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Zhang R, Xie J, Yuan X, Yu Y, Zhuang Y, Zhang F, Hou J, Liu Y, Huang W, Zhang M, Li J, Gong Q, Peng X. Newly discovered variants in unexplained neonatal encephalopathy. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2024; 12:e2354. [PMID: 38284441 PMCID: PMC10795097 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.2354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genetic background of neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is complicated and early diagnosis is beneficial to optimizing therapeutic strategy for patients. METHODS NE Patients with unclear etiology received regular clinical tests including ammonia test, metabolic screening test, amplitude-integrated electroencephalographic (aEEG) monitoring, brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning, and genetic test. The protein structure change was predicted using Dynamut2 and RoseTTAFold. RESULTS 15 out of a total of 113 NE Patients were detected with newly reported pathogenic variants. In this sub-cohort, (1) seizure was the primary initial symptoms; (2) four patients had abnormal metabolic screening results, and two of them were also diagnosed with excessive blood ammonia concentration; (3) the brain MRI results were irregular in three infants and the brain waves were of moderate-severe abnormality in about a half of the patients. The novel pathogenic variants discovered in this study belonged to 12 genes, and seven of them were predicted to introduce a premature translation termination. In-silicon predictions showed that four variants were destructive to the protein structure of KCNQ2. CONCLUSION Our study expands the mutation spectrum of genes associated with NE and introduces new evidence for molecular diagnosis in this newborn illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Zhang
- Department of NeonatologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaHunanChina
| | - Jingjing Xie
- Department of NeonatologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaHunanChina
| | - Xiao Yuan
- Department of Laboratory DiagnosisChangsha Kingmed Center for Clinical LaboratoryChangshaHunanChina
| | - Yan Yu
- Department of Laboratory DiagnosisChangsha Kingmed Center for Clinical LaboratoryChangshaHunanChina
| | - Yan Zhuang
- Department of NeonatologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaHunanChina
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of NeonatologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaHunanChina
| | - Jianfei Hou
- Department of Laboratory DiagnosisChangsha Kingmed Center for Clinical LaboratoryChangshaHunanChina
| | - Yanqin Liu
- Department of Laboratory DiagnosisChangsha Kingmed Center for Clinical LaboratoryChangshaHunanChina
| | - Weiqing Huang
- Department of NeonatologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaHunanChina
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of NeonatologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaHunanChina
| | - Junshuai Li
- Department of NeonatologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaHunanChina
| | - Qiang Gong
- Department of Laboratory DiagnosisChangsha Kingmed Center for Clinical LaboratoryChangshaHunanChina
| | - Xiaoming Peng
- Department of NeonatologyHunan Children's HospitalChangshaHunanChina
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2
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Huang Y, Ma D, Yang Z, Zhao Y, Guo J. Voltage-gated potassium channels KCNQs: Structures, mechanisms, and modulations. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 689:149218. [PMID: 37976835 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
KCNQ (Kv7) channels are voltage-gated, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate- (PIP2-) modulated potassium channels that play essential roles in regulating the activity of neurons and cardiac myocytes. Hundreds of mutations in KCNQ channels are closely related to various cardiac and neurological disorders, such as long QT syndrome, epilepsy, and deafness, which makes KCNQ channels important drug targets. During the past several years, the application of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) technique in the structure determination of KCNQ channels has greatly advanced our understanding of their molecular mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the currently available structures of KCNQ channels, analyze their special voltage gating mechanism, and discuss their activation mechanisms by both the endogenous membrane lipid and the exogenous synthetic ligands. These structural studies of KCNQ channels will guide the development of drugs targeting KCNQ channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Huang
- Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Demin Ma
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhenni Yang
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yiwen Zhao
- The Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, The Key Laboratory of New Drug Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050011, China
| | - Jiangtao Guo
- Department of Biophysics and Department of Neurology of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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3
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Denesyuk AI, Permyakov SE, Permyakov EA, Johnson MS, Denessiouk K, Uversky VN. Canonical structural-binding modes in the calmodulin-target protein complexes. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:7582-7594. [PMID: 36106955 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2123391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular calcium sensor protein calmodulin (CaM) belongs to the large EF-hand protein superfamily. CaM shows a unique and not fully understood ability to bind to multiple targets, allows them to participate in a variety of regulatory processes. The protein has two approximately symmetrical globular domains (the N- and C-lobes). Analysis of the CaM-binding sites of target proteins showed that they have two hydrophobic 'anchor' amino acids separated by 10 to 17 residues. Consequently, several CaM-binding motifs: {1-10}, {1-11}, {1-13}, {1-14}, {1-16}, {1-17}, differing by the distance between the two anchor residues along the amino acid sequence, have been identified. Despite extensive structural information on the role of target-protein amino acid residues in the formation of complexes with CaM, much less is known about the role of amino acids from CaM contributing to these