Regulation of type I adenylyl cyclase by calmodulin kinase IV in vivo

G protein regulation of adenylate cyclase

Adenylate cyclase integrates positive and negative signals that act through G protein-coupled cell-surface receptors with other extracellular stimuli to finely regulate levels of cAMP within the cell. Recently, the structures of the cyclase catalytic core complexed with the plant diterpene forskolin, and a cyclase-forskolin complex bound to an activated form of the stimulatory G protein subunit Gs alpha have been solved by X-ray crystallography. These structures provide a wealth of detail about how different signals could converge at the core cyclase domains to regulate catalysis. In this article, William Simonds reviews recent advances in the molecular and structural biology of this key regulatory enzyme, which provide new insight into its ability to integrate multiple signals in diverse cellular contexts.

Immunohistochemical localization of Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV in outer hair cells

A smooth membrane system consisting of subsurface cisternae (SSC) underlies the lateral plasmalemma of auditory outer hair cells (OHCs). The SSC contain Ca-ATPase and are regarded as an intracellular Ca2+ reservoir like the sarcoplasmic reticulum of myocytes. Recently, it has been demonstrated that Ca-ATPase activity in sarcoplasmic reticulum is regulated by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaM kinases). Here we investigated the presence of CaM kinases in OHCs and their possible association with the SSC. Inner ears collected from adult gerbils and from neonates at 2-day intervals between 0 and 20 days after birth were immunostained with antibodies specific for different CaM kinases. A polyclonal antiserum against CaM kinase IV yielded a strong immunostaining reaction along the lateral wall of OHCs. The staining appeared after the tenth postnatal day and continued into adulthood. No other site in the inner ear, including cochlear inner hair cells and vestibular hair cells, was reactive. The kinase's apparent association with the SSC strongly supports its involvement in intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and suggests a role in regulating the OHCs' slow motile responses.

The structure, catalytic mechanism and regulation of adenylyl cyclase

The recent structure determinations of the mammalian effector enzyme adenylyl cyclase reveal the structure of its catalytic core, provide new insights into its catalytic mechanism and suggest how diverse signaling molecules regulate its activity.

Identification of a Gialpha binding site on type V adenylyl cyclase

The stimulatory G protein alpha subunit Gsalpha binds within a cleft in adenylyl cyclase formed by the alpha1-alpha2 and alpha3-beta4 loops of the C2 domain. The pseudosymmetry of the C1 and C2 domains of adenylyl cyclase suggests that the homologous inhibitory alpha subunit Gialpha could bind to the analogous cleft within C1. We demonstrate that myristoylated guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate-Gialpha1 forms a stable complex with the C1 (but not the C2) domain of type V adenylyl cyclase. Mutagenesis of the membrane-bound enzyme identified residues whose alteration either increased or substantially decreased the IC50 for inhibition by Gialpha1. These mutations suggest binding of Gialpha within the cleft formed by the alpha2 and alpha3 helices of C1, analogous to the Gsalpha binding site in C2. Adenylyl cyclase activity reconstituted by mixture of the C1 and C2 domains of type V adenylyl cyclase was also inhibited by Gialpha. The C1b domain of the type V enzyme contributed to affinity for Gialpha, but the source of C2 had little effect. Mutations in this soluble system faithfully reflected the phenotypes observed with the membrane-bound enzyme. The pseudosymmetrical structure of adenylyl cyclase permits bidirectional regulation of activity by homologous G protein alpha subunits.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV is cleaved by caspase-3 and calpain in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells undergoing apoptosis

We have previously demonstrated cleavage of alpha-spectrin by caspase-3 and calpain during apoptosis in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells (Nath, R., Raser, K. J., Stafford, D., Hajimohammadreza, I., Posner, A., Allen, H., Talanian, R. V., Yuen, P., Gilbertsen, R. B., and Wang, K. K. (1996) Biochem. J. 319, 683-690). We demonstrate here that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IV (CaMK IV) is cleaved during apoptosis by caspase-3 and calpain. We challenged SH-SY5Y cells with the pro-apoptotic agent thapsigargin. Western blot analysis revealed major CaMK IV breakdown products of 40, 38, and 33 kDa. Digestion of control SH-SY5Y lysate with purified caspase-3 produced a 38-kDa CaMK IV fragment; digestion with purified calpain produced a major fragment of 40 kDa. Pretreatment with carbobenzoxy-Asp-CH2OC(O)-2,6-dichlorobenzene or Z-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone was able to block the caspase-3-mediated production of the 38-kDa fragment both in situ and in vitro. Calpain inhibitor II similarly blocked formation of the calpain-mediated 40-kDa fragment both in situ and in vitro. Digestion of recombinant CaMK IV by other caspase family members revealed that only caspase-3 produces a fragmentation pattern consistent to that seen in situ. The major caspase-3 and calpain cleavage sites are respectively identified as PAPD176*A and CG201*A, both within the CaMK IV catalytic domain. Furthermore, calmodulin-stimulated protein kinase activity decreases within 6 h in thapsigargin-treated SH-SY5Y. The loss of activity precedes cell death.

