Magnesium enhances aurintricarboxylic acid's inhibitory action on the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase.

Our research aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) inhibits plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA), a crucial enzyme responsible for calcium transport. Given the pivotal role of PMCA in cellular calcium homeostasis, understanding how it is inhibited by ATA holds significant implications for potentially regulating physiopathological cellular processes in which this pump is involved. Our experimental findings revealed that ATA employs multiple modes of action to inhibit PMCA activity, which are influenced by ATP but also by the presence of calcium and magnesium ions. Specifically, magnesium appears to enhance this inhibitory effect. Our experimental and in-silico results suggest that, unlike those reported in other proteins, ATA complexed with magnesium (ATA·Mg) is the molecule that inhibits PMCA. In summary, our study presents a novel perspective and establishes a solid foundation for future research efforts aimed at the development of new pharmacological molecules both for PMCA and other proteins.

Measurements of Na+-occluded intermediates during the catalytic cycle of the Na+/K+-ATPase provide novel insights into the mechanism of Na+ transport.

The Na+/K+-ATPase is an integral plasma membrane glycoprotein of all animal cells that couples the exchange of intracellular Na+ for extracellular K+ to the hydrolysis of ATP. The asymmetric distribution of Na+ and K+ is essential for cellular life and constitutes the physical basis of a series of fundamental biological phenomena. The pumping mechanism is explained by the Albers-Post model. It involves the presence of gates alternatively exposing Na+/K+-ATPase transport sites to the intracellular and extracellular sides and includes occluded states in which both gates are simultaneously closed. Unlike for K+, information is lacking about Na+-occluded intermediates, as occluded Na+ was only detected in states incapable of performing a catalytic cycle, including two Na+-containing crystallographic structures. The current knowledge is that intracellular Na+ must bind to the transport sites and become occluded upon phosphorylation by ATP to be transported to the extracellular medium. Here, taking advantage of epigallocatechin-3-gallate to instantaneously stabilize native Na+-occluded intermediates, we isolated species with tightly bound Na+ in an enzyme able to perform a catalytic cycle, consistent with a genuine occluded state. We found that Na+ becomes spontaneously occluded in the E1 dephosphorylated form of the Na+/K+-ATPase, exhibiting positive interactions between binding sites. In fact, the addition of ATP does not produce an increase in Na+ occlusion as it would have been expected; on the contrary, occluded Na+ transiently decreases, whereas ATP lasts. These results reveal new properties of E1 intermediates of the Albers-Post model for explaining the Na+ transport pathway.

Conformational changes during the reaction cycle of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase in the autoinhibited and activated states.

Plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) transports Ca2+ by a reaction cycle including phosphorylated intermediates. Calmodulin binding to the C-terminal tail disrupts autoinhibitory interactions, activating the pump. To assess the conformational changes during the reaction cycle, we studied the structure of different PMCA states using a fluorescent probe, hydrophobic photolabeling, controlled proteolysis and Ca2+-ATPase activity. Our results show that calmodulin binds to E2P-like states, and during dephosphorylation, the hydrophobicity in the nucleotide-binding pocket decreases and the Ca2+ binding site becomes inaccessible to the extracellular medium. Autoinhibitory interactions are disrupted in E1Ca and in the E2P ground state whereas they are stabilized in the E2·Pi product state. Finally, we propose a model that describes the conformational changes during the Ca2+ transport of PMCA.

E2P-like states of plasma membrane Ca2+­ATPase characterization of vanadate and fluoride-stabilized phosphoenzyme analogues.