interactions. In this work, a quantitative analysis of the contact surfaces of CaM and target proteins has been carried out for 35 representative three-dimensional structures. It has been shown that, in addition to the two hydrophobic terminal residues of the target fragment, the interaction also involves residues that are 4 residues earlier in the sequence (binding mode {1-5}). It has also been found that the N- and C-lobes of CaM bind the {1-5} motif located at the ends of the target in a structurally identical manner. Methionine residues at positions 51 (corresponding to 124 in the C-lobe), 71 (144), and 72 (145) of the CaM amino acid sequence are key hydrophobic residues for this interaction. They are located at the N- and C-boundaries of the even EF-hand motifs. The hydrophobic core of CaM ('Ф-quatrefoil') consists of 10 amino acids in the N-lobe (and in the C-lobe): Phe16 (Phe89), Phe19 (Phe92), Ile27 (Ile100), Thr29 (Ala102), Leu32 (Leu105), Ile52 (Ile125), Val55 (Ala128), Ile63 (Val136), Phe65 (Tyr138), and Phe68 (Phe141) and do not intersect with the target-binding methionine residues. CaM belongs to the 'dynamic' group of EF-hand proteins, in which calcium and protein ligand binding causes only global conformational changes but does not alter the conservative 'black' and 'grey' clusters described in our earlier works (PLoS One. 2014; 9(10):e109287). The membership of CaM in the 'dynamic' group is determined by the triggering and protective methionine layer: Met51 (Met124), Met71 (Met144) and Met72 (Met145). HIGHLIGHTSInterchain interactions in the unique 35 CaM complex structures were analyzed.Methionine amino acids of the N- and C-lobes of CaM form triggering and protective layers.Interactions of the target terminal residues with these methionine layers are structurally identical.CaM belonging to the 'dynamic' group is determined by the triggering and protective methionine layer.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander I Denesyuk
- Institute for Biological Instrumentation of the, Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center, "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Pushchino Moscow Region, Russia
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Biochemistry, InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Sergei E Permyakov
- Institute for Biological Instrumentation of the, Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center, "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Pushchino Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Eugene A Permyakov
- Institute for Biological Instrumentation of the, Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center, "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Pushchino Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Mark S Johnson
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Biochemistry, InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Konstantin Denessiouk
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Biochemistry, InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Institute for Biological Instrumentation of the, Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center, "Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences", Pushchino Moscow Region, Russia
- Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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4
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Emerging mechanisms involving brain Kv7 channel in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 206:115318. [PMID: 36283445 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hypertension is a prevalent health problem inducing many organ damages. The pathogenesis of hypertension involves a complex integration of different organ systems including the brain. The elevated sympathetic nerve activity is closely related to the etiology of hypertension. Ion channels are critical regulators of neuronal excitability. Several mechanisms have been proposed to contribute to hypothalamic-driven elevated sympathetic activity, including altered ion channel function. Recent findings indicate one of the voltage-gated potassium channels, Kv7 channels (M channels), plays a vital role in regulating cardiovascular-related neurons activity, and the expression of Kv7 channels is downregulated in hypertension. This review highlights recent findings that the Kv7 channels in the brain, blood vessels, and kidneys are emerging targets involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension, suggesting new therapeutic targets for treating drug-resistant, neurogenic hypertension.
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5
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Urrutia J, Aguado A, Gomis-Perez C, Muguruza-Montero A, Ballesteros OR, Zhang J, Nuñez E, Malo C, Chung HJ, Leonardo A, Bergara A, Villarroel A. An epilepsy-causing mutation leads to co-translational misfolding of the Kv7.2 channel. BMC Biol 2021; 19:109. [PMID: 34020651 PMCID: PMC8138981 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01040-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The amino acid sequence of proteins generally carries all the necessary information for acquisition of native conformations, but the vectorial nature of translation can additionally determine the folding outcome. Such consideration is particularly relevant in human diseases associated to inherited mutations leading to structural instability, aggregation, and degradation. Mutations in the KCNQ2 gene associated with human epilepsy have been suggested to cause misfolding of the encoded Kv7.2 channel. Although the effect on folding of mutations in some domains has been studied, little is known of the way pathogenic variants located in the calcium responsive domain (CRD) affect folding. Here, we explore how a Kv7.2 mutation (W344R) located in helix A of the CRD and associated with hereditary epilepsy interferes with channel function. Results We report that the epilepsy W344R mutation within the IQ motif of CRD decreases channel function, but contrary to other mutations at this site, it does not impair the interaction with Calmodulin (CaM) in vitro, as monitored by multiple in vitro binding assays. We find negligible impact of the mutation on the structure of the complex by molecular dynamic computations. In silico studies revealed two orientations of the side chain, which are differentially populated by WT and W344R variants. Binding to CaM is impaired when the mutated protein is produced in cellulo but not in vitro, suggesting that this mutation impedes proper folding during translation within the cell by forcing the nascent chain to follow a folding route that leads to a non-native configuration, and thereby generating non-functional ion channels that fail to traffic to proper neuronal compartments. Conclusions Our data suggest that the key pathogenic mechanism of Kv7.2 W344R mutation involves the failure to adopt a configuration that can be recognized by CaM in vivo but not in vitro. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01040-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janire Urrutia
