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Phencyclidine is a negative allosteric modulator of signal transduction at two subclasses of excitatory amino acid receptors.

Phencyclidine (PCP) and some of its pharmacological congeners inhibit the signal transduction at specific excitatory amino acid receptors of cerebellar granule cells in primary cultures. These drugs do not bind to the transmitter recognition sites, and affinity of this specific binding site is increased by the presence of the transmitter bound to its recognition sites. PCP inhibits phosphatidylinositol phosphate hydrolysis mediated by Mg2+-sensitive glutamate receptors (GP1) but not that mediated by Mg2+-insensitive glutamate receptors (GP2). In addition, PCP inhibits Ca2+ influx and cGMP formation mediated by the activation of Mg2+-sensitive glutamate receptors (GC1) but not that mediated by Mg2+-insensitive glutamate receptors (GC2). In this cell culture the activation of phosphatidylinositol phosphate hydrolysis by muscarinic receptor agonists is not affected by PCP. Since PCP inhibits noncompetitively GP1 and GC1 signal transduction it may act as a negative allosteric modulator of signal transduction at both receptors. The pharmacological profile of PCP and its congeners delimits a class of drugs modulating allosterically the action of the primary transmitter at GP1 and GC1 receptors. These drugs need the presence of the transmitter to act and they cannot be termed inverse agonists because they are devoid of activity in the absence of the transmitter; moreover, they do not bind to the transmitter recognition site nor do they prevent the transmitter binding to its recognition sites.

Allosteric Regulation

Effects of temperature and allosteric modulators on [3H] nitrendipine binding: methods for detecting potential Ca2+ channel blockers.

The effects of incubation temperature and allosteric modulators were studied on [3H]nitrendipine binding to guinea-pig cardiac membranes. Incubation temperature only slightly affected the ability of nifedipine and verapamil derivatives to inhibit binding. By contrast, the Ca2+ channel blockers d-cis-diltiazem and fostedil (KB-944) stimulated [3H]nitrendipine binding in a temperature-dependent manner (37 degrees greater than 25 degrees greater than 4 degrees C). The stimulatory effect of fostedil could be related to a decrease (2.3-fold at 37 degrees C) in the rate of radioligand binding site dissociation, without significant effects on association kinetics. Both fostedil and d-cis-diltiazem caused a shift to the right of the concentration-inhibition curve of tiapamil, a negative allosteric modulator of [3H]nitrendipine binding. Neither compound affected the ability of nifedipine, a competitive antagonist, to inhibit radioligand binding. This selective effect of fostedil or d-cis-diltiazem may be useful for testing whether potential Ca2+ channel blockers interact in a competitive as opposed to allosteric manner with the dihydropyridine site. Varying the incubation temperature may also be useful in detecting compounds which act as positive allosteric modulators (stimulators) of dihydropyridine binding.

3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethy

Influence of recombinant gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor subunit composition on the action of allosteric modulators of gamma-aminobutyric acid-gated Cl- currents.

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)-activated Cl- currents in neonatal rat cortical neurons and in cultured cells engineered for the expression of specific molecular forms of the GABAA receptor alpha, beta, and gamma subunits, were recorded with the patch-clamp technique in the whole-cell configuration. The effects of various allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors were determined. Diazepam and clonazepam showed greater efficacy as positive modulators of GABA-elicited currents in alpha 2 beta 1 gamma 2 or alpha 3 beta 1 gamma 2 receptors than in alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 2 or alpha 5 beta 1 gamma 2 receptors or in cortical neurons. Alpidem was more efficacious at alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 2 or alpha 2 beta 1 gamma 2 receptors than at alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 2 or alpha 5 beta 1 gamma 2 receptors or in cortical neurons. Conversely, zolpidem was equally efficacious for all these receptors except for alpha 5 beta 1 gamma 2. Both imidazopyridines (alpidem and zolpidem) were virtually ineffective at modulating the GABA response of alpha 5 beta 1 gamma 2 receptors and in almost all the receptors assembled from alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3 or alpha 5 subunits together with beta 1 and gamma 1 subunits. The beta-carboline derivatives methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM) and methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCM) elicited a positive allosteric modulation of alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 1 or alpha 2 beta 1 gamma 1 receptors, whereas they acted as negative allosteric modulators at nearly all other receptors tested, as they do in cortical neurons. Although the positive allosteric modulation by beta-carbolines never exceeded a doubling of the GABA response, DMCM was more efficacious at alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 1 receptors and beta-CCM was more efficacious at alpha 2 beta 1 gamma 1 receptors. DMCM was inactive at alpha 3 beta 1 gamma 1 receptors, whereas beta-CCM was virtually inactive at alpha 5 beta 1 gamma 1 receptors. The benzodiazepine 4'-chlorodiazepam, which is a negative modulator resistent to flumazenil inhibition, acted at all the various GABAA receptors that contained a gamma subunit.