The plasma membrane Ca2+­ATPase (PMCA) belongs to the family of P-type ATPases, which share the formation of an acid-stable phosphorylated intermediate as part of their reaction cycle. The crystal structure of PMCA is currently lacking. Its abundance is approximately 0.1% of the total protein in the membrane, hampering efforts to produce suitable crystals for X-ray structure analysis. In this work we characterized the effect of beryllium fluoride (BeFx), aluminium fluoride (AlFx) and magnesium fluoride (MgFx) on PMCA. These compounds are known inhibitors of P-type ATPases that stabilize E2P ground, E2·P phosphoryl transition and E2·Pi product states. Our results show that the phosphate analogues BeFx, AlFx and MgFx inhibit PMCA Ca2+­ATPase activity, phosphatase activity and phosphorylation with high apparent affinity. Ca2+­ATPase inhibition by AlFx and BeFx depended on Mg2+ concentration indicating that this ion stabilizes the complex between these inhibitors and the enzyme. Low pH increases AlFx and BeFx but not MgFx apparent affinity. Eosin fluorescent probe binds with high affinity to the nucleotide binding site of PMCA. The fluorescence of eosin decreases when fluoride complexes bind to PMCA indicating that the environment of the nucleotide binding site is less hydrophobic in E2P-like states. Finally, measuring the time course of E → E2P-like conformational change, we proposed a kinetic model for the binding of fluoride complexes and vanadate to PMCA. In summary, our results show that these fluoride complexes reveal different states of phosphorylated intermediates belonging to the mechanism of hydrolysis of ATP by the PMCA.

Aluminum inhibits the plasma membrane and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPases by different mechanisms.

Aluminum (Al3+) is involved in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders. The mechanisms that have been proposed to explain the action of Al3+ toxicity are linked to changes in the cellular calcium homeostasis, placing the transporting calcium pumps as potential targets. The aim of this work was to study the molecular inhibitory mechanism of Al3+ on Ca2+-ATPases such as the plasma membrane and the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pumps (PMCA and SERCA, respectively). These P-ATPases transport Ca2+ actively from the cytoplasm towards the extracellular medium and to the sarcoplasmic reticulum, respectively. For this purpose, we performed enzymatic measurements of the effect of Al3+ on purified preparations of PMCA and SERCA. Our results show that Al3+ is an irreversible inhibitor of PMCA and a slowly-reversible inhibitor of SERCA. The binding of Al3+ is affected by Ca2+ in SERCA, though not in PMCA. Al3+ prevents the phosphorylation of SERCA and, conversely, the dephosphorylation of PMCA. The dephosphorylation time courses of the complex formed by PMCA and Al3+ (EPAl) in the presence of ADP or ATP show that EPAl is composed mainly by the conformer E2P. This work shows for the first time a distinct mechanism of Al3+ inhibition that involves different intermediates of the reaction cycle of these two Ca2+-ATPases.

Regulation of the Plasma Membrane Calcium ATPases by the actin cytoskeleton.

Associations between the cortical cytoskeleton and the components of the plasma membrane are no longer considered to be merely of structural and mechanical nature but are nowadays recognized as dynamic interactions that modulate a plethora of cellular responses. Reorganization of actin filaments upon diverse stimuli - among which is the rise in cytosolic Ca2+ - is involved in cell motility and adhesion, phagocytosis, cytokinesis, and secretion. Actin dynamics also participates in the regulation of ion transport across the membranes where it not only plays a key role in the delivery and stabilization of channels and transporters in the plasma membrane but also in the regulation of their activity. The recently described functional interaction between actin and the Plasma Membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) represents a novel regulatory mechanism of the pump at the time that unveils a new pathway by which the cortical actin cytoskeleton participates in the regulation of cytosolic Ca2+ homeostasis. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the interaction between the cortical actin cytoskeleton and the PMCA and discuss the possible mechanisms that may explain the pump's modulation.

Selectivity of plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA)-mediated extrusion of toxic divalent cations in vitro and in cultured cells.