- Instituto Biofisika, CSIC-UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Spain.,Present address: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursery, UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | | | - Carolina Gomis-Perez
- Instituto Biofisika, CSIC-UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Spain.,Present address: Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Jiaren Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Eider Nuñez
- Instituto Biofisika, CSIC-UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | | | - Hee Jung Chung
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Aritz Leonardo
- Departamento de Física Aplicada II, Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Spain.,Donostia International Physics Center, 20018, Donostia, Spain
| | - Aitor Bergara
- Centro de Física de Materiales CFM, CSIC-UPV/EHU, 20018, Donostia, Spain.,Donostia International Physics Center, 20018, Donostia, Spain.,Departmento de Materia Condensada, Universidad del País Vasco, UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Spain
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6
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Zhuang W, Yan Z. The S2-S3 Loop of Kv7.4 Channels Is Essential for Calmodulin Regulation of Channel Activation. Front Physiol 2021; 11:604134. [PMID: 33551832 PMCID: PMC7854705 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.604134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Kv7.4 (KCNQ4) voltage-gated potassium channels control excitability in the inner ear and the central auditory pathway. Mutations in Kv7.4 channels result in inherited progressive deafness in humans. Calmodulin (CaM) is crucial for regulating Kv7 channels, but how CaM affects Kv7 activity has remained unclear. Here, based on electrophysiological recordings, we report that the third EF hand (EF3) of CaM controls the calcium-dependent regulation of Kv7.4 activation and that the S2–S3 loop of Kv7.4 is essential for the regulation mediated by CaM. Overexpression of the mutant CaM1234, which loses the calcium binding ability of all four EF hands, facilitates Kv7.4 activation by accelerating activation kinetics and shifting the voltage dependence of activation leftwards. The single mutant CaM3, which loses the calcium binding ability of the EF3, phenocopies facilitating effects of CaM1234 on Kv7.4 activation. Kv7.4 channels co-expressed with wild-type (WT) CaM show inhibited activation when intracellular calcium levels increase, while Kv7.4 channels co-expressed with CaM1234 or CaM3 are insensitive to calcium. Mutations C156A, C157A, C158V, R159, and R161A, which are located within the Kv7.4 S2–S3 loop, dramatically facilitate activation of Kv7.4 channels co-expressed with WT CaM but have no effect on activation of Kv7.4 channels co-expressed with CaM3, indicating that these five mutations decrease the inhibitory effect of Ca2+/CaM. The double mutation C156A/R159A decreases Ca2+/CaM binding and completely abolishes CaM-mediated calcium-dependent regulation of Kv7.4 activation. Taken together, our results provide mechanistic insights into CaM regulation of Kv7.4 activation and highlight the crucial role of the Kv7.4 S2–S3 loop in CaM regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Zhuang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiqiang Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen, China
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7
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Li X, Zhang Q, Guo P, Fu J, Mei L, Lv D, Wang J, Lai D, Ye S, Yang H, Guo J. Molecular basis for ligand activation of the human KCNQ2 channel. Cell Res 2021; 31:52-61. [PMID: 32884139 PMCID: PMC7852908 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-020-00410-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The voltage-gated potassium channel KCNQ2 is responsible for M-current in neurons and is an important drug target to treat epilepsy, pain and several other diseases related to neuronal hyper-excitability. A list of synthetic compounds have been developed to directly activate KCNQ2, yet our knowledge of their activation mechanism is limited, due to lack of high-resolution structures. Here, we report cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the human KCNQ2 determined in apo state and in complex with two activators, ztz240 or retigabine, which activate KCNQ2 through different mechanisms. The activator-bound structures, along with electrophysiology analysis, reveal that ztz240 binds at the voltage-sensing domain and directly stabilizes it at the activated state, whereas retigabine binds at the pore domain and activates the channel by an allosteric modulation. By accurately defining ligand-binding sites, these KCNQ2 structures not only reveal different ligand recognition and activation mechanisms, but also provide a structural basis for drug optimization and design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Li
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Qiansen Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Peipei Guo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jie Fu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Lianghe Mei
- Suzhou Institute of Drug Innovation, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 108 Yuxin Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215123, China
| | - Dashuai Lv
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Jiangqin Wang
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Dongwu Lai
- Department of Cardiology, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China
| | - Sheng Ye
- Life Sciences Institute and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Huaiyu Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Jiangtao Guo
- Department of Biophysics, and Department of Pathology of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China.
- Department of Cardiology, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310016, China.