Allosteric Regulation

Complex allosteric modulation of cardiac muscarinic receptors by protamine: potential model for putative endogenous ligands.

A large number of diverse pharmacological agents bind to a secondary domain on the muscarinic receptor, to influence allosterically the interaction of ligands at the primary binding site. Based on common structural features of these antagonists, we examined the interaction of protamine, an endogenous polycationic peptide, and of polyamines with muscarinic receptors in rat heart. Our results provide several lines of qualitative evidence that protamine allosterically modulates the conformation of muscarinic receptors, in a marked negatively cooperative manner. It decelerated the dissociation of N-[3H]methylscopolamine ([3H] NMS) initiated by atropine, in a concentration-dependent fashion. Inhibition by protamine of [3H]NMS binding at equilibrium showed a distinct plateau, which increased in magnitude at higher ligand concentrations. Scatchard analysis of saturation isotherms of [3H]NMS binding in the absence and presence of protamine indicated that protamine did not alter Bmax in a statistically significant fashion, although there was a trend of a concentration-dependent increase in this parameter. On the other hand, it caused a marked concentration-dependent decrease in the affinity of [3H]NMS, and this effect reached a ceiling limit. However, there were marked quantitative deviations of the interaction of protamine from a simple ternary allosteric model. Some of these discrepancies could be explained by the tendency of protamine to increase Bmax. The allosteric actions of protamine demonstrated in kinetic and equilibrium experiments were selective for m1 and m2 muscarinic receptors, compared with m3, m4, and m5 receptors, as studied in Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with the genes of the different muscarinic receptors. Arginine residues play an important role in the allosteric interaction of protamine, inasmuch as poly-L-arginine qualitatively mimicked the effects of protamine. In contrast, no effects of the polyamines spermine, spermidine, and putrescine were observed on [3H]NMS binding. This is the first report on the allosteric modulation of muscarinic receptors by an endogenous peptide.

Animals

Novel amiloride analog allosterically modulates the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor but does not inhibit Na+/H+ exchange.

Two novel amiloride analogs have been synthesized during the course of efforts to develop a photoaffinity label for the amiloride allosteric domain on alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. One of these, 5-[N-2'-aminoethyl-N'-isopropyl]amiloride-N-[4"-azidosalicylamide] (A-EIA-AS), markedly accelerates the rate of dissociation of [3H]yohimbine from affinity-purified alpha 2-adrenergic receptors, an assay for allosteric modulation of receptor-adrenergic ligand interactions. In contrast, this agent does not appreciably inhibit Na+/H+ exchange, measured as 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)amiloride (EIA)-inhibitable 22Na+ uptake into cultured renal epithelial cells. A second analog, 5-[N-2'-(4"-azidosalicylamidino)ethyl-N'- isopropyl]amiloride (ASA-EIA), does not foster an accelerated rate of dissociation of [3H]yohimbine binding from the alpha 2 receptor but does block the ability of A-EIA-AS to do so, suggesting that ASA-EIA and A-EIA-AS interact at a common binding site. Interestingly, the ability of EIA to accelerate [3H]yohimbine dissociation is not blocked by ASA-EIA, a finding that may indicate that EIA and A-EIA-AS allosterically modulate alpha 2 receptor-ligand interactions via distinct or nonoverlapping binding sites.

Amiloride

Two allosteric modulators interact at a common site on cardiac muscarinic receptors.

The abilities of gallamine, obidoxime, tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA), and 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate (TMB-8) to alter the rate of dissociation of N-[3H]methylscopolamine from rat cardiac muscarinic receptors were investigated. All four ligands monotonically slowed the dissociation, with the order of potency gallamine > TMB-8 > THA > obidoxime. There was a dramatic difference in the efficacy of these allosteric modulators. Gallamine, TMB-8, and THA slowed the dissociation of N-methylscopolamine by > 90% at maximally effective concentrations, whereas obidoxime was capable of slowing it by only about 50%. In a manner analogous to the action of a partial agonist, obidoxime was able to partially reverse the effects of the other three modulators. Furthermore, the concentration-dependent effects of combinations of obidoxime and gallamine were in good agreement with the model of competitive interaction between these two ligands. These results provide the first evidence that two muscarinic allosteric modulators interact competitively at a well defined site.