The role of calcium in activity-dependent neuronal gene regulation

Synaptic transmission is a key signaling event, whereby an action potential-induced release of chemical neurotransmitters again generates a positive or negative electrical activity via opening of postsynaptic channels. Thereafter, information spreads through space, from the postsynaptic membranes to the dendrites, to the soma, to the nucleus, to the presynaptic terminals and, in some cases, back to the originally stimulated synapses. Furthermore, information is also often converted in time, either by shifting the phase of electrical activity during the integration of EPSPs and IPSPs into the generation of an action potential, or by triggering a long-lasting cascade of enzymatic or protein-protein interaction-mediated events in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. Recent studies of the signaling from the synapse to the nucleus now allow us to consider how various patterns of synaptic activity could couple with activation of specific nuclear transcription factors and thus regulate neuronal gene expression. The critical importance of Ca(2+)-dependent signaling processes in such regulatory events will be discussed below.

Inhibitory cross-talk by cAMP kinase on the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase cascade

The calmodulin-dependent kinase (CaM-K) cascade, a Ca2+-triggered system involving phosphorylation and activation of CaM-KI and CaM-KIV by CaM kinase kinase (CaM-KK), regulates transcription through direct phosphorylation of transcription factors such as cAMP response element-binding protein. We have shown previously that activated CaM-KIV can activate the mitogen-activated protein kinases (Enslen, H., Tokumitsu, H., Stork, P. J. S., Davis, R. J., and Soderling, T. R. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 93, 10803-10808), and the present paper describes a novel regulatory cross-talk between cAMP kinase (PKA) and CaM-KK. PKA gave rapid phosphorylation in vitro and in cells of recombinant CaM-KK, resulting in 50-75% inhibition of CaM-KK activity, part of which was due to suppression of CaM-binding by phosphorylation of Ser458 in the CaM-binding domain. However, the Ser458 --> Ala mutant, or a truncation mutant in which the CaM-binding and autoinhibitory domains were deleted, was still partially suppressed by PKA-mediated phosphorylation. The second inhibitory site was identified as Thr108 by site-specific mutagenesis. Treatments of COS-7, PC12, hippocampal, or Jurkat cells with the PKA activators forskolin or isoproterenol gave 30-90% inhibition of either endogenous or transfected CaM-KK and/or CaM-KIV activities. These results demonstrate that the CaM kinase cascade is negatively regulated in cells by the cAMP/PKA pathway.

Ca2+-dependent regulation in neuronal gene expression

Ca2+ is an important signal-transduction molecule that plays a role in many intracellular signaling pathways. Recent advances have indicated that in neurons, Ca2+-controlled signaling mechanisms cooperate in order to discriminate amongst incoming cellular inputs. Ca2+-dependent transcriptional events can thereby be made selectively responsive to bursts of synaptic activity of specific intensity or duration.

Calmodulin-regulated adenylyl cyclases and neuromodulation

Coincidence detection and crosstalk between signal transduction systems play very important regulatory roles in the nervous system, particularly in the regulation of transcription. Coupling of the Ca2+ and cAMP regulatory systems by calmodulin-regulated adenylyl cyclases is hypothesized to be important for some forms of synaptic plasticity, neuroendocrine function, and olfactory detection. Recent studies of a mutant mouse deficient in type I calmodulin-sensitive adenylyl cyclase have provided the first evidence that adenylyl cyclases are important for synaptic plasticity, as well as for learning and memory in vertebrates.

Differential regulation of type I and type VIII Ca2+-stimulated adenylyl cyclases by Gi-coupled receptors in vivo

Coupling of intracellular Ca2+ to cAMP increases may be important for some forms of synaptic plasticity. The type I adenylyl cyclase (I-AC) is a neural-specific, Ca2+-stimulated enzyme that couples intracellular Ca2+ to cAMP increases. Since optimal cAMP levels may be crucial for some types of synaptic plasticity, mechanisms for inhibition of Ca2+-stimulated adenylyl cyclases may also be important for neuroplasticity. Here we report that Ca2+ stimulation of I-AC is inhibited by activation of Gi-coupled somatostatin and dopamine D2L receptors. This inhibition is due primarily to Gialpha and not betagamma subunits since coexpression of betagamma-binding proteins with I-AC did not affect somatostatin inhibition. However, betagamma released from Gs did inhibit I-AC, indicating that the enzyme can be inhibited by betagamma in vivo. Interestingly, type VIII adenylyl cyclase (VIII-AC), another Ca2+-stimulated adenylyl cyclase, was not inhibited by Gi-coupled receptors. These data indicate that I-AC and VIII-AC are differentially regulated by Gi-coupled receptors and provide distinct mechanisms for interactions between the Ca2+ and cAMP signal transduction systems. We propose that I-AC may be particularly important for synaptic plasticity that depends upon rapid and transient cAMP increases, whereas VIII-AC may contribute to transcriptional-dependent synaptic plasticity that is dependent upon prolonged, Ca2+-stimulated cAMP increases.