Ca(2+) induces an extended conformation of the inhibitory region of troponin I in cardiac muscle troponin.

The inhibitory region of troponin I (TnI) plays a central regulatory role in the contraction and relaxation cycle of skeletal and cardiac muscle through its Ca(2+)-dependent interaction with actin. Detailed structural information on the interface between TnC and this region of TnI has been long in dispute. We have used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to investigate the global conformation of the inhibitory region of a full-length TnI mutant from cardiac muscle (cTnI) in the unbound state and in reconstituted complexes with the other cardiac troponin subunits. The mutant contained a single tryptophan residue at the position 129 which was used as an energy transfer donor, and a single cysteine residue at the position 152 labeled with IAEDANS as energy acceptor. The sequence between Trp129 and Cys152 in cTnI brackets the inhibitory region (residues 130-149), and the distance between the two sites was found to be 19.4 A in free cTnI. This distance was insensitive to reconstitution of cTnI with cardiac troponin T (cTnT), cTnC, or cTnC and cTnT in the absence of bound regulatory Ca(2+) in cTnC. An increase of 9 A in the Trp129-Cys152 separation was observed upon saturation of the Ca(2+) regulatory site of cTnC in the complexes. This large increase suggests an extended conformation of the inhibitory region in the interface between cTnC and cTnI in holo cardiac troponin. This extended conformation is different from a recent model of the Ca(2+)-saturated skeletal TnI-TnC complex in which the inhibitory region is modeled as a beta-turn. The observed Ca(2+)-induced conformational change may be a switch mechanism by which movement of the regulatory region of cTnI to the exposed hydrophobic patch of the open regulatory N-domain of cTnC pulls the inhibitory region away from actin upon Ca(2+) activation in cardiac muscle.

Modulation of cardiac troponin C-cardiac troponin I regulatory interactions by the amino-terminus of cardiac troponin I.

Multidimensional heteronuclear magnetic resonance studies of the cardiac troponin C/troponin I(1-80)/troponin I(129-166) complex demonstrated that cardiac troponin I(129-166), corresponding to the adjacent inhibitory and regulatory regions, interacts with and induces an opening of the cardiac troponin C regulatory domain. Chemical shift perturbation mapping and (15)N transverse relaxation rates for intact cardiac troponin C bound to either cardiac troponin I(1-80)/troponin I(129-166) or troponin I(1-167) suggested that troponin I residues 81-128 do not interact strongly with troponin C but likely serve to modulate the interaction of troponin I(129-166) with the cardiac troponin C regulatory domain. Chemical shift perturbations due to troponin I(129-166) binding the cardiac troponin C/troponin I(1-80) complex correlate with partial opening of the cardiac troponin C regulatory domain previously demonstrated by distance measurements using fluorescence methodologies. Fluorescence emission from cardiac troponin C(F20W/N51C)(AEDANS) complexed to cardiac troponin I(1-80) was used to monitor binding of cardiac troponin I(129-166) to the regulatory domain of cardiac troponin C. The apparent K(d) for cardiac troponin I(129-166) binding to cardiac troponin C/troponin I(1-80) was 43.3 +/- 3.2 microM. After bisphosphorylation of cardiac troponin I(1-80) the apparent K(d) increased to 59.1 +/- 1.3 microM. Thus, phosphorylation of the cardiac-specific N-terminus of troponin I reduces the apparent binding affinity of the regulatory domain of cardiac troponin C for cardiac troponin I(129-166) and provides further evidence for beta-adrenergic modulation of troponin Ca(2+) sensitivity through a direct interaction between the cardiac-specific amino-terminus of troponin I and the cardiac troponin C regulatory domain.

Structural mapping of single cysteine mutants of cardiac troponin I.