Allosteric Regulation

A novel GABAA antagonist [3H]SR 95531: microscopic analysis of binding in the rat brain and allosteric modulation by several benzodiazepine and barbiturate receptor ligands.

Recent reports have demonstrated that the synthetic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-derivative, SR 95531 [2-(3'-carbethoxy-2'-propyl)-3-amino-6-paramethoxy-phenyl-pyrid azinium bromide], possesses selective GABAA antagonistic properties. Because of its potency for recognition of GABAA sites, this agent has been used to identify GABAA receptors. In the present investigation, we studied the binding of [3H]SR 95531 to tissue sections of rat brain using microscopic analysis of receptor localization. The appropriate binding conditions for defining GABAA receptors with this radioligand were obtained by determining the dissociation and association kinetics, and performing saturation and displacement studies. Using membrane preparations from whole rat brain (or brain regions representing cortex, striatum, hippocampus, midbrain-thalamus, medulla-pons and cerebellum), saturation and displacement studies were analyzed, and allosteric modulation of [3H]SR 95531 binding was examined by including several benzodiazepine and barbiturate receptor ligands in the incubation media. To assess the stereoselective properties of [3H]SR 95531 binding in rat membranes, numerous barbiturates were added during the incubation. The binding of [3H]SR 95531 was demonstrated to be saturable, specific and to bind with relatively high affinity to low-affinity GABAA sites. Scatchard analysis performed on saturation data of binding to tissue sections showed a dissociation constant (KD) of 42.4 nM and a maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) of 105.8 fmol/mg tissue. Microscopic analysis showed that intermediate to high densities of [3H]SR 95531 binding occurred in brain regions containing intermediate to high densities of low-affinity GABAA receptor sites. The binding of [3H]SR 95531 to membranes also appeared to occur at low-affinity GABAA sites. Results from competition studies demonstrated that [3H]SR 95531 is displaceable by GABAA agents and displaced preferentially by GABAA antagonists. Scatchard analysis of saturation experiments from membrane preparations indicated that the KD and Bmax from the centrifugation assay was 53.0 nM and 4.26 pmol/mg protein, respectively. Using the filtration assay, binding to membranes yielded a KD value of 45.6 nM and a Bmax of 0.77 pmol/mg protein. The allosteric modulation data demonstrated that numerous benzodiazepine and barbiturate agents inhibited [3H]SR 95531 binding and this varied according to brain region. Several barbiturates included in the incubation media exhibited a stereoselective inhibition of [3H]SR 95531 binding to whole rat brain membranes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Allosteric Regulation

DNA allosterically modulates the steroid binding domain of the estrogen receptor.

The ability of DNA to allosterically alter the conformation of the estrogen receptor's (ER) steroid binding domain was investigated. Using dissociation kinetics we observed that when DNA was bound to the DNA binding domain of the rat uterine ER the rate of estrogen dissociation from the steroid binding domain increased almost 2-fold. This change in the rate of estrogen dissociation depended on the concentration of DNA used and correlated with the thermodynamic binding affinities (Kd) of the ER for two different DNA sequences. We were unable to detect a DNA-induced change in the trypsin cleavage pattern of the amino terminal end of the ER. Using a whole cell dissociation kinetic assay with MCF-7 breast cancer cells we observed a 7-fold slower rate of estrogen dissociation from the ER within the cell than from the ER in vitro. This suggests that additional factors, other than DNA binding, may modify the steroid binding domain within the cell. We conclude that DNA can allosterically modulate the structure of the steroid binding domain of the ER, and we hypothesize that this conformational change may be necessary for the full transcriptional activity of the ER.

Allosteric Regulation

Kinetic mechanism of Ascaris suum phosphofructokinase desensitized to allosteric modulation by diethylpyrocarbonate modification.