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8
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Tran B, Ji ZG, Xu M, Tsuchida TN, Cooper EC. Two KCNQ2 Encephalopathy Variants in the Calmodulin-Binding Helix A Exhibit Dominant-Negative Effects and Altered PIP 2 Interaction. Front Physiol 2020; 11:1144. [PMID: 33041849 PMCID: PMC7518097 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.571813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterozygous missense variants in KCNQ2, which encodes the potassium channel subunit Kv7.2, are among the most common genetic causes of severe neonatal-onset epileptic encephalopathy. Because about 20% of known severe Kv7.2 missense changes lie within the intracellular C-terminal region, improving understanding of the underlying pathogenic mechanisms is important. We analyzed the basis for the severe phenotypes of Kv7.2 A337T and A337G, variants in the C-terminal’s calmodulin (CaM)-binding Helix A. When expressed heterologously in mammalian cells, alone or in combination with wild type Kv7.2 or with wild type Kv7.2 and Kv7.3, both variants strongly suppressed channel currents. A337T channels expressed alone exhibited significantly reduced protein half-life and surface trafficking and co-immunoprecipitated less CaM. For both variants, increasing cellular phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) by overexpression of PI(4)P5-kinase restored current densities. For both variants, the fraction of current suppressed by activation of M1 muscarinic receptors with 10 μM oxotremorine methiodide, which depletes PIP2, was less than for controls. During voltage-sensitive phosphatase-induced transient PIP2 depletion and resynthesize, potassium current inhibition and recovery kinetics were both markedly slowed. These results suggest that these variants may reduce currents by a mechanism not previously described: slowing of PIP2 migration between the bulk membrane and binding sites mediating channel electromechanical coupling. A novel Kv7.2/3-selective opener, SF0034, rescued current amplitudes. Our findings show that these two Helix A variants suppress channel current density strongly, consistent with their severe heterozygous phenotypes, implicate impairment of CaM and PIP2 regulation in KCNQ2 encephalopathy pathogenesis, and highlight the potential usefulness of selective Kv7 openers for this distinctive pathogenic mechanism and patient subgroup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baouyen Tran
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Zhi-Gang Ji
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Mingxuan Xu
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Tammy N Tsuchida
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Edward C Cooper
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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9
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Baculis BC, Zhang J, Chung HJ. The Role of K v7 Channels in Neural Plasticity and Behavior. Front Physiol 2020; 11:568667. [PMID: 33071824 PMCID: PMC7530275 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.568667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Activity-dependent persistent changes in neuronal intrinsic excitability and synaptic strength are widely thought to underlie learning and memory. Voltage-gated KCNQ/Kv7 potassium channels have been of great interest as the potential targets for memory disorders due to the beneficial effects of their antagonists in cognition. Importantly, de novo dominant mutations in their neuronal subunits KCNQ2/Kv7.2 and KCNQ3/Kv7.3 are associated with epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by developmental delay and intellectual disability. The role of Kv7 channels in neuronal excitability and epilepsy has been extensively studied. However, their functional significance in neural plasticity, learning, and memory remains largely unknown. Here, we review recent studies that support the emerging roles of Kv7 channels in intrinsic and synaptic plasticity, and their contributions to cognition and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Baculis
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Jiaren Zhang
- Department of Molecular Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Hee Jung Chung
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States.,Department of Molecular Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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10
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Vigil FA, Carver CM, Shapiro MS. Pharmacological Manipulation of K v 7 Channels as a New Therapeutic Tool for Multiple Brain Disorders. Front Physiol 2020; 11:688. [PMID: 32636759 PMCID: PMC7317068 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
K v 7 ("M-type," KCNQ) K+ currents, play dominant roles in controlling neuronal excitability. They act as a "brake" against hyperexcitable states in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Pharmacological augmentation of M current has been developed for controlling epileptic seizures, although current pharmacological tools are uneven in practical usefulness. Lately, however, M-current "opener" compounds have been suggested to be efficacious in preventing brain damage after multiple types of insults/diseases, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, drug addiction and mood disorders. In this review, we will discuss what is known to date on these efforts and identify gaps in our knowledge regarding the link between M current and therapeutic potential for these disorders. We will outline the preclinical experiments that are yet to be performed to demonstrate the likelihood of success of this approach in human trials. Finally, we also address multiple pharmacological tools available to manipulate different K v 7 subunits and the relevant evidence for translational application in the clinical use for disorders of the central nervous system and multiple types of brain insults. We feel there to be great potential for manipulation of K v 7 channels as a novel therapeutic mode of intervention in the clinic, and that the paucity of existing therapies obligates us to perform further research, so that patients can soon benefit from such therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio A Vigil
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Chase M Carver
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Mark S Shapiro
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
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11
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Zhang J, Kim EC, Chen C, Procko E, Pant S, Lam K, Patel J, Choi R, Hong M, Joshi D, Bolton E, Tajkhorshid E, Chung HJ. Identifying mutation hotspots reveals pathogenetic mechanisms of KCNQ2 epileptic encephalopathy. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4756. [PMID: 32179837 PMCID: PMC7075958 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61697-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Kv7 channels are enriched at the axonal plasma membrane where their voltage-dependent potassium currents suppress neuronal excitability. Mutations in Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 subunits cause epileptic encephalopathy (EE), yet the underlying pathogenetic mechanism is unclear. Here, we used novel statistical algorithms and structural modeling to identify EE mutation hotspots in key functional domains of Kv7.2 including voltage sensing S4, the pore loop and S6 in the pore domain, and intracellular calmodulin-binding helix B and helix B-C linker. Characterization of selected EE mutations from these hotspots revealed that L203P at S4 induces a large depolarizing shift in voltage dependence of Kv7.2 channels and L268F at the pore decreases their current densities. While L268F severely reduces expression of heteromeric channels in hippocampal neurons without affecting internalization, K552T and R553L mutations at distal helix B decrease calmodulin-binding and axonal enrichment. Importantly, L268F, K552T, and R553L mutations disrupt current potentiation by increasing phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), and our molecular dynamics simulation suggests PIP2 interaction with these residues. Together, these findings demonstrate that each EE variant causes a unique combination of defects in Kv7 channel function and neuronal expression, and suggest a critical need for both prediction algorithms and experimental interrogations to understand pathophysiology of Kv7-associated EE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaren Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Eung Chang Kim
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Congcong Chen
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- Department of Statistics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Shashank Pant
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Kin Lam
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Jaimin Patel
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Rebecca Choi
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Mary Hong
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Dhruv Joshi
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Eric Bolton
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA
| | - Hee Jung Chung
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA.