The global conformation of cardiac muscle troponin I (cTnI) was investigated with single-cysteine mutants by using a combination of sulfhydryl reactivity and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to determine cysteine accessibility and intersite distances. The reactivity was determined with a fluorescent reagent for its reaction with cysteine residues singly located at positions 5, 40, 81, 98, 115, 133, 150, 167, and 192. FRET measurements were made by using the endogenous single Trp-192 as the energy donor and an acceptor probe covalently attached to the cysteines as energy acceptor. The results suggest an open and extended conformation of cTnI with a large curvature in which the cysteines are highly exposed to the solvent. These conformational features are largely retained in the segment between residues 40 and 192 upon phosphorylation at Ser-23 and Ser-24. The sulfhydryl groups of the Cys-133 and Cys-150 of the cTnI incorporated into the binary cTnC-cTnI and fully reconstituted troponin complexes experience large reduced exposure resulting from the binding of Ca(2+) to the regulatory site of cTnC, suggesting that key regions of cTnI involved in activation become highly shielded upon activation. In the cTnC-cTnI complex, every intramolecular distance in the cTnI is lengthened and the overall conformation of the bound cTnI remains elongated with reduced exposure for the cysteines. The global conformation of the troponin C-troponin I complex from cardiac muscle has an elongated shape with constrained flexibility. The highly flexible nature of the N-terminal extension of cTnI is preserved in the complex, suggesting that this segment of cTnI is either not bound or only loosely bound to the C-domain of cTnC.

Observation of a partially opened triple-helix conformation in 1-->3-beta-glucan by fluorescence resonance energy transfer spectroscopy.

This study used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopy as an indirect method to investigate the effect of NaOH treatment on the conformation of a triple-helix (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan and then evaluated the effect of conformation on biological activity. Previous studies have suggested that treatment of the triple-helix glucans with NaOH produces single-helix conformers. FRET spectra of the triple-helix glucan, laminarin, doubly labeled with 1-aminopyrene as donor probe and fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate as acceptor probe attached at the reducing end, showed that a partially opened triple-helix conformer was formed on treatment with NaOH. Increasing degrees of strand opening was associated with increasing concentrations of NaOH. Based on these observations we propose that a partially opened triple-helix rather than a single helix, is formed by treating the triple-helix glucans with NaOH. After neutralizing the NaOH, changes in FRET indicated that the partially opened conformer gradually reverts to the triple-helix over 8 days. Laminarian was stabilized at different degrees of partial opening and its biological activity examined using the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay and nitric oxide production by alveolar macrophage. Both Limulus amebocyte lysate activity and nitric oxide production were related to the degree of opening of the triple-helix. Partially open conformers were more biologically active than the intact triple-helix.

An interdomain distance in cardiac troponin C determined by fluorescence spectroscopy.

The distance between Ca2+-binding site III in the C-terminal domain and Cys35 in the N-terminal domain in cardiac muscle troponin C (cTnC) was determined with a single-tryptophan mutant using bound Tb3+ as the energy donor and iodoacetamidotetramethylrhodamine linked to the cysteine residue as energy acceptor. The luminescence of bound Tb3+ was generated through sensitization by the tryptophan located in the 12-residue binding loop of site III upon irradiation at 295 nm, and this sensitized luminescence was the donor signal transferred to the acceptor. In the absence of bound cation at site II, the mean interdomain distance was found to be 48-49 A regardless of whether the cTnC was unbound or bound to cardiac troponin I, or reconstituted into cardiac troponin. These results suggest that cTnC retains its overall length in the presence of bound target proteins. The distribution of the distances was wide (half-width >9 A) and suggests considerable interdomain flexibility in isolated cTnC, but the distributions became narrower for cTnC in the complexes with the other subunits. In the presence of bound cation at the regulatory site II, the interdomain distance was shortened by 6 A for cTnC, but without an effect on the half-width. The decrease in the mean distance was much smaller or negligible when cTnC was complexed with cTnI or cTnI and cTnT under the same conditions. Although free cTnC has considerable interdomain flexibility, this dynamics is slightly reduced in troponin. These results indicate that the transition from the relaxed state to an activated state in cardiac muscle is not accompanied by a gross alteration of the cTnC conformation in cardiac troponin.

De novo design of peptides targeted to the EF hands of calmodulin.

This report describes the use of the concept of inversion of hydropathy patterns to the de novo design of peptides targeted to a predetermined site on a protein. Eight- and 12-residue peptides were constructed with the EF hands or Ca(2+)-coordinating sites of calmodulin as their anticipated points of interaction. These peptides, but not unrelated peptides nor those with the same amino acid composition but a scrambled sequence, interacted with the two carboxyl-terminal Ca(2+)-binding sites of calmodulin as well as the EF hands of troponin C. The interactions resulted in a conformational change whereby the 8-mer peptide-calmodulin complex could activate phosphodiesterase in the absence of Ca(2+). In contrast, the 12-mer peptide-calmodulin complex did not activate phosphodiesterase but rather inhibited activation by Ca(2+). This inhibition could be overcome by high levels of Ca(2+). Thus, it would appear that the aforementioned concept can be used to make peptide agonists and antagonists that are targeted to predetermined sites on proteins such as calmodulin.