The kinetic mechanism of phosphofructokinase has been determined at pH 8 for native enzyme and pH 6.8 for an enzyme desensitized to allosteric modulation by diethylpyrocarbonate modification. In both cases, the mechanism is predominantly steady state ordered with MgATP binding first in the direction of fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) phosphorylation and rapid equilibrium random in the direction of MgADP phosphorylation. This is a unique kinetic mechanism for a phosphofructokinase. Product inhibition by MgADP is competitive versus MgATP and noncompetitive versus F6P while fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) is competitive versus fructose 6-phosphate and uncompetitive versus MgATP. The uncompetitive pattern obtained versus F6P is indicative of a dead-end E.MgATP.FBP complex. Fructose 6-phosphate is noncompetitive versus either FBP or MgADP. Dead-end inhibition by arabinose 5-phosphate or 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol 6-phosphate is uncompetitive versus MgATP corroborating the ordered addition of MgATP prior to F6P. In the direction of MgADP phosphorylation, inhibition by anhydromannitol 1,6-bisphosphate is noncompetitive versus MgADP, while Mg-adenosine 5'(beta, gamma-methylene)triphosphate is noncompetitive versus FBP. Anhydromannitol 6-phosphate is a slow substrate, while anhydroglucitol 6-phosphate is not. This suggests that the enzyme exhibits beta-anomeric specificity.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Co-localization and co-release of GABA and putative allosteric modulators of GABA receptor.

Diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) belongs to a family of newly discovered neuropeptides that, when acting on the benzodiazepine/beta-carboline recognition site, provide an allosteric modulation of the function of GABAA receptor. The molecular size of DBI (10K Da) and its amino acid sequence characteristics are compatible with the view that this polypeptide can function as a precursor of smaller biologically active neuropeptides. In neurons of the cerebral cortex of the neonatal rat, in primary culture, DBI coexists with at least 4 different processing products. These peptides immunoreact with an antiserum directed against a biologically active octadecaneuropeptide (ODN) amino acid sequence of which (QATVGDVNTDRPGLLDLK) is included in the middle portion of the amino acid sequence of DBI. One of the immunoreactive peptides extracted from neurons has a retention time in high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) identical to that of synthetic ODN. Double immunofluorescence staining of the cultured neurons with glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and antibodies for ODN indicates that ODN and ODN-like peptides are localized with GABA in 58% of the GAD-positive neurons. Moreover, the proportion of the neuronal stores of GABA, ODN, DBI-like peptides and DBI that are released together following depolarization with veratridine is similar. These experiments provide evidence to suggest that ODN, ODN-like peptides derived from DBI, might participate as putative neuromodulators of physiological significance in changing the probability that a quantum of GABA opens specific chloride (Cl-) channels located on post-synaptic cell membranes.

Amino Acid Sequence

Ultrasensitivity and heavy-metal selectivity of the allosterically modulated MerR transcription complex.

The MerR metalloregulatory protein is a heavy-metal receptor that functions as the repressor and Hg(II)-responsive transcription activator of the prokaryotic mercury-resistance (mer) genes. We demonstrate that this allosterically modulated regulatory protein is sensitive to HgCl2 concentrations of 1.0 +/- 0.3 x 10(-8) M in the presence of 1.0 x 10(-3) M dithiothreitol for half-maximal induction of transcription of the mer promoter by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase in vitro. Transcription mediated by MerR increases from 10% to 90% of maximum in response to a 7-fold change in concentration of HgCl2, consistent with a threshold phenomenon known as ultrasensitivity. In addition, MerR exhibits a high degree of selectivity. Cd(II), Zn(II), Ag(I), Au(I), and Au(III) have been found to partially stimulate transcription in the presence of MerR, but concentrations at least two to three orders of magnitude greater than for Hg(II) are required. The molecular basis of the ultrasensitivity and selectivity phenomena are postulated to arise from the unusual topology of the transcription complex and a rare trigonal mercuric ion coordination environment, respectively. This mercuric ion-induced switch is to our knowledge the only known example of ultrasensitivity in a signal-responsive transcription mechanism.

Allosteric Regulation

The hydrophobic tryptic core of the porcine alpha 2-adrenergic receptor retains allosteric modulation of binding by Na+, H+, and 5-amino-substituted amiloride analogs.

Extensive trypsinization of the purified alpha 2-adrenergic receptor and repurification by wheat germ agglutinin-agarose chromatography yields an adrenergic ligand-binding hydrophobic core of the receptor. Allosteric modulation of adrenergic ligand binding by Na+, H+, and 5-amino-substituted analogs of amiloride is quantitatively retained in this core, as assessed by the ability of these agents to accelerate the rate of [3H] yohimbine dissociation from the adrenergic ligand-binding site. These findings refine our understanding of where within the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor structure these allosteric agents bind and, for the effects of Na+ and H+, allow certain predictions to be made as to which carboxylic acid side chains are probable candidates for participation in a monovalent cation-binding pocket within the hydrophobic tryptic core of the receptor.

