Essential role of the CBD1-CBD2 linker in slow dissociation of Ca2+ from the regulatory two-domain tandem of NCX1

In NCX proteins CBD1 and CBD2 domains are connected through a short linker (3 or 4 amino acids) forming a regulatory tandem (CBD12). Only three of the six CBD12 Ca(2+)-binding sites contribute to NCX regulation. Two of them are located on CBD1 (K(d) = approximately 0.2 microM), and one is on CBD2 (K(d) = approximately 5 microM). Here we analyze how the intrinsic properties of individual regulatory sites are affected by linker-dependent interactions in CBD12 (AD splice variant). The three sites of CBD12 and CBD1 + CBD2 have comparable K(d) values but differ dramatically in their Ca(2+) dissociation kinetics. CBD12 exhibits multiphasic kinetics for the dissociation of three Ca(2+) ions (k(r) = 280 s(-1), k(f) = 7 s(-1), and k(s) = 0.4 s(-1)), whereas the dissociation of two Ca(2+) ions from CBD1 (k(f) = 16 s(-1)) and one Ca(2+) ion from CBD2 (k(r) = 125 s(-1)) is monophasic. Insertion of seven alanines into the linker (CBD12-7Ala) abolishes slow dissociation of Ca(2+), whereas the kinetic and equilibrium properties of three Ca(2+) sites of CBD12-7Ala and CBD1 + CBD2 are similar. Therefore, the linker-dependent interactions in CBD12 decelerate the Ca(2+) on/off kinetics at a specific CBD1 site by 50-80-fold, thereby representing Ca(2+) "occlusion" at CBD12. Notably, the kinetic and equilibrium properties of the remaining two sites of CBD12 are "linker-independent," so their intrinsic properties are preserved in CBD12. In conclusion, the dynamic properties of three sites are specifically modified, conserved, diversified, and integrated by the linker in CBD12, thereby generating a wide range dynamic sensor.

Activation of the cardiac Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchanger by sorcin via the interaction of the respective Ca(2+)-binding domains

Sorcin is a penta-EF-hand protein that interacts with intracellular target proteins after Ca²⁺ binding. The sarcolemmal Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX1) may be an important sorcin target in cardiac muscle. In this study, RNAi knockdown of sorcin, purified sorcin or sorcin variants was employed in parallel measurements of: (i) NCX activity in isolated rabbit cardiomyocytes using electrophysiological techniques and (ii) sorcin binding to the NCX1 calcium binding domains (CBD1 and (iii) using surface plasmon resonance and gel overlay techniques. Sorcin is activated by Ca²⁺ binding to the EF3 and EF2 regions, which are connected by the D helix. To investigate the importance of this region in the interaction with NCX1, three variants were examined: W105G and W99G, mutated respectively near EF3 and EF2, and E124A that does not bind Ca²⁺ due to a mutation at EF3. Downregulation of sorcin decreased and supplementation with wt sorcin (3 μM) increased NCX activity in isolated cardiomyocytes. The relative stimulatory effects of the sorcin variants were: W105G > wt sorcin > Sorcin Calcium Binding Domain (SCBD) > W99G > E124A. Sorcin binding to both CBD1 and 2 was observed. In the presence of 50 µM Ca²⁺, the interaction with CBD1 followed the order W105G > SCBD > wt sorcin > W99G > E124A. In sorcin, the interacting surface can be mapped on the C-terminal Ca²⁺-binding domain in the D helix region comprising W99. The fast association/dissociation rates that characterize the interaction of sorcin with CBD1 and 2 may permit complex formation/dissociation during an excitation/contraction cycle.

Roles of two Ca2+-binding domains in regulation of the cardiac Na+-Ca2+ exchanger

We expressed full-length Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchangers (NCXs) with mutations in two Ca(2+)-binding domains (CBD1 and CBD2) to determine the roles of the CBDs in Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of NCX. CBD1 has four Ca(2+)-binding sites, and mutation of residues Asp(421) and Glu(451), which primarily coordinate Ca(2+) at sites 1 and 2, had little effect on regulation of NCX by Ca(2+). In contrast, mutations at residues Glu(385), Asp(446), Asp(447), and Asp(500), which coordinate Ca(2+) at sites 3 and 4 of CBD1, resulted in a drastic decrease in the apparent affinity of peak exchange current for regulatory Ca(2+). Another mutant, M7, with 7 key residues of CBD1 replaced, showed a further decrease in apparent Ca(2+) affinity but retained regulation, confirming a contribution of CBD2 to Ca(2+) regulation. Addition of the mutation K585E (located in CBD2) into the M7 background induced a marked increase in Ca(2+) affinity for both steady-state and peak currents. Also, we have shown previously that the CBD2 mutations E516L and E683V have no Ca(2+)-dependent regulation. We now demonstrate that introduction of a positive charge at these locations rescues Ca(2+)-dependent regulation. Finally, our data demonstrate that deletion of the unstructured loops between beta-strands F and G of both CBDs does not alter the regulation of the exchanger by Ca(2+), indicating that these segments are not important in regulation. Thus, CBD1 and CBD2 have distinct roles in Ca(2+)-dependent regulation of NCX. CBD1 determines the affinity of NCX for regulatory Ca(2+), although CBD2 is also necessary for Ca(2+)-dependent regulation.

Structure and functional analysis of a Ca2+ sensor mutant of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger

The mammalian Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, NCX1.1, serves as the main mechanism for Ca(2+) efflux across the sarcolemma following cardiac contraction. In addition to transporting Ca(2+), NCX1.1 activity is also strongly regulated by Ca(2+) binding to two intracellular regulatory domains, CBD1 and CBD2. The structures of both of these domains have been solved by NMR spectroscopy and x-ray crystallography, greatly enhancing our understanding of Ca(2+) regulation. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which Ca(2+) regulates the exchanger remain incompletely understood. The initial NMR study showed that the first regulatory domain, CBD1, unfolds in the absence of regulatory Ca(2+). It was further demonstrated that a mutation of an acidic residue involved in Ca(2+) binding, E454K, prevents this structural unfolding. A contradictory result was recently obtained in a second NMR study in which Ca(2+) removal merely triggered local rearrangements of CBD1. To address this issue, we solved the crystal structure of the E454K-CBD1 mutant and performed electrophysiological analyses of the full-length exchanger with mutations at position 454. We show that the lysine substitution replaces the Ca(2+) ion at position 1 of the CBD1 Ca(2+) binding site and participates in a charge compensation mechanism. Electrophysiological analyses show that mutations of residue Glu-454 have no impact on Ca(2+) regulation of NCX1.1. Together, structural and mutational analyses indicate that only two of the four Ca(2+) ions that bind to CBD1 are important for regulating exchanger activity.