Showing papers on "Calcineurin published in 1985"

Dephosphorylation of Microtubule-Associated Protein 2, τ Factor, and Tubulin by Calcineurin

Abstract: Calcineurin dephosphorylated microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and tau factor phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent and Ca2+, calmodulin-dependent protein kinases from the brain. Tubulin, only phosphorylated by the Ca2+, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, served as substrate for calcineurin. The concentrations of calmodulin required to give half-maximal activation of calcineurin were 21 and 16 nM with MAP2 and tau factor as substrates, respectively. The Km and Vmax values were in ranges of 1-3 microM and 0.4-1.7 mumol/mg/min, respectively, for MAP2 and tau factor. The Km value for tubulin was in a similar range, but the Vmax value was lower. The peptide map analysis revealed that calcineurin dephosphorylated MAP2 and tau factor universally, but not in a site-specific manner. The autophosphorylated Ca2+, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase was not dephosphorylated by calcineurin. These results suggest that calcineurin plays an important role in the functions of microtubules via dephosphorylation.

A rapid and sensitive method for detection and quantification of calcineurin and calmodulin-binding proteins using biotinylated calmodulin.

Abstract: Purified bovine brain calmodulin was biotinylated with biotinyl-epsilon-aminocaproic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide. Biotinylated calmodulin was used to detect and quantify calmodulin-binding proteins following both protein blotting and slot-blot procedures by using alkaline phosphatase or peroxidase coupled to avidin. When purified bovine brain calcineurin, a calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase, was immobilized on nitrocellulose slot blots, biotinylated calmodulin bound in a calcium-dependent saturable manner; these blots were then quantified by densitometry. Biotinylated calmodulin was able to detect as little as 10 ng of calcineurin, and the binding was competitively inhibited by addition of either native calmodulin or trifluoperazine. When biotinylated calmodulin was used to probe protein blots of crude brain cytosol and membrane preparations after gel electrophoresis, only protein bands characteristic of known calmodulin-binding proteins (i.e., calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, calcineurin, spectrin) were detected with avidin-peroxidase or avidin-alkaline phosphatase procedures. Purified calcineurin was subjected to one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and protein blotting; as expected, only the 61-kDa calmodulin-binding subunit was detected. When the two-dimensional protein blot was incubated with biotinylated calmodulin and detected with avidin-alkaline phosphatase, several apparent forms of the 61-kDa catalytic subunit were detected, consistent with isozymic species of the enzyme. The results of these studies suggest that biotinylated calmodulin can be used as a simple, sensitive, and quantifiable probe for the study of calmodulin-binding proteins.

Calcineurin-mediated dephosphorylation of the human placental membrane receptor for epidermal growth factor urogastrone.

Abstract: The findings of our work were 2-fold: (1) calcineurin (from bovine brain) can catalyze the complete dephosphorylation of the phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine residues in the human placental receptor for epidermal growth factor urogastrone (EGF-URO), and (2) the major calmodulin-binding protein of human placental membranes is a calcineurin-related protein. In terms of its metal ion dependence (Ni2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Co2+), its calmodulin dependence, and its sensitivity to inhibitors (Zn2+, fluoride, orthovanadate), the phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase activity of calcineurin, using the EGF-URO receptor as substrate, paralleled the enzyme activity measured with p-nitrophenyl phosphate (PNPP) as a substrate. These characteristics distinguish calcineurin from other classes of protein phosphotyrosyl phosphatases. Calcineurin purified from placental membranes was similar to, if not identical with, bovine brain calcineurin in terms of enzymatic specific activity toward PNPP, subunit electrophoretic mobilities, and immunological cross-reactivity. The enzymatic properties and comparative abundance of calcineurin in the placenta membranes suggest that this enzyme may play an important role in regulating the phosphorylation state of those receptors (e.g., for EGF-URO or insulin) also known to be present in the membranes.

Calcium-dependent association of a protein complex with the lymphocyte plasma membrane: probable identity with calmodulin-calcineurin.

Abstract: A protein complex is shown to participate in a calcium-dependent association with plasma membranes purified either from pig mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes or from human lymphoblastoid cell lines. Plasma membranes prepared in the presence of calcium possess this complex; those prepared in the absence of calcium (5 mM EGTA) do not. The complex associates itself with the inner cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane. This complex is referred to as the "acidic protein band" because of its location during migration upon alkaline-urea gel electrophoresis. The complex dissociates from the plasma membrane during electrophoresis on 8-M urea gels, irrespective of calcium levels during electrophoresis; at intermediate urea concentrations (4-6 M), the complex is not dissociated in the presence of calcium. Upon purification of the acidic protein band, SDS acrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunoblotting, and radioimmunoassay techniques suggest that the acidic protein band is composed of at least four peptides (designated 68K, 59K, 20K, 20K): two of these (68K, 20K) are immunopositive for calcineurin and one (20K) is immunopositive for calmodulin. Immunoblots of urea gels also indicate that the calcineurin heavy chain (68K) can also appear at three different locations on the urea gel. Patches and caps induced in human peripheral blood lymphocytes by fluorescein-conjugated goat anti-human IgG are not coincident with the location of calcineurin, which remains distributed throughout the cell.

Stoichiometric methylation of calcineurin by protein carboxyl O-methyltransferase and its effects on calmodulin-stimulated phosphatase activity.