Allosteric Regulation

Allosteric modulation by benzodiazepine receptor ligands of the GABAA receptor channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

Chick brain mRNA was isolated and injected into Xenopus oocytes. This led to the expression in the surface membrane of functional GABA-activated channels with properties reminiscent of vertebrate GABAA channels. The GABA-induced current was analyzed quantitatively under voltage-clamp conditions. Picrotoxin inhibited this current in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 = 0.6 microM. The allosteric modulation of GABA currents by a number of drugs acting at the benzodiazepine binding site was characterized quantitatively. In the presence of the benzodiazepine receptor ligands diazepam and clorazepate, GABA responses were enhanced, and in the presence of the convulsant beta-carboline compound methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM), they were depressed. Maximal stimulation of the response elicited by 10 microM GABA was 160% with diazepam and 90% with clorazepate, and maximal inhibition was 42% with DMCM, 30% with methyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCM), 15% with ethyl-8-fluoro-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazo [1,5a][1,4]benzodiazepine-3-carboxylate (Ro 15-1788), and 12% with ethyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCE). Half-maximal stimulation was observed with 20 nM diazepam and 390 nM clorazepate, respectively, and half-maximal inhibition with 6 nM DMCM. beta-CCM had a similar effect to DMCM, whereas beta-CCE and Ro 15-1788 showed only small inhibition at low concentrations (less than 1 microM). All the tested carboline compounds and Ro 15-1788 showed a biphasic action and stimulated GABA current at concentrations higher than 1 microM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Phenylquinolines PK 8165 and PK 9084 allosterically modulate [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding to a chloride ionophore in rat brain via a novel Ro5 4864 binding site.

The binding of the cage convulsant, [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([35S]TBPS), to a picrotoxin-sensitive site in rat cerebral cortical homogenates was used to identify and characterize the site of action of the phenylquinolines PK 8165 and PK 9084, the isoquinoline PK 11195 and the atypical benzodiazepine (BZ) Ro5 4864. These agents were found to allosterically modulate the binding of 2 nM [35S]TBPS in a pharmacologically relevant fashion. Evidence is presented to suggest that these compounds share a common site of action as modulators of [35S]TBPS binding. The relative potencies of these compounds in vitro are in the submicromolar to micromolar concentration range and correlate well with the concentrations reported to elicit specific responses in behavioral and electrophysiologic studies. Modulation of [35S]TBPS binding in vitro is affected by micromolar quantities of gamma-aminobutyric acid in a (+)-bicuculline-sensitive fashion and is unaffected by the central BZ receptor "antagonist" Ro15 1788. Collectively, the evidence presented suggests the existence of a novel drug binding site that is functionally coupled to a gamma-aminobutyric acid-A receptor and a [35S]TBPS-labeled chloride ionophore. Moreover, this site is distinct from the central BZ receptor recognized by clonazepam and the high-affinity peripheral BZ binding site labeled by [3H] Ro5 4864. The hypothesis is proposed that the novel "Ro5 4864 site" identified in the present study is a functionally relevant binding site that mediates some of the pharmacologic effects of Ro5 4864, PK 8165, PK 9084 and PK 11195 in the mammalian central nervous system.

Animals

Differences in the negative allosteric modulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors elicited by 4'-chlorodiazepam and by a beta-carboline-3-carboxylate ester: a study with natural and reconstituted receptors.