In the recent years, the toxicity of certain divalent cations has been associated with the alteration of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Among other mechanisms, these cations may affect the functionality of certain Ca2+-binding proteins and/or Ca2+ pumps. The plasma membrane calcium pump (PMCA) maintains Ca2+ homeostasis in eukaryotic cells by mediating the efflux of this cation in a process coupled to ATP hydrolysis. The aim of this work was to investigate both in vitro and in cultured cells if other divalent cations (Sr2+, Ba2+, Co2+, Cd2+, Pb2+ or Be2+) could be transported by PMCA. Current results indicate that both purified and intact cell PMCA transported Sr2+ with kinetic parameters close to those of Ca2+ transport. The transport of Pb2+ and Co2+ by purified PMCA was, respectively, 50 and 75% lower than that of Ca2+, but only Co2+ was extruded by intact cells and to a very low extent. In contrast, purified PMCA-but not intact cell PMCA-transported Ba2+ at low rates and only when activated by limited proteolysis or by phosphatidylserine addition. Finally, purified PMCA did not transport Cd2+ or Be2+, although minor Be2+ transport was measured in intact cells. Moreover, Cd2+ impaired the transport of Ca2+ through various mechanisms, suggesting that PMCA may be a potential target of Cd2+-mediated toxicity. The differential capacity of PMCA to transport these divalent cations may have a key role in their detoxification, limiting their noxious effects on cell homeostasis.

Cortical cytoskeleton dynamics regulates plasma membrane calcium ATPase isoform-2 (PMCA2) activity.

We have previously shown that purified actin can directly bind to human plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase 4b (hPMCA4b) and exert a dual modulation on its Ca2+-ATPase activity: F-actin inhibits PMCA while short actin oligomers may contribute to PMCA activation. These studies had to be performed with purified proteins given the nature of the biophysical and biochemical approaches used. To assess whether a functional interaction between the PMCAs and the cortical cytoskeleton is of physiological relevance, we characterized this phenomenon in the context of a living cell by monitoring in real-time the changes in the cytosolic calcium levels ([Ca2+]CYT). In this study, we tested the influence of drugs that change the actin and microtubule polymerization state on the activity and membrane expression of the PMCA transiently expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells, which allowed us to observe and quantify these relationships in a live cell, for the first time. We found that disrupting the actin cytoskeleton with cytochalasin D significantly increased PMCA-mediated Ca2+ extrusion (~50-100%) whereas pre-treatment with the F-actin stabilizing agent jasplakinolide caused its full inhibition. When the microtubule network was disrupted by pretreatment of the cells with colchicine, we observed a significant decrease in PMCA activity (~40-60% inhibition) in agreement with the previously reported role of acetylated tubulin on the calcium pump. In none of these cases was there a difference in the level of expression of the pump at the cell surface, thus suggesting that the specific activity of the pump was the regulated parameter. Our results indicate that PMCA activity is profoundly affected by the polymerization state of the cortical cytoskeleton in living cells.

Peptide Anchor for Folate-Targeted Liposomal Delivery.

Specific folate receptors are abundantly overexpressed in chronically activated macrophages and in most cancer cells. Directed folate receptor targeting using liposomes is usually achieved using folate linked to a phospholipid or cholesterol anchor. This link is formed using a large spacer like polyethylene glycol. Here, we report an innovative strategy for targeted liposome delivery that uses a hydrophobic fragment of surfactant protein D linked to folate. Our proposed spacer is a small 4 amino acid residue linker. The peptide conjugate inserts deeply into the lipid bilayer without affecting liposomal integrity, with high stability and specificity. To compare the drug delivery potential of both liposomal targeting systems, we encapsulated the nuclear dye Hoechst 34580. The eventual increase in blue fluorescence would only be detectable upon liposome disruption, leading to specific binding of this dye to DNA. Our delivery system was proven to be more efficient (2-fold) in Caco-2 cells than classic systems where the folate moiety is linked to liposomes by polyethylene glycol.

Modulation of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase by neutral phospholipids: effect of the micelle-vesicle transition and the bilayer thickness.