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12
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Dürvanger Z, Harmat V. Structural Diversity in Calmodulin - Peptide Interactions. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2020; 20:1102-1111. [PMID: 31553290 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666190925101937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Calmodulin (CaM) is a highly conserved eukaryotic Ca2+ sensor protein that is able to bind a large variety of target sequences without a defined consensus sequence. The recognition of this diverse target set allows CaM to take part in the regulation of several vital cell functions. To fully understand the structural basis of the regulation functions of CaM, the investigation of complexes of CaM and its targets is essential. In this minireview we give an outline of the different types of CaM - peptide complexes with 3D structure determined, also providing an overview of recently determined structures. We discuss factors defining the orientations of peptides within the complexes, as well as roles of anchoring residues. The emphasis is on complexes where multiple binding modes were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Dürvanger
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Veronika Harmat
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry and Biology, Institute of Chemistry, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,MTA-ELTE Protein Modelling Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
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13
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Núñez E, Muguruza-Montero A, Villarroel A. Atomistic Insights of Calmodulin Gating of Complete Ion Channels. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21041285. [PMID: 32075037 PMCID: PMC7072864 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular calcium is essential for many physiological processes, from neuronal signaling and exocytosis to muscle contraction and bone formation. Ca2+ signaling from the extracellular medium depends both on membrane potential, especially controlled by ion channels selective to K+, and direct permeation of this cation through specialized channels. Calmodulin (CaM), through direct binding to these proteins, participates in setting the membrane potential and the overall permeability to Ca2+. Over the past years many structures of complete channels in complex with CaM at near atomic resolution have been resolved. In combination with mutagenesis-function, structural information of individual domains and functional studies, different mechanisms employed by CaM to control channel gating are starting to be understood at atomic detail. Here, new insights regarding four types of tetrameric channels with six transmembrane (6TM) architecture, Eag1, SK2/SK4, TRPV5/TRPV6 and KCNQ1–5, and its regulation by CaM are described structurally. Different CaM regions, N-lobe, C-lobe and EF3/EF4-linker play prominent signaling roles in different complexes, emerging the realization of crucial non-canonical interactions between CaM and its target that are only evidenced in the full-channel structure. Different mechanisms to control gating are used, including direct and indirect mechanical actuation over the pore, allosteric control, indirect effect through lipid binding, as well as direct plugging of the pore. Although each CaM lobe engages through apparently similar alpha-helices, they do so using different docking strategies. We discuss how this allows selective action of drugs with great therapeutic potential.
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14
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Perturbation of the interactions of calmodulin with GRK5 using a natural product chemical probe. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:15895-15900. [PMID: 31337679 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1818547116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) are responsible for initiating desensitization of activated GPCRs. GRK5 is potently inhibited by the calcium-sensing protein calmodulin (CaM), which leads to nuclear translocation of GRK5 and promotion of cardiac hypertrophy. Herein, we report the architecture of the Ca2+·CaM-GRK5 complex determined by small-angle X-ray scattering and negative-stain electron microscopy. Ca2+·CaM binds primarily to the small lobe of the kinase domain of GRK5 near elements critical for receptor interaction and membrane association, thereby inhibiting receptor phosphorylation while activating the kinase for phosphorylation of soluble substrates. To define the role of each lobe of Ca2+·CaM, we utilized the natural product malbrancheamide as a chemical probe to show that the C-terminal lobe of Ca2+·CaM regulates membrane binding while the N-terminal lobe regulates receptor phosphorylation and kinase domain activation. In cells, malbrancheamide attenuated GRK5 nuclear translocation and effectively blocked the hypertrophic response, demonstrating the utility of this natural product and its derivatives in probing Ca2+·CaM-dependent hypertrophy.