Conformation of the regulatory domain of cardiac muscle troponin C in its complex with cardiac troponin I.

Calcium activation of fast striated muscle results from an opening of the regulatory N-terminal domain of fast skeletal troponin C (fsTnC), and a substantial exposure of a hydrophobic patch, essential for Ca(2+)-dependent interaction with fast skeletal troponin I (fsTnI). This interaction is obligatory to relieve the inhibition of strong, force-generating actin-myosin interactions. We have determined intersite distances in the N-terminal domain of cardiac TnC (cTnC) by fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements and found negligible increases in these distances when the single regulatory site is saturated with Ca(2+). However, in the presence of bound cardiac TnI (cTnI), activator Ca(2+) induces significant increases in the distances and a substantial opening of the N-domain. This open conformation within the cTnC.cTnI complex has properties favorable for the Ca(2+)-induced interaction with an additional segment of cTnI. Thus, the binding of cTnI to cTnC is a prerequisite to achieve a Ca(2+)-induced open N-domain similar to that previously observed in fsTnC with no bound fsTnI. This role of cardiac TnI has not been previously recognized. Our results also indicate that structural information derived from a single protein may not be sufficient for inference of a structure/function relationship.

Calcium binding to the regulatory domain of skeletal muscle troponin C induces a highly constrained open conformation.

We have used fluorescence resonance energy transfer to investigate the conformation of the apo and calcium-loaded states of the regulatory N-terminal domain of full-length troponin C mutants from skeletal muscle. The mutants studied each contained a single tryptophan residue (position 22 or 90) and a single cysteine residue (position 52 or 101). The intrinsic fluorophore in each mutant served as an energy donor and the cysteine was conjugated to the acceptor probe 5-(iodoacetamidoethyl)amino-naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid. The distributions of two intersite distances (between residues 22 and 52, and residues 90 and 52) were broad in the apo state, indicative of considerable structural dynamics. These distributions were shifted to longer distances and considerably sharpened in the calcium-loaded state. The shifts to longer distances by 8 to 11 A indicate a calcium-induced opening of the N-terminal domain conformation. The transition of the troponin C structure from a closed conformation to an open conformation is accompanied by a substantial reduction of structural fluctuations that dominate in the apo structure as evidenced from the large decrease of the widths of the distributions. This highly constrained open conformation is required as part of the structural basis to facilitate productive interaction between troponin C and troponin I to trigger contraction in skeletal muscle.

Tryptophan mutants of troponin C from skeletal muscle--an optical probe of the regulatory domain.

We have generated a series of chicken skeletal muscle troponin C mutants to study the conformation of the regulatory domain in the N-terminal half of the molecule. These mutants each contained a single Trp at position 22 (helix A), 52 (linker of helices B and C), or 90 (central helix). Some of these mutants also contained additional mutations to introduce a single Cys at a desired position. The mutants were characterized by molecular graphics and CD and found to have a minimum of structural perturbations when compared with the native structure. They also retained the ability to regulate myofibrillar ATPase activity. The fluorescence of Trp22 was sensitive to Ca2+ binding only to the regulatory sites, whereas Trp52 and Trp90 responded to Ca2+ binding to both the regulatory and the Ca2+/Mg2+ sites. The tryptophan quantum yield (Q) of all Trp22-containing mutants was very high (0.33) in the absence of bound Ca2+, compared to that of L-tryptophan in aqueous solution (0.14). Q decreased 25% upon binding of Ca2+ to the regulatory sites. The quantum yields of Trp52 and Trp90 in apo mutants were close to 0.14. In the presence of bound Ca2+ at the regulatory sites, the quantum yield of Trp52 decreased 16%, whereas that of Trp90 increased 25%. Results from acrylamide quenching of the fluorescence of the three Trp residues indicated that Trp22 was the least exposed and Trp52 was the most exposed, consistent with other spectral data that Trp22 was in a relatively nonpolar environment and Trp52 was in a highly polar environment. The ability of Trp52 and Trp90 to sense Ca2+ binding to sites located at both domains suggests inter-domain communication in the protein. These single Trp TnC mutants provide specific signals for probing Ca2+-induced conformational changes in the regulatory domain.