The effects of lipids on membrane proteins are likely to be complex and unique for each membrane protein. Here we studied different detergent/phosphatidylcholine reconstitution media and tested their effects on plasma membrane Ca(2+) pump (PMCA). We found that Ca(2+)-ATPase activity shows a biphasic behavior with respect to the detergent/phosphatidylcholine ratio. Moreover, the maximal Ca(2+)-ATPase activity largely depends on the length and the unsaturation degree of the hydrocarbon chain. Using static light scattering and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, we monitored the changes in hydrodynamic radius of detergent/phosphatidylcholine particles during the micelle-vesicle transition. We found that, when PMCA is reconstituted in mixed micelles, neutral phospholipids increase the enzyme turnover. The biophysical changes associated with the transition from mixed micelles to bicelles increase the time of residence of the phosphorylated intermediate (EP), decreasing the enzyme turnover. Molecular dynamics simulations analysis of the interactions between PMCA and the phospholipid bilayer in which it is embedded show that in the 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine bilayer, charged residues of the protein are trapped in the hydrophobic core. Conversely, in the 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine bilayer, the overall hydrophobic-hydrophilic requirements of the protein surface are fulfilled the best, reducing the thermodynamic cost of exposing charged residues to the hydrophobic core. The apparent mismatch produced by a 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine thicker bilayer could be a structural foundation to explain its functional effect on PMCA.

Conformational changes produced by ATP binding to the plasma membrane calcium pump.

The aim of this work was to study the plasma membrane calcium pump (PMCA) reaction cycle by characterizing conformational changes associated with calcium, ATP, and vanadate binding to purified PMCA. This was accomplished by studying the exposure of PMCA to surrounding phospholipids by measuring the incorporation of the photoactivatable phosphatidylcholine analog 1-O-hexadecanoyl-2-O-[9-[[[2-[(125)I]iodo-4-(trifluoromethyl-3H-diazirin-3-yl)benzyl]oxy]carbonyl]nonanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine to the protein. ATP could bind to the different vanadate-bound states of the enzyme either in the presence or in the absence of Ca(2+) with high apparent affinity. Conformational movements of the ATP binding domain were determined using the fluorescent analog 2'(3')-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)adenosine 5'-triphosphate. To assess the conformational behavior of the Ca(2+) binding domain, we also studied the occlusion of Ca(2+), both in the presence and in the absence of ATP and with or without vanadate. Results show the existence of occluded species in the presence of vanadate and/or ATP. This allowed the development of a model that describes the transport of Ca(2+) and its relation with ATP hydrolysis. This is the first approach that uses a conformational study to describe the PMCA P-type ATPase reaction cycle, adding important features to the classical E1-E2 model devised using kinetics methodology only.

Plasma membrane calcium ATPase activity is regulated by actin oligomers through direct interaction.

As recently described by our group, plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA) activity can be regulated by the actin cytoskeleton. In this study, we characterize the interaction of purified G-actin with isolated PMCA and examine the effect of G-actin during the first polymerization steps. As measured by surface plasmon resonance, G-actin directly interacts with PMCA with an apparent 1:1 stoichiometry in the presence of Ca(2+) with an apparent affinity in the micromolar range. As assessed by the photoactivatable probe 1-O-hexadecanoyl-2-O-[9-[[[2-[(125)I]iodo-4-(trifluoromethyl-3H-diazirin-3-yl)benzyl]oxy]carbonyl]nonanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, the association of PMCA to actin produced a shift in the distribution of the conformers of the pump toward a calmodulin-activated conformation. G-actin stimulates Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of the enzyme when incubated under polymerizing conditions, displaying a cooperative behavior. The increase in the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity was related to an increase in the apparent affinity for Ca(2+) and an increase in the phosphoenzyme levels at steady state. Although surface plasmon resonance experiments revealed only one binding site for G-actin, results clearly indicate that more than one molecule of G-actin was needed for a regulatory effect on the pump. Polymerization studies showed that the experimental conditions are compatible with the presence of actin in the first stages of assembly. Altogether, these observations suggest that the stimulatory effect is exerted by short oligomers of actin. The functional interaction between actin oligomers and PMCA represents a novel regulatory pathway by which the cortical actin cytoskeleton participates in the regulation of cytosolic Ca(2+) homeostasis.