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15
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Archer CR, Enslow BT, Taylor AB, De la Rosa V, Bhattacharya A, Shapiro MS. A mutually induced conformational fit underlies Ca 2+-directed interactions between calmodulin and the proximal C terminus of KCNQ4 K + channels. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:6094-6112. [PMID: 30808708 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.006857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 02/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Calmodulin (CaM) conveys intracellular Ca2+ signals to KCNQ (Kv7, "M-type") K+ channels and many other ion channels. Whether this "calmodulation" involves a dramatic structural rearrangement or only slight perturbations of the CaM/KCNQ complex is as yet unclear. A consensus structural model of conformational shifts occurring between low nanomolar and physiologically high intracellular [Ca2+] is still under debate. Here, we used various techniques of biophysical chemical analyses to investigate the interactions between CaM and synthetic peptides corresponding to the A and B domains of the KCNQ4 subtype. We found that in the absence of CaM, the peptides are disordered, whereas Ca2+/CaM imposed helical structure on both KCNQ A and B domains. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that Ca2+/CaM has higher affinity for the B domain than for the A domain of KCNQ2-4 and much higher affinity for the B domain when prebound with the A domain. X-ray crystallography confirmed that these discrete peptides spontaneously form a complex with Ca2+/CaM, similar to previous reports of CaM binding KCNQ-AB domains that are linked together. Microscale thermophoresis and heteronuclear single-quantum coherence NMR spectroscopy indicated the C-lobe of Ca2+-free CaM to interact with the KCNQ4 B domain (Kd ∼10-20 μm), with increasing Ca2+ molar ratios shifting the CaM-B domain interactions via only the CaM C-lobe to also include the N-lobe. Our findings suggest that in response to increased Ca2+, CaM undergoes lobe switching that imposes a dramatic mutually induced conformational fit to both the proximal C terminus of KCNQ4 channels and CaM, likely underlying Ca2+-dependent regulation of KCNQ gating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal R Archer
- From the Departments of Cell and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229; Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229
| | - Benjamin T Enslow
- the Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229
| | - Alexander B Taylor
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229
| | - Victor De la Rosa
- From the Departments of Cell and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229
| | - Akash Bhattacharya
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229
| | - Mark S Shapiro
- From the Departments of Cell and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229.
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16
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LaRese TP, Rheaume BA, Abraham R, Eipper BA, Mains RE. Sex-Specific Gene Expression in the Mouse Nucleus Accumbens Before and After Cocaine Exposure. J Endocr Soc 2019; 3:468-487. [PMID: 30746506 PMCID: PMC6364626 DOI: 10.1210/js.2018-00313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens plays a major role in the response of mammals to cocaine. In animal models and human studies, the addictive effects of cocaine and relapse probability have been shown to be greater in females. Sex-specific differential expression of key transcripts at baseline and after prolonged withdrawal could underlie these differences. To distinguish between these possibilities, gene expression was analyzed in four groups of mice (cycling females, ovariectomized females treated with estradiol or placebo, and males) 28 days after they had received seven daily injections of saline or cocaine. As expected, sensitization to the locomotor effects of cocaine was most pronounced in the ovariectomized mice receiving estradiol, was greater in cycling females than in males, and failed to occur in ovariectomized/placebo mice. After the 28-day withdrawal period, RNA prepared from the nucleus accumbens of the individual cocaine- or saline-injected mice was subjected to RNA sequencing analysis. Baseline expression of 3% of the nucleus accumbens transcripts differed in the cycling female mice compared with the male mice. Expression of a similar number of transcripts was altered by ovariectomy or was responsive to estradiol treatment. Nucleus accumbens transcripts differentially expressed in cycling female mice withdrawn from cocaine exhibited substantial overlap with those differentially expressed in cocaine-withdrawn male mice. A small set of transcripts were similarly affected by cocaine in the placebo- or estradiol-treated ovariectomized mice. Sex and hormonal status have profound effects on RNA expression in the nucleus accumbens of naive mice. Prolonged withdrawal from cocaine alters the expression of a much smaller number of common and sex hormone-specific transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor P LaRese
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Bruce A Rheaume
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Ron Abraham
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Betty A Eipper
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Richard E Mains
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut
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17
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Urrutia J, Aguado A, Muguruza-Montero A, Núñez E, Malo C, Casis O, Villarroel A. The Crossroad of Ion Channels and Calmodulin in Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20020400. [PMID: 30669290 PMCID: PMC6359610 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20020400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Calmodulin (CaM) is the principal Ca2+ sensor in eukaryotic cells, orchestrating the activity of hundreds of proteins. Disease causing mutations at any of the three genes that encode identical CaM proteins lead to major cardiac dysfunction, revealing the importance in the regulation of excitability. In turn, some mutations at the CaM binding site of ion channels cause similar diseases. Here we provide a summary of the two sides of the partnership between CaM and ion channels, describing the diversity of consequences of mutations at the complementary CaM binding domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janire Urrutia
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
| | - Alejandra Aguado
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
| | | | - Eider Núñez
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
| | - Covadonga Malo
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
| | - Oscar Casis
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
| | - Alvaro Villarroel
- Biofisika Institute (CSIC, UPV/EHU), University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain.
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18
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Calmodulin: A Multitasking Protein in Kv7.2 Potassium Channel Functions. Biomolecules 2018; 8:biom8030057. [PMID: 30022004 PMCID: PMC6164012 DOI: 10.3390/biom8030057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous calcium transducer calmodulin (CaM) plays a pivotal role in many cellular processes, regulating a myriad of structurally different target proteins. Indeed, it is unquestionable that CaM is the most relevant transductor of calcium signals in eukaryotic cells. During the last two decades, different studies have demonstrated that CaM mediates the modulation of several ion channels. Among others, it has been indicated that Kv7.2 channels, one of the members of the voltage gated potassium channel family that plays a critical role in brain excitability, requires CaM binding to regulate the different mechanisms that govern its functions. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the most recent advances in structure–function studies on the role of CaM regulation of Kv7.2 and the other members of the Kv7 family.
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19
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Kim EC, Zhang J, Pang W, Wang S, Lee KY, Cavaretta JP, Walters J, Procko E, Tsai NP, Chung HJ. Reduced axonal surface expression and phosphoinositide sensitivity in K v7 channels disrupts their function to inhibit neuronal excitability in Kcnq2 epileptic encephalopathy. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 118:76-93. [PMID: 30008368 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal Kv7/KCNQ channels are voltage-gated potassium channels composed of Kv7.2/KCNQ2 and Kv7.3/KCNQ3 subunits. Enriched at the axonal membrane, they potently suppress neuronal excitability. De novo and inherited dominant mutations in Kv7.2 cause early onset epileptic encephalopathy characterized by drug resistant seizures and profound psychomotor delay. However, their precise pathogenic mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we investigated selected epileptic encephalopathy causing mutations in calmodulin (CaM)-binding helices A and B of Kv7.2. We discovered that R333W, K526N, and R532W mutations located peripheral to CaM contact sites decreased axonal surface expression of heteromeric channels although only R333W mutation reduced CaM binding to Kv7.2. These mutations also altered gating modulation by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), revealing novel PIP2 binding residues. While these mutations disrupted Kv7 function to suppress excitability, hyperexcitability was observed in neurons expressing Kv7.2-R532W that displayed severe impairment in voltage-dependent activation. The M518 V mutation at the CaM contact site in helix B caused most defects in Kv7 channels by severely reducing their CaM binding, K+ currents, and axonal surface expression. Interestingly, the M518 V mutation induced ubiquitination and accelerated proteasome-dependent degradation of Kv7.2, whereas the presence of Kv7.3 blocked this degradation. Furthermore, expression of Kv7.2-M518V increased neuronal death. Together, our results demonstrate that epileptic encephalopathy mutations in helices A and B of Kv7.2 cause abnormal Kv7 expression and function by disrupting Kv7.2 binding to CaM and/or modulation by PIP2. We propose that such multiple Kv7 channel defects could exert more severe impacts on neuronal excitability and health, and thus serve as pathogenic mechanisms underlying Kcnq2 epileptic encephalopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eung Chang Kim
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jiaren Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Weilun Pang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shuwei Wang
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Kwan Young Lee
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - John P Cavaretta
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jennifer Walters
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Nien-Pei Tsai
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Hee Jung Chung
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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20
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Westerlund AM, Delemotte L. Effect of Ca2+ on the promiscuous target-protein binding of calmodulin. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006072. [PMID: 29614072 PMCID: PMC5898786 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium sensing protein that regulates the function of a large number of proteins, thus playing a crucial part in many cell signaling pathways. CaM has the ability to bind more than 300 different target peptides in a Ca2+-dependent manner, mainly through the exposure of hydrophobic residues. How CaM can bind a large number of targets while retaining some selectivity is a fascinating open question. Here, we explore the mechanism of CaM selective promiscuity for selected target proteins. Analyzing enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations of Ca2+-bound and Ca2+-free CaM via spectral clustering has allowed us to identify distinct conformational states, characterized by interhelical angles, secondary structure determinants and the solvent exposure of specific residues. We searched for indicators of conformational selection by mapping solvent exposure of residues in these conformational states to contacts in structures of CaM/target peptide complexes. We thereby identified CaM states involved in various binding classes arranged along a depth binding gradient. Binding Ca2+ modifies the accessible hydrophobic surface of the two lobes and allows for deeper binding. Apo CaM indeed shows shallow binding involving predominantly polar and charged residues. Furthermore, binding to the C-terminal lobe of CaM appears selective and involves specific conformational states that can facilitate deep binding to target proteins, while binding to the N-terminal lobe appears to happen through a more flexible mechanism. Thus the long-ranged electrostatic interactions of the charged residues of the N-terminal lobe of CaM may initiate binding, while the short-ranged interactions of hydrophobic residues in the C-terminal lobe of CaM may account for selectivity. This work furthers our understanding of the mechanism of CaM binding and selectivity to different target proteins and paves the way towards a comprehensive model of CaM selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie M. Westerlund
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lucie Delemotte
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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21
