Depolymerization of Phospholamban in the Presence of Calcium Pump: A Fluorescence Energy Transfer Study

295

381

Contraction and relaxation of heart muscle cells is regulated by cycling of calcium between cytoplasm and sarcoplasmic reticulum. Human phospholamban (PLN), expressed in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane as a 30-kDa homopentamer, controls cellular calcium levels by a mechanism that depends on its phosphorylation. Since PLN was discovered Ϸ30 years ago, extensive studies have aimed to explain how it influences calcium pumps and to determine whether it acts as an ion channel. We have determined by solution NMR methods the atomic resolution structure of an unphosphorylated PLN pentamer in dodecylphosphocholine micelles. The unusual bellflower-like assembly is held together by leucine͞isoleucine zipper motifs along the membrane-spanning helices. The structure reveals a channel-forming architecture that could allow passage of small ions. The central pore gradually widens toward the cytoplasmic end as the transmembrane helices twist around each other and bend outward. The dynamic Nterminal amphipathic helices point away from the membrane, perhaps facilitating recognition and inhibition of the calcium pump.leucine͞isoleucine zipper ͉ membrane channel ͉ NMR ͉ dipolar couplings P hospholamban (PLN) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membrane of cardiomyocytes regulates the level of intracellular calcium, the main determinant of muscle contraction and relaxation. In the unphosphorylated form, PLN has an inhibitory effect on the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), a membrane protein responsible for pumping most of the calcium from the cytoplasm into the SR, thereby causing relaxation of myofibrils. Heart stimulants, such as adrenaline, set off a chain of signal transduction events that among other effects lead to PLN phosphorylation. Phosphorylated PLN no longer inhibits SERCA, allowing for more efficient pumping of calcium. Imbalance in the PLN-SERCA interaction leads to deterioration of heart function and cardiomyopathy (1). In vitro experiments have suggested that SERCA binds PLN by stripping a subunit away from the unphosphorylated 30-kDa pentamer, thereby depolymerizing PLN assembly (2, 3), but the nature of this interaction is still not understood. In addition to its role as a calcium pump regulator, there have been early ion conductance studies suggesting that PLN is also an ion channel (4). This hypothesis has not been tested further due in part to the lack of structural information on the PLN pentamer.To elucidate a potential dual function of PLN, we have determined the structure of the unphosphorylated human PLN pentamer by solution NMR methods at 30°C and compared it with that of a monomeric mutant (5). The pentamer structure reveals a number of previously undescribed features. The unusual axial orientation and flexibility of the extramembrane helices in the pentamer may facilitate recognition by SERCA, whereas the supercoiling and bending of the membrane-spanning helices leads to formation of a funnel-like channel with a hydrophobic neck, as in many known ion channels. MethodsProtein Preparat...

Section: Fig 2 Intermonomer Distance Restraints (A)supporting

confidence: 93%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The structure of phospholamban pentamer reveals a channel-like architecture in membranes

Oxenoid

Chou

2005

295

381

“…Mutagenesis, molecular biology, and in vivo studies revealed that the PLN pentamer depolymerizes into active monomers that bind and inhibit SERCA (3). Similar conclusions were reached by in vitro fluorescence studies (4). Recently, Young and coworkers (5) have reported a cocrystal formed by SERCA and PLN pentamer, suggesting that the pentameric species also is able to bind SERCA.…”