Effects of protein kinase A phosphorylation on signaling between cardiac troponin I and the N-terminal domain of cardiac troponin C.

During beta-adrenergic stimulation of the heart, there is a decrease in myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity mediated by the protein kinase A-(PKA-) induced phosphorylation of troponin I (cTnI). Phosphorylation, which occurs at Ser 23 and Ser 24 in an amino-terminal extension unique to cTnI, decreases the Ca2+ affinity of the amino-terminal regulatory site of cardiac troponin C (cTnC). In view of the antiparallel organization of the cTnI-cTnC complex [Krudy, G. A., Kleerekoper, Q., Guo, X., Howarth, J. W., Solaro, R. J., and Rosevear, P. R. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 23731-23735], it is not clear how the phosphorylation signal at one end of the complex affects the Ca2+ binding site at the other end. To address this question, we probed the interaction between cTnI and cTnC fragments, cTnC1-89 and cTnC90-162 (recombinant peptides corresponding to the N- and C-domains of cTnC). cTnI-Cys 5 mutant (S5C/C81I/C98S) and cTnC1-89 were fluorescently labeled with IAANS. When cTnI was phosphorylated, the affinity of Ca2+ for the cTnI-cTnC1-89 complex decreased significantly as indicated by a shift in the pCa50 value from 6.65 to 5.25. Upon phosphorylation, the affinity of cTnI for cTnC1-89 decreased by 3.8-fold in the absence of Ca2+ and 1.7-fold in the presence of Ca2+. In contrast to the case with full-length cTnC, neither cTnC1-89 nor cTnC90-162 induced significant structural changes in cTnI-Cys 5 as determined from intersite distance measurements between Cys 5 and Trp 192. Moreover, neither fragment of cTnC could significantly restore Ca2+ regulation of force generation, when exchanged into fiber bundles from which cTnC had been extracted. Our findings indicate that the transduction of PKA-induced phosphorylation signal from cTnI to the regulatory site of cTnC involves a global change in cTnI structure.

Time-resolved fluorescence study of the single tryptophans of engineered skeletal muscle troponin C.

The regulatory domain of troponin C (TnC) from chicken skeletal muscle was studied using genetically generated mutants which contained a single tryptophan at positions 22, 52, and 90. The quantum yields of Trp-22 are 0.33 and 0.25 in the presence of Mg2+ (2-Mg state) and Ca2+ (4-Ca state), respectively. The large quantum yield of the 2-Mg state is due to a relatively small nonradiative decay rate and consistent with the emission peak at 331 nm. The intensity decay of this state is monoexponential with a single lifetime of 5.65 ns, independent of wavelength. In the 4-Ca state, the decay is biexponential with the mean of the two lifetimes increasing from 4.54 to 4.92 ns across the emission band. The decay-associated spectrum of the short lifetime is red-shifted by 19 nm relative to the steady-state spectrum. The decay of Trp-52 is biexponential in the 2-Mg state and triexponential in the 4-Ca state. The decay of Trp-90 requires three exponential terms for a satisfactory fit, but can be fitted with two exponential terms in the 4-Ca state. The lower quantum yields (< 0.15) of these two tryptophans are due to a combination of smaller radiative and larger nonradiative decay rates. The results from Trp-22 suggest a homogeneous ground-state indole ring in the absence of bound Ca2+ at the regulatory sites and a ground-state heterogeneity induced by activator Ca2+. The Ca(2+)-induced environmental changes of Trp-52 and Trp-90 deviate from those predicted by a modeled structure of the 4-Ca state. The anisotropy decays of all three tryptophans show two rotational correlation times. The long correlation times (phi 1 = 8.1-8.3 ns) derived from Trp-22 and Trp-90 suggest an asymmetric hydrodynamic shape. TnC becomes more asymmetric upon binding activator Ca2+ (phi 1 = 10.1-11.6 ns). The values of phi 1 obtained from Trp-52 are 3-4 ns shorter than those from Trp-22 and Trp-90, and these reduced correlation times may be related to the mobility of the residue and/or local segmental flexibility.

A kinetic model for the binding of Ca2+ to the regulatory site of troponin from cardiac muscle.