Cl- currents elicited by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) application were recorded with the whole-cell tight-seal technique from voltage-clamped cortical neurons of neonatal rats in primary culture. The peripheral benzodiazepine recognition site ligand 4'-chlorodiazepam [Ro 5-4864; 7-chloro-1,3-dihydro-1-methyl-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2H-[1,4]-benzodiazep in-2- one] inhibited the GABA-generated currents in a dose-dependent manner. Also, a beta-carboline (DMCM; 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate methyl ester), acting as a negative allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors, reduced the intensity of GABA-generated currents with similar efficacy but greater potency. Flumazenil (Ro 15-1788; 8-fluro-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazo-[1,5-a] [1,4]-benzodiazepine-3-carboxylate ethyl ester) antagonized DMCM inhibition but not that elicited by 4'-chlorodiazepam. The isoquinoline carboxamide PK 11195, an antagonist of 4'-chlorodiazepam effects in other systems, failed to antagonize the action of 4'-chlorodiazepam. The transient expression of various molecular forms of GABAA receptors in the human embryonic kidney cell line 293 allowed a study of the minimal structural requirements for the inhibition of GABA-induced Cl- currents by bicuculline, picrotoxin, 4'-chlorodiazepam, and DMCM. GABA-elicited Cl- currents in cells coexpressing alpha 1 and beta 1 subunits of GABAA receptors were inhibited by bicuculline and picrotoxin, but not by DMCM or 4'-chlorodiazepam. Conversely, the GABA currents in cells coexpressing alpha 1 beta 1 and gamma 2 subunits were inhibited by bicuculline, picrotoxin, 4'-chlorodiazepam, and DMCM. Since the Cl- currents generated by GABA in some molecular forms of GABAA receptors are inhibited by bicuculline and picrotoxin only, 4'-chlorodiazepam cannot be acting isosterically with picrotoxin.

Animals

Allosteric modulation of Leishmania donovani plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase by endogenous calmodulin.

The plasma membrane of the human pathogen Leishmania donovani possesses a high-affinity transmembrane Ca(2+)-ATPase that has its catalytic site oriented toward the cytoplasmic milieu (Ghosh, J., Ray, M., Sarkar, S., and Bhaduri, A. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 11345-11351). When the enzyme is studied in its more authentic, physiologically relevant, membrane-associated form, it exhibits pronounced sigmoidal kinetics with Ca2+ (K0.5 approximately 700 nM) in a trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid buffering system that effectively complexes all available Mg2+. Addition of exogenous Mg2+ (60 microM) completely abolishes sigmoidicity and establishes strictly hyperbolic kinetics, and the Km for Ca2+ reduces to 100 nM. Mg2+ can be replaced by heterologous calmodulin. The exclusive dependence of the enzyme on only Ca2+ for its activity and its positive allosteric modulation by Mg2+ distinguish this enzyme from other well-characterized plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPases. Employing this Ca(2+)-ATPase as the assay system, a soluble endogenous activating protein factor was purified that, by several criteria, corresponds to authentic calmodulin. The parasite calmodulin shifts the kinetics to hyperbolic kinetics, increases the Vmax 2-fold, and most important lowers the Km (approximately 100 nM) to a physiological level. The interaction with endogenous calmodulin thus converts the enzyme from a totally inactive to a fully active state.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Cloning, sequencing, and expression of the gene encoding the porcine alpha 2-adrenergic receptor. Allosteric modulation by Na+, H+, and amiloride analogs.

The gene for an alpha 2-adrenergic receptor has been cloned from a porcine genomic library, using as a probe a 0.95-kilobase Pst fragment of the gene for the human platelet alpha 2-adrenergic receptor. The identity of the cloned porcine gene was confirmed initially on the basis of partial amino acid sequence information obtained following cyanogen bromide digestion of homogeneous preparations of porcine brain alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. The deduced amino acid sequence for the porcine receptor, when compared to other members of the family of guanine nucleotide-binding protein-coupled receptors, shares the same overall structural characteristics and most closely resembles the human platelet C10 alpha 2-adrenergic receptor (greater than 93% homology). The putative porcine alpha 2-receptor gene was expressed in the COS-M6 cell line. Transfected cells display saturable [3H]yohimbine binding. The KD for [3H]yohimbine, determined in digitonin-solubilized preparations, is 5.8 nM. The selectivity of agonists and antagonists in competing for [3H]yohimbine binding to membranes prepared from the transfected cells is characteristic of the alpha 2A subtype of adrenergic receptors. The porcine alpha 2-receptor also was expressed permanently in LLC-PK1 porcine kidney cells at a level of 100 pmol/mg protein. The alpha 2-agonist UK14304 is able to attenuate forskolin or vasopressin-stimulated cAMP accumulation by at least 50% in these cells. Allosteric modulation of [3H] yohimbine binding by Na+, H+, and 5-amino-substituted analogs of amiloride also was demonstrated for the alpha 2-receptor expressed in COS-M6 cells. Moreover, these modulatory effects were quantitatively similar to those observed for homogeneous preparations of the