mentioning

confidence: 54%

Spectroscopic validation of the pentameric structure of phospholamban

Traaseth¹,

Verardi

Torgersen

et al. 2007

Self Cite

100

126

Phospholamban (PLN) regulates calcium translocation within cardiac myocytes by shifting sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca 2؉ -ATPase (SERCA) affinity for calcium. Although the monomeric form of PLN (6 kDa) is the principal inhibitory species, recent evidence suggests that the PLN pentamer (30 kDa) also is able to bind SERCA. To date, several membrane architectures of the pentamer have been proposed, with different topological orientations for the cytoplasmic domain: (i) extended from the bilayer normal by 50 -60°; (ii) continuous ␣-helix tilted 28°relative to the bilayer normal; (iii) pinwheel geometry, with the cytoplasmic helix perpendicular to the bilayer normal and in contact with the surface of the bilayer; and (iv) bellflower structure, in which the cytoplasmic domain helix makes Ϸ20°angle with respect to the membrane bilayer normal. Using a variety of cell membrane mimicking systems (i.e., lipid vesicles, oriented lipid bilayers, and detergent micelles) and a combination of multidimensional solution/solidstate NMR and EPR spectroscopies, we tested the different structural models. We conclude that the pinwheel topology is the predominant conformation of pentameric PLN, with the cytoplasmic domain interacting with the membrane surface. We propose that the interaction with the bilayer precedes SERCA binding and may mediate the interactions with other proteins such as protein kinase A and protein phosphatase 1.Ca 2ϩ -ATPase ͉ EPR ͉ membrane protein ͉ solid-state NMR ͉ protein dynamics C alcium translocation into the sarcoplasmic reticulum of cardiac myocytes is controlled by the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca 2ϩ -ATPase (SERCA). Phospholamban (PLN) regulates the activity of SERCA by shifting the apparent calcium affinity for the enzyme. This activity is relieved by phosphorylation of PLN at Ser-16 and/or Thr-17 and high calcium concentration within the cytosol. Wild-type PLN (wt-PLN) forms stable homopentamers in lipid bilayers and in detergent micelles, where each monomer is composed of a helical cytoplasmic domain (residues 1-16), a semiflexible loop (residues 17-21), and a helical transmembrane domain (residues 22-52) (1, 2). Mutagenesis, molecular biology, and in vivo studies revealed that the PLN pentamer depolymerizes into active monomers that bind and inhibit SERCA (3). Similar conclusions were reached by in vitro fluorescence studies (4). Recently, Young and coworkers (5) have reported a cocrystal formed by SERCA and PLN pentamer, suggesting that the pentameric species also is able to bind SERCA. Furthermore, Jones and coworkers (6) hypothesized that the PLN pentamer may act as a chloride ion channel, which is supported by the bellflower structure recently determined by Oxenoid and Chou (2).There are four principal proposed structural models of pentameric wt-PLN, which differ primarily in the topology of the more dynamic cytoplasmic domain. In each of these models (shown in Fig. 1), residues 32-52 are in a coiled helix approximately parallel to the bilayer normal. The first model (extended helix/sheet ...

“…It was found that the PLN monomer (C41F) is able to reduce Ca 2þ affinity of SERCA to the same extent as the PLN pentamer, but it was not able to reduce the rate of myocardial relaxation (58). Moreover, PLN phosphorylation enhances the population of the pentamer (6), whereas an increase in SERCA expression shifts the equilibrium toward the monomeric species (59). Importantly, this equilibrium plays a crucial role in muscle pathophysiology.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural topology of phospholamban pentamer in lipid bilayers by a hybrid solution and solid-state NMR method

Verardi

Shi

Traaseth

et al. 2011

155

210

Phospholamban (PLN) is a type II membrane protein that inhibits the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2þ -ATPase (SERCA), thereby regulating calcium homeostasis in cardiac muscle. In membranes, PLN forms pentamers that have been proposed to function either as a storage for active monomers or as ion channels. Here, we report the T-state structure of pentameric PLN solved by a hybrid solution and solid-state NMR method. In lipid bilayers, PLN adopts a pinwheel topology with a narrow hydrophobic pore, which excludes ion transport. In the T state, the cytoplasmic amphipathic helices (domains Ia) are absorbed into the lipid bilayer with the transmembrane domains arranged in a left-handed coiled-coil configuration, crossing the bilayer with a tilt angle of approximately 11°with respect to the membrane normal. The tilt angle difference between the monomer and pentamer is approximately 13°, showing that intramembrane helix-helix association forces dominate over the hydrophobic mismatch, driving the overall topology of the transmembrane assembly. Our data reveal that both topology and function of PLN are shaped by the interactions with lipids, which fine-tune the regulation of SERCA.hybrid NMR method | PISEMA | calcium regulation | oligomeric protein | dipolar assisted rotational resonance recoupling T he membrane protein complex formed by Ca 2þ -ATPase (SERCA) and phospholamban (PLN) regulates Ca 2þ concentration within the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), thereby controlling muscle excitation-contraction coupling (1, 2). PLN is a 52-residue transmembrane (TM) protein highly conserved across mammals (2). Its helix-loop-helix secondary structure is further subdivided into four dynamic domains: domain Ia (1-16), loop (17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22), and domain II (31-52) (3, 4). The hydrophobic TM domain II is the most conserved and responsible for SERCA inhibition, whereas the cytoplasmic domain harbors two phosphorylation sites that reverse PLN inhibitory function (2). PLN has a direct role in the pathophysiology of the heart muscle, with three lethal mutations linked to dilated cardiomyopathy in humans (R9C-PLN, R14del, and L39-truncated-PLN) (5). In both synthetic and cell membranes, PLN forms pentamers that dissociate into monomers upon interacting with SERCA (1, 6). Although the stoichiometry of the SERCA/PLN complex has been assessed (1, 6), both the role and the structure of the PLN pentamer remain a matter of active debate. Because PLN expression in both atria and ventricles is higher than SERCA, it is likely that oligomerization may participate in SERCA regulation (7). Insights into PLN organization in the membrane have come from biochemical and biophysical data (2,6,8). Initial electrophysiological measurements indicated that PLN formed Ca 2þ channels (9). However, more recent electrochemical studies concluded that PLN does not conduct Cl − or Ca 2þ ions (10).Divergent structural models for the PLN pentamer have been proposed in the literature (8). Although very similar in the secondary structure content, these models differ in t...