The kinetics of the binding of Ca2+ to the single regulatory site of cardiac muscle troponin was investigated by using troponin reconstituted from the three subunits, using a monocysteine mutant of troponin C (cTnC) labeled with the fluorescent probe 2-[(4'-(iodoacetamido)anilino]naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid (IAANS) at Cys-35. The kinetic tracings of binding experiments for troponin determined at free [Ca2+] > 1 microM were resolved into two phases. The rate of the fast phase increased with increasing [Ca2+], reaching a maximum of about 35 s-1 at 4 degrees C, and the rate of the slow phase was approximately 5 s-1 and did not depend on [Ca2+]. Dissociation of bound Ca2+ occurred in two phases, with rates of about 23 and 4 s-1. The binding and dissociation results obtained with the binary complex formed between cardiac troponin I and the IAANS-labeled cTnC mutant were very similar to those obtained from reconstituted troponin. The kinetic data are consistent with a three-step sequential model similar to the previously reported mechanism for the binding of Ca2+ to a cTnC mutant labeled with the same probe at Cys-84 (Dong et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 688-694). In this model, the initial binding in the bimolecular step to form the Ca2+-troponin complex is assumed to be a rapid equilibrium, followed by two sequential first-order transitions. The apparent bimolecular rate constant is 5.1 x 10(7) M-1 s-1, a factor of 3 smaller than that for cTnC. The rates of the first-order transitions are an order of magnitude smaller for troponin than for cTnC. These kinetic differences form a basis for the enhanced Ca2+ affinity of troponin relative to the Ca2+ affinity of isolated cTnC. Phosphorylation of the monocysteine mutant of troponin I by protein kinase A resulted in a 3-fold decrease in the bimolecular rate constant but a 2-fold increase in the two observed Ca2+ dissociation rates. These changes in the kinetic parameters are responsible for a 5-fold reduction in Ca2+ affinity of phosphorylated troponin for the specific site.

Conformation of the N-terminal segment of a monocysteine mutant of troponin I from cardiac muscle.

A monocysteine mutant of cardiac muscle troponin I, cTnI(S5C/C81I/C98S), was generated from a mouse cTnI cDNA clone and expressed in a bacterial system. Cys-5 was modified with the fluorescent sulfhydryl reagent IAANS to probe the conformation of the N-terminal extension of the mutant and the mutant complexed with cardiac muscle troponin C. Our emphasis was on the effect of phosphorylation of Ser-23 and Ser-24 by protein kinase A on the conformation of the N-terminal segment. Phosphorylation resulted in an 8-nm red-shift of the emission spectrum of the attached IAANS probe and a reduction of its quantum yield by a factor of 4-5. The intensity decay of nonphosphorylated IAANS-labeled mutant was complex and had to be described by a sum of three exponential terms, with lifetimes in the range 0.1-5 ns. A fourth component in the range 7-9 ns was required to describe the intensity decay of the phosphorylated mutant. Phosphorylation also reduced the weighted mean lifetime, consistent with the changes observed in the steady-state fluorescence parameters and a 33% decrease in the global rotational correlation time calculated from anisotropy decay data. This change in correlation time suggested a decrease in the axial ratio of the protein. The fluorescence changes of the labeled mutant induced by phosphorylation were carried over to its complex with troponin C. The Stern-Volmer plots of acrylamide quenching of the steady-state fluorescence were essentially linear for nonphosphorylated mutant but displayed pronounced concave downward curvatures for the phosphorylated protein under all conditions studied. The present results are interpreted in terms of a more compact hydrodynamic shape of the phosphorylated cTnI mutant and are consistent with a folded conformation of the N-terminal extension induced by phosphorylation of the two serines. These conformational changes may play a role in the modulation of cardiac muscle contractility by troponin I phosphorylation.

Phosphorylation-induced distance change in a cardiac muscle troponin I mutant.