Autoinhibition mechanism of the plasma membrane calcium pump isoforms 2 and 4 studied through lipid-protein interaction.

The autoinhibition/activation of the PMCA (plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase) involves conformational changes in the membrane region of the protein that affect the amount of lipids directly associated with the transmembrane domain. The lipid-protein-dependence of PMCA isoforms 2 and 4 expressed and obtained in purified form from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated using the phosphatidylcholine analogue [125I]TID-PC/16 {l-O-hexadecanoyl-2-O-[9-[[[2-[125I]iodo-4-(trifluoromemyl-3H-diazirin-3-yl)benzyl]oxy]carbonyl]nonanoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine}, which was incorporated into mixtures of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and the non-ionic detergent C12E10 [deca(ethylene glycol) dodecyl ether]. We found no differences between the recombinant PMCA4 and PMCA purified from erythrocytes (ePMCA). However, titration of the half-maximal activation by Ca2+/calmodulin of PMCA2 showed 30-fold higher affinity than PMCA4. PMCA2 exhibited a lower level of labelling in the autoinhibited conformation relative to PMCA4, indicating that the lower autoinhibition was correlated with a lower exposure to lipids in the autoinhibited state. Analysis of the lipid-protein stoichiometry showed that the lipid annulus of PMCA varies: (i) in accordance to the conformational state of the enzyme; and (ii) depending on the different isoforms of PMCA. PMCA2 during Ca2+ transport changes its conformation to a lesser extent than PMCA4, an isoform more sensitive to modulation by calmodulin and acidic phospholipids. This is the first demonstration of a dynamic behaviour of annular lipids and PMCA.

Calcium occlusion in plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase.

In this work, we set out to identify and characterize the calcium occluded intermediate(s) of the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA) to study the mechanism of calcium transport. To this end, we developed a procedure for measuring the occlusion of Ca(2+) in microsomes containing PMCA. This involves a system for overexpression of the PMCA and the use of a rapid mixing device combined with a filtration chamber, allowing the isolation of the enzyme and quantification of retained calcium. Measurements of retained calcium as a function of the Ca(2+) concentration in steady state showed a hyperbolic dependence with an apparent dissociation constant of 12 ± 2.2 µM, which agrees with the value found through measurements of PMCA activity in the absence of calmodulin. When enzyme phosphorylation and the retained calcium were studied as a function of time in the presence of La(III) (inducing accumulation of phosphoenzyme in the E(1)P state), we obtained apparent rate constants not significantly different from each other. Quantification of EP and retained calcium in steady state yield a stoichiometry of one mole of occluded calcium per mole of phosphoenzyme. These results demonstrate for the first time that one calcium ion becomes occluded in the E(1)P-phosphorylated intermediate of the PMCA.

Diving Into the Lipid Bilayer to Investigate the Transmembrane Organization and Conformational State Transitions of P-type Ion ATPases.

Although membrane proteins constitute more than 20% of the total proteins, the structures of only a few are known in detail. An important group of integral membrane proteins are ion-transporting ATPases of the P-type family, which share the formation of an acid-stable phosphorylated intermediate as part of their reaction cycle. There are several crystal structures of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump (SERCA) revealing different conformations, and recently, crystal structures of the H(+)-ATPase and the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase were reported as well. However, there are no atomic resolution structures for other P-type ATPases including the plasma membrane calcium pump (PMCA), which is integral to cellular Ca(2+) signaling. Crystallization of these proteins is challenging because there is often no natural source from which the protein can be obtained in large quantities, and the presence of multiple isoforms in the same tissue further complicates efforts to obtain homogeneous samples suitable for crystallization. Alternative techniques to study structural aspects and conformational transitions in the PMCAs (and other P-type ATPases) have therefore been developed. Specifically, information about the structure and assembly of the transmembrane domain of an integral membrane protein can be obtained from an analysis of the lipid-protein interactions. Here, we review recent efforts using different hydrophobic photo-labeling methods to study the non-covalent interactions between the PMCA and surrounding phospholipids under different experimental conditions, and discuss how the use of these lipid probes can reveal valuable information on the membrane organization and conformational state transitions in the PMCA, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, and other P-type ATPases.

