part of the modulatory region. Using a plethora of computational, biochemical and biophysical methods, we demonstrate that Bcl-2 and more particularly its BH4 domain bind to the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of IP3R1. In line with this finding, the interaction between the LBD and Bcl-2 (or its BH4 domain) was sensitive to IP3 and adenophostin A, ligands of the IP3R. Consistent with this, the BH4 domain of Bcl-2 counteracted the binding of IP3 to the LBD. Collectively, our work reveals a novel mechanism by which Bcl-2 influences IP3R activity at the level of the LBD. This allows for exquisite modulation of Bcl-2's inhibitory properties on IP3Rs that is tunable to the level of IP3 signaling in cells.

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The pro-and antiapoptotic proteins belonging to the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family exert a critical control over cell-death processes by enabling or counteracting mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization. Beyond this mitochondrial function, several Bcl-2 family members have emerged as critical modulators of intracellular Ca 2+ homeostasis and dynamics, showing proapoptotic and antiapoptotic functions. Bcl-2 family proteins specifically target several intracellular Ca 2+ -transport systems, including organellar Ca 2+ channels: inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP 3 Rs) and ryanodine receptors (RyRs), Ca 2+ -release channels mediating Ca 2+ flux from the endoplasmic reticulum, as well as voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs), which mediate Ca 2+ flux across the mitochondrial outer membrane into the mitochondria. Although the formation of protein complexes between Bcl-2 proteins and these channels has been extensively studied, a major advance during recent years has been elucidating the complex interaction of Bcl-2 proteins with IP 3 Rs. Distinct interaction sites for different Bcl-2 family members were identified in the primary structure of IP 3 Rs. The unique molecular profiles of these Bcl-2 proteins may account for their distinct functional outcomes when bound to IP 3 Rs. Furthermore, Bcl-2 inhibitors used in cancer therapy may affect IP 3 R function as part of their proapoptotic effect and/or as an adverse effect in healthy cells. B-CELL LYMPHOMA-2 (Bcl-2) FAMILY OF PROTEINST he Bcl-2 family of proteins consists of proand antiapoptotic members, which are characterized by the presence of at least one of the four highly conserved α-helical motifs, termed Bcl-2 homology (BH) domains (Adams and Cory 1998). The antiapoptotic family members, such as Bcl-2, Bcl-Xl, and Mcl-1, contain all four BH domains where the BH1, BH2, and BH3 domains form a hydrophobic cleft (Fig. 1A). The hydrophobic cleft is separated from the amino-terminal BH4 domain by an unstructured