Phosphorylation of two adjacent serine residues in the unique N-terminal extension of cardiac muscle troponin I (cTnI) is known to decrease the Ca2+-sensitivity of cardiac myofilaments. To probe the structural significance of the N-terminal extension, we have constructed two cTnI mutants each containing a single cysteine: (1) a full-length cTnI mutant (S5C/C81I/C98S) and (2) a truncated cTnI mutant (S9C/C50I/C67S) in which the N-terminal 32 amino acid residues were deleted. We determined the apparent binding constants for the complex formation between IAANS-labeled cardiac troponin C (cTnC) and the two cTnI mutants. The affinities of the cTnC for the truncated cTnI mutant were: (1) 1.5 x 10(6) M(-1) in EGTA, (2) 28.9 x 10(6) M(-1) in Mg2+, and (3) 87.5 x 10(6) M(-1) in Mg2+ + Ca2+. These binding constants were approximately 1.4-fold smaller than the corresponding values obtained with the full-length cTnI mutant, suggesting a very small contribution of the N-terminal extension to the binding of cTnI to cTnC. Cys-5 in the full-length cTnI mutant was labeled with IAANS, and the distribution of the separation between this site and Trp-192 was determined by analysis of the efficiency of fluorescence resonance energy transfer from Trp-192 to IAANS. The following mean distances were obtained with the unphosphorylated full-length mutant: 44.4 A (cTnI alone), 48.3 A (cTnI + cTnC), 46.3 A (cTnI + cTnC in Mg2+), and 51.6 A (cTnI + cTnC in Mg2+ + Ca2+). The corresponding values of the mean distance determined with the phosphorylated full-length cTnI mutant were 35.8, 36.6, 34.8, and 37.3 A. The phosphorylation of cTnI reduced the half-width of the distribution from 9.5 to 3.7 A. Similar but less pronounced decreases of the half-widths were also observed with the phosphorylated cTnI complexed with cTnC in different ionic conditions. Thus, phosphorylation of cTnI resulted in a decrease of 9-12 A in the mean distance between the sites located at the N- and C-terminal portion of cTnI. Our results indicate that phosphorylation elicits a change in the conformation of cTnI which underlies the basis of the phosphorylation-induced modulation of cTnI activity.

Disparate fluorescence properties of 2-[4'-(iodoacetamido)anilino]-naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid attached to Cys-84 and Cys-35 of troponin C in cardiac muscle troponin.

Two monocysteine mutants of cardiac muscle troponin C, cTnC(C35S) and cTnC(C84S), were genetically generated and labeled with the fluorescent probe 2-[4'-(iodoacetamido)anilino]naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid (IAANS) at Cys-84 and Cys-35, respectively. Cys-84 is located on helix D in the regulatory N-domain, and Cys-35 is at the -y position of the inactive 12-residue loop of site I. These labeled mutants were studied by a variety of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods. In the absence of divalent cation, the fluorescence of the attached IAANS indicated an exposed environment at Cys-35 and a relatively less-exposed environment at Cys-84. The binding of Ca2+ to the single regulatory site elicited a large enhancement of the emission of IAANS attached to Cys-84, but only marginal fluorescence changes of the probe at Cys-35. Upon reconstitution of the labeled cTnC mutants with troponin I and troponin T to form the three-subunit troponin, the fluorescence of IAANS-Cys-84 in apo-troponin was spectrally similar to that observed with the Ca(2+)-loaded uncomplexed cTnC mutant. Only very moderate changes in the fluorescence of IAANS-Cys-84 were observed when the regulatory site in reconstituted troponin was saturated. The exposed Cys-35 environment of the uncomplexed cTnC mutant became considerably less exposed and less polar when the mutant was incorporated into apo-troponin. In contrast to the Cys-84 site, saturation of the regulatory site II by Ca2+ in reconstituted troponin resulted in a reversal of the environment of the Cys-35 site toward a more exposed and more polar environment. These results indicated involvement of the inactive loop I in the Ca2+ trigger mechanism in cardiac muscle. The fluorescence of IAANS at both Cys-84 and Cys-35 was sensitive to phosphorylation of cTnl in reconstituted troponin, and the sensitivity was observed with both apo-troponin and Ca(2+)-loaded troponin.

Calcium-induced conformational change in cardiac troponin C studied by fluorescence probes attached to Cys-84.