Plasma membrane calcium pump (PMCA) differential exposure of hydrophobic domains after calmodulin and phosphatidic acid activation.

The exposure of the plasma membrane calcium pump (PMCA) to the surrounding phospholipids was assessed by measuring the incorporation of the photoactivatable phosphatidylcholine analog [(125)I]TID-PC/16 to the protein. In the presence of Ca(2+) both calmodulin (CaM) and phosphatidic acid (PA) greatly decreased the incorporation of [(125)I]TID-PC/16 to PMCA. Proteolysis of PMCA with V8 protease results in three main fragments: N, which includes transmembrane segments M1 and M2; M, which includes M3 and M4; and C, which includes M5 to M10. CaM decreased the level of incorporation of [(125)I]TID-PC/16 to fragments M and C, whereas phosphatidic acid decreased the incorporation of [(125)I]TID-PC/16 to fragments N and M. This suggests that the conformational changes induced by binding of CaM or PA extend to the adjacent transmembrane domains. Interestingly, this result also denotes differences between the active conformations produced by CaM and PA. To verify this point, we measured resonance energy transfer between PMCA labeled with eosin isothiocyanate at the ATP-binding site and the phospholipid RhoPE included in PMCA micelles. CaM decreased the efficiency of the energy transfer between these two probes, whereas PA did not. This result indicates that activation by CaM increases the distance between the ATP-binding site and the membrane, but PA does not affect this distance. Our results disclose main differences between PMCA conformations induced by CaM or PA and show that those differences involve transmembrane regions.

Determination of the dissociation constants for Ca2+ and calmodulin from the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump by a lipid probe that senses membrane domain changes.

The purpose of this work was to obtain information about conformational changes of the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-pump (PMCA) in the membrane region upon interaction with Ca(2+), calmodulin (CaM) and acidic phospholipids. To this end, we have quantified labeling of PMCA with the photoactivatable phosphatidylcholine analog [(125)I]TID-PC/16, measuring the shift of conformation E(2) to the auto-inhibited conformation E(1)I and to the activated E(1)A state, titrating the effect of Ca(2+) under different conditions. Using a similar approach, we also determined the CaM-PMCA dissociation constant. The results indicate that the PMCA possesses a high affinity site for Ca(2+) regardless of the presence or absence of activators. Modulation of pump activity is exerted through the C-terminal domain, which induces an apparent auto-inhibited conformation for Ca(2+) transport but does not modify the affinity for Ca(2+) at the transmembrane domain. The C-terminal domain is affected by CaM and CaM-like treatments driving the auto-inhibited conformation E(1)I to the activated E(1)A conformation and thus modulating the transport of Ca(2+). This is reflected in the different apparent constants for Ca(2+) in the absence of CaM (calculated by Ca(2+)-ATPase activity) that sharply contrast with the lack of variation of the affinity for the Ca(2+) site at equilibrium. This is the first time that equilibrium constants for the dissociation of Ca(2+) and CaM ligands from PMCA complexes are measured through the change of transmembrane conformations of the pump. The data further suggest that the transmembrane domain of the PMCA undergoes major rearrangements resulting in altered lipid accessibility upon Ca(2+) binding and activation.

A new conformation in sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump and plasma membrane Ca2+ pumps revealed by a photoactivatable phospholipidic probe.