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Structural basis and energy landscape for the Ca 2+ gating and calmodulation of the Kv7.2 K + channel. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:2395-2400. [PMID: 29463698 PMCID: PMC5873240 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1800235115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Ion channels are sophisticated proteins that exert control over a plethora of body functions. Specifically, the members of the Kv7 family are prominent components of the nervous systems, responsible for the ion fluxes that regulate the electrical signaling in neurons and cardiac myocytes. Albeit its relevance, there are still several questions, including the Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-mediated gating mechanism. We found that Ca2+ binding to CaM triggers a segmental rotation that allosterically transmits the signal from the cytosol up to the transmembrane region. NMR-derived analysis of the dynamics demonstrates that it occurs through a conformational selection mechanism. Energetically, CaM association with the channel tunes the affinities of the CaM lobes (calmodulation) so that the channel can sense the specific changes in [Ca2+] resulting after an action potential. The Kv7.2 (KCNQ2) channel is the principal molecular component of the slow voltage-gated, noninactivating K+ M-current, a key controller of neuronal excitability. To investigate the calmodulin (CaM)-mediated Ca2+ gating of the channel, we used NMR spectroscopy to structurally and dynamically describe the association of helices hA and hB of Kv7.2 with CaM, as a function of Ca2+ concentration. The structures of the CaM/Kv7.2-hAB complex at two different calcification states are reported here. In the presence of a basal cytosolic Ca2+ concentration (10–100 nM), only the N-lobe of CaM is Ca2+-loaded and the complex (representative of the open channel) exhibits collective dynamics on the millisecond time scale toward a low-populated excited state (1.5%) that corresponds to the inactive state of the channel. In response to a chemical or electrical signal, intracellular Ca2+ levels rise up to 1–10 μM, triggering Ca2+ association with the C-lobe. The associated conformational rearrangement is the key biological signal that shifts populations to the closed/inactive channel. This reorientation affects the C-lobe of CaM and both helices in Kv7.2, allosterically transducing the information from the Ca2+-binding site to the transmembrane region of the channel.
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22
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Chang A, Abderemane-Ali F, Hura GL, Rossen ND, Gate RE, Minor DL. A Calmodulin C-Lobe Ca 2+-Dependent Switch Governs Kv7 Channel Function. Neuron 2018; 97:836-852.e6. [PMID: 29429937 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Kv7 (KCNQ) voltage-gated potassium channels control excitability in the brain, heart, and ear. Calmodulin (CaM) is crucial for Kv7 function, but how this calcium sensor affects activity has remained unclear. Here, we present X-ray crystallographic analysis of CaM:Kv7.4 and CaM:Kv7.5 AB domain complexes that reveal an Apo/CaM clamp conformation and calcium binding preferences. These structures, combined with small-angle X-ray scattering, biochemical, and functional studies, establish a regulatory mechanism for Kv7 CaM modulation based on a common architecture in which a CaM C-lobe calcium-dependent switch releases a shared Apo/CaM clamp conformation. This C-lobe switch inhibits voltage-dependent activation of Kv7.4 and Kv7.5 but facilitates Kv7.1, demonstrating that mechanism is shared by Kv7 isoforms despite the different directions of CaM modulation. Our findings provide a unified framework for understanding how CaM controls different Kv7 isoforms and highlight the role of membrane proximal domains for controlling voltage-gated channel function. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aram Chang
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Fayal Abderemane-Ali
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Greg L Hura
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bio-imaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Nathan D Rossen
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Rachel E Gate
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Daniel L Minor
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bio-imaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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23
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Alaimo A, Nuñez E, Aivar P, Fernández-Orth J, Gomis-Perez C, Bernardo-Seisdedos G, Malo C, Villarroel A. Calmodulin confers calcium sensitivity to the stability of the distal intracellular assembly domain of Kv7.2 channels. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13425. [PMID: 29044210 PMCID: PMC5647379 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13811-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Tetrameric coiled-coil structures are present in many ion channels, often adjacent to a calmodulin (CaM) binding site, although the relationship between the two is not completely understood. Here we examine the dynamic properties of the ABCD domain located in the intracellular C-terminus of tetrameric, voltage-dependent, potassium selective Kv7.2 channels. This domain encompasses the CaM binding site formed by helices A and B, followed by helix C, which is linked to the helix D coiled-coil. The data reveals that helix D stabilizes CaM binding, promoting trans-binding (CaM embracing neighboring subunits), and they suggest that the ABCD domain can be exchanged between subunits of the tetramer. Exchange is faster when mutations in AB weaken the CaM interaction. The exchange of ABCD domains is slower in the presence of Ca2+, indicating that CaM stabilization of the tetrameric assembly is enhanced when loaded with this cation. Our observations are consistent with a model that involves a dynamic mechanism of helix D assembly, which supports reciprocal allosteric coupling between the A-B module and the coiled-coil formed by the helix D. Thus, formation of the distal helix D tetramer influences CaM binding and CaM-dependent Kv7.2 properties, whereas reciprocally, CaM and Ca2+ influence the dynamic behavior of the helix D coiled-coil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Alaimo
- Instituto Biofisika, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Eider Nuñez
- Instituto Biofisika, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Paloma Aivar
- Instituto Biofisika, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Juncal Fernández-Orth
- Instituto Biofisika, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Carolina Gomis-Perez
- Instituto Biofisika, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Ganeko Bernardo-Seisdedos
- Instituto Biofisika, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Covadonga Malo
- Instituto Biofisika, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain
| | - Alvaro Villarroel
- Instituto Biofisika, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain.
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