Residue Cys-84 of bovine cardiac troponin C (cTnC) located at the C-terminal end of helix D was selectively labeled in the presence of Ca2+ with two fluorescent probes: IAANS (2-(4-(iodoacetamido)anilino)naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid) and acrylodan (6-acrylol-2-(dimethylamino)naphthalene). The fluorescence of the attached probes was studied by the steady-state and time-resolved methods to gain an insight about the nature of Ca(2+)-induced conformational changes in the N-domain regulatory region of cTnC. Changes in the experimental emission spectra, quantum yields, and excited-state lifetimes suggested that bound Ca2+ at the single regulatory site induced a less polar microenvironment for both probes attached to Cys-84. However, a twofold increase in the bimolecular collisional quenching constant was observed for both probes in the presence of activator Ca2+, indicating an increased exposure of the probes to solvent. These data were interpreted with reference to the origins of the observed Stokes' shifts. In the apo and 2Mg states of cTnC, the attached probes were partially shielded by helices B and C, and their excited-states were highly quenched in the tertiary structure through strong interactions of a dipolar nature with neighboring amino-acid side chains. In the 3Ca state, these interactions were disrupted so that nonradiative decay processes were suppressed and radiative processes were enhanced, leading to the observed increases in quantum yields and lifetimes and blue-shifts of the emission spectra. As the disruption of internal quenching resulted from separation of helices B and C from helix D, the attached probes became more accessible to solvent and experienced increases in the rate of collisions with external molecules in the solvent. Although this increased exposure to solvent would lead to suppression of radiative decay processes, this effect apparently was overcompensated by the effect of elimination of internal quenching. The present results are consistent with a Ca(2+)-induced open conformation of the N-domain in cTnC.

[Effects of adenosine on cochlear function in guinea pigs].

As a neuromodulator, adenosine is able to decrease the release of most neurotransmitters and plays a role of negative feedback regulation. In the present experiment, the effects of adenosine, and its uptake inhibitor dipyridamole and antagonist theophylline on cochlear potentials were investigated by means of perilymphatic perfusion. 0.01 mmol/L adenosine and dipyridamole was shown to suppress compound action potentials (CAP) and cochlear microphonics (CM). The amplitudes of CAP and CM were decreased under high sound intensity stimulation. The I/O function curve was shifted toward the right and the N1 peak latency of CAP was prolonged. 1 mmol/L theophylline showed opposite effects. All these changes are reversible after washing out of the artificial perilymphy. Normal endocochlear potentials (EP) and anoxia induced negative EP (N-EP) were not changed significantly, while the rapid response of EP to noise exposure, i.e. a rapid fall with onset of noise (EP-on) and a rapid increase with offset (EP-off), could be suppressed by adenosine. These results suggest that adenosine is an inhibitory neuromodulator subserving a negative feedback role in the regulation of cochlear function.

[Effects of lowering perilymph calcium concentration on various cochlear potentials].

In the present experiment, changes in compound action potentials of auditory nerve (CAP), cochlear microphonics (CM) and endocochlear potentials were observed when the calcium concentration of perilymph was reduced by means of perilymph perfusion, with the aim of analyzing how calcium was involved. Perfusion with Ca(2+)-free artificial perilymph reversibly suppressed both CAP and CM amplitudes, but did not alter the basic nonlinear properties of CAP I/O curve. Furthermore, the perfusion did not alter the EP and negative EP (n-EP) induced by anoxia but eliminated the fast change of EP with respect to turning on and off of intense sound. The mechanisms underlying the effects of calcium are discussed.

Effects of K(+)-channel blockers on cochlear potentials in the guinea pig.

The effects of different K+ channel blockers, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), tetraethylammonium (TEA) and quinine, on the various cochlear potentials were observed by the means of perilymph infusion. Each of the three blockers depressed the compound action potential. However, they exerted quite different effects on other cochlear potentials, especially comparing 4-AP, a fast K(+)-channel blocker, with two other blockers. 4-AP induced a significant increase in the magnitude of summating potential, while TEA and quinine decreased it; 4-AP showed no effect on the general endocochlear potential (G-EP, the EP value recorded directly from the scala media, SM) and the negative EP component (N-EP), while TEA and Quinine increased G-EP and decreased the absolute value of N-EP. They also exerted different effects on the EP changes induced by exposure to intense noise. The results indicate the different roles of different K(+)-channels in the generation of cochlear potentials. The relationship of the two components of EP (positive and negative) and the G-EP was discussed.

[Changes in endocochlear potential induced by potassium-channel blockers].

The effect of various potassium-channel blockers, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), tetraethylammonium (TEA) and quinine, on the endocochlear potential (EP) was studied in perfused guinea pig inner ears. The fast K(+)-channel blocker, 4-AP, did not alter EP but changed its response model to intense noise exposure. While TEA and quinine significantly reduced the amplitude of negative component of EP (N-EP), comparing with a relatively smaller increase in general EP (G-EP). The results indicated the existence of different K(+)-channels with different physiological functions.