The purpose of this work was to obtain structural information about conformational changes in the membrane region of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SERCA) and plasma membrane (PMCA) Ca(2+) pumps. We have assessed changes in the overall exposure of these proteins to surrounding lipids by quantifying the extent of protein labeling by a photoactivatable phosphatidylcholine analog 1-palmitoyl-2-[9-[2'-[(125)I]iodo-4'-(trifluoromethyldiazirinyl)-benzyloxycarbonyl]-nonaoyl]-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine ([(125)I]TID-PC/16) under different conditions. We determined the following. 1) Incorporation of [(125)I]TID-PC/16 to SERCA decreases 25% when labeling is performed in the presence of Ca(2+). This decrease in labeling matches qualitatively the decrease in transmembrane surface exposed to the solvent calculated from crystallographic data for SERCA structures. 2) Labeling of PMCA incubated with Ca(2+) and calmodulin decreases by approximately the same amount. However, incubation with Ca(2+) alone increases labeling by more than 50%. Addition of C28, a peptide that prevents activation of PMCA by calmodulin, yields similar results. C28 has also been shown to inhibit ATPase SERCA activity. Interestingly, incubation of SERCA with C28 also increases [(125)I]TID-PC/16 incorporation to the protein. These results suggest that in both proteins there are two different E(1) conformations as follows: one that is auto-inhibited and is in contact with a higher amount of lipids (Ca(2+) + C28 for SERCA and Ca(2+) alone for PMCA), and one in which the enzyme is fully active (Ca(2+) for SERCA and Ca(2+)-calmodulin for PMCA) and that exhibits a more compact transmembrane arrangement. These results are the first evidence that there is an autoinhibited conformation in these P-type ATPases, which involves both the cytoplasmic regions and the transmembrane segments.

[The combination of sugars with biomolecules. From the kitchen to the organism]. / La combinacion de los azucares con las biomoleculas. Desde la cocina al organismo.

In spite of our profession, when we cook we do not think too much about the complex processes that take place in culinary operations from the chemical point of view. Our human nature makes us desire not only a meal that nourishes us, but also surprises our senses and satisfies us spiritually. In order to introduce ourselves in the complexity of food, it is necessary to understand the difference between taste and flavor, and to relate them to food as an outcome of a diverse combination of biomolecules. We owe to certain chemical reactions the generation of an enormous variety of aromatic compounds that combined in a suitable way, produce the meals which we enjoy daily. Most of this subject revolves around Louis Camille Maillard, a French physician who, at the beginning of XX century, studied the combination of sugars with proteins. His main contribution was that he related culinary processes to those which take place in our body. It has been broadly verified scientifically that the Maillard reaction -also known as nonenzymatic glycosylation-modifies biomolecules deeply. In the organism, Maillard reactions are similar to those which happen in the kitchen but they occur more slowly and are associated with disease and aging.

Plasma membrane calcium pump activity is affected by the membrane protein concentration: evidence for the involvement of the actin cytoskeleton.

Plasma membrane calcium pumps (PMCAs) are integral membrane proteins that actively expel Ca(2+) from the cell. Specific Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of erythrocyte membranes increased steeply up to 1.5-5 times when the membrane protein concentration decreased from 50 microg/ml to 1 microg/ml. The activation by dilution was also observed for ATP-dependent Ca(2+) uptake into vesicles from Sf9 cells over-expressing the PMCA 4b isoform, confirming that it is a property of the PMCA. Dilution of the protein did not modify the activation by ATP, Ca(2+) or Ca(2+)-calmodulin. Treatment with non-ionic detergents did not abolish the dilution effect, suggesting that it was not due to resealing of the membrane vesicles. Pre-incubation of erythrocyte membranes with Cytochalasin D under conditions that promote actin polymerization abolished the dilution effect. Highly-purified, micellar PMCA showed no dilution effect and was not affected by Cytochalasin D. Taken together, these results suggest that the concentration-dependent behavior of the PMCA activity was due to interactions with cytoskeletal proteins. The dilution effect was also observed with different PMCA isoforms, indicating that this is a general phenomenon for all PMCAs.