Abstract: Calcineurin, a calmodulin-stimulated protein phosphatase, was a substrate for purified bovine brain protein carboxyl O-methyltransferase (protein O-methyltransferase; EC 2.1.1.24) and incorporated up to 2 mol of CH3 per mol of calcineurin. Carboxyl methylation was dependent on the concentrations of S-adenosyl-L-[methyl-3H]methionine and was prevented by addition of the carboxyl methylation inhibitor S-adenosylhomocysteine. The stoichiometry of methyl group incorporation was related to the ratio of methyltransferase/calcineurin. The rate of spontaneous hydrolysis of carboxyl methylester groups on calcineurin increased rapidly above pH 6.5 with those on native carboxyl-methylated calcineurin substantially more labile than for trichloracetic acid-precipitated calcineurin. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of NaDodSO4 (pH 2.4) confirmed that the A subunit of calcineurin (Mr = 61,000) was the primary site of carboxyl methylation with little, if any, modification of the B subunit (Mr = 18,000). When carboxyl-methylated calcineurin (approximately 1-2 mol of CH3 per mol of protein) was assayed for p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity at pH 6.5, a marked inhibition of calmodulin-stimulated activity was observed while there was little effect on Mn2+-stimulated phosphatase activity. Thus, calcineurin appears to be an excellent substrate for protein carboxyl O-methylation and this modification, which impairs calmodulin stimulation of phosphatase activity, may be of functional significance.

Isolation and characterization of calcineurin from bovine brain

Abstract: Calcineurin was isolated from bovine cerebrum extracts by sequential chromatography on Affi-Gel blue and calmodulin affinity columns. Calcineurin so isolated was approximately 90% pure and was composed of equimolar amounts of subunit A (Mr = 61 000-63 000) and subunit B (Mr = 15 000-17 000) when examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. A polypeptide (less than 10%) with Mr = 71 000 whose function and role remains to be investigated, was routinely detected in the calcineurin preparation. Both inhibitory activity (towards calmodulin-dependent cAMP phosphodiesterase) and phosphatase activity (with 32P-labelled myelin basic protein as substrate) were associated with calcineurin as evidenced by (i) coelution from Affi-Gel blue, Affi-Gel calmodulin, diethythaminoethyl-Sepharose, and Sephacryl S-200 chromatography columns; (ii) association with the same protein band on nondenaturing gels; (iii) similar stability upon storage at 4 degrees C and with repeated freezing and thawing; and (iv) parallel heat inactivation. Phosphatase activity of calcineurin was maximal with 32P-labelled myelin basic protein as the substrate. Using this substrate, enzyme activity was generally stimulated 5- to 10-fold in the presence of Ca2+ and calmodulin; half-maximal activation (A0.5) was observed with 25 nM calmodulin. Calmodulin increased the Vmax of the reaction without affecting the Km for the substrate. Optimum temperature and pH for the reaction were 45 degrees C and 7, respectively, in both the absence and presence of Ca2+ and calmodulin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Calcineurin, a Calmodulin-Stimulated Protein Phosphatase

Abstract: Calcineurin, a major calmodulin-binding protein of brain [15], was initially identified as a heat-labile inhibitor of calmodulin-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase [17,36]. Although the function of this protein was not known, because of its Ca2+ -binding properties [15] and its apparent neural localization [34], it was named calcineurin [15]. The recent discovery of a calmodulin-stimulated protein phosphatase with similar subunit structure [29] led to the identification of calcineurin as a phosphoprotein phosphatase [30]. Calcineurin subunit interactions can now be correlated with observed regulatory properties of the en¬zyme, providing the opportunity to explore the relationship between subunit structure and the mechanisms of phosphatase regulation.

Chapter 28 – calmodulin-binding proteins in brain

Abstract: It is now widely accepted that actions of intracellular Ca2+ are mediated by a four-domain Ca2+-binding protein, calmodulin. Brain is especially rich in calmodulin, containing about 400 mg (24 μmol) of EGTA-extractable calmodulin per kg of brain. However, only a fraction of the above amount is required for the calmodulin-activated enzymes and most of the rest may be assigned to calmodulin-binding proteins, proteins which are apparently devoid of enzyme activities but undergo Ca2+-dependent associations with calmodulin. Several of such proteins have been recently discovered in brain. These include a heat-labile 80 K phosphodiesterase inhibitor protein (calcineurin), a heat-stable 70 K phosphodiesterase inhibitor protein, a 50 K protein, myelin basic protein, tubulin, microtubule τ (tau) factor, a spectrin-like doublet protein (240 plus 235 K) (calspectin; fodrin) and a particle-associated 155 K protein. Functions of these calmodulin-binding proteins have not been fully elucidated yet. Some proteins may be calmodulin-regulated enzymes catalyzing yet unknown biochemical reactions, e.g. a protein phosphatase activity was found for calcineurin. Some proteins may interact with contractile elements or cytoskeleton of the cell, e.g. τ factor and calspectin interacted with tubulin and F-actin, respectively and tubulin itself is a calmodulin-binding protein. So, interesting possibilities are the regulation of the functions of cytoskeleton by calmodulin through these calmodulin-binding proteins. Regulation of microtubule assembly by Ca2+-dependent binding of calmodulin to tubulin and/or τ factor and possible involvement of calspectin in the mechanism regulating axonal transport of neuronal proteins have been suggested. Thus, the exploration of the regulating functions of Ca2+/calmodulin in brain depends largely upon the further study of the properties of these calmodulin-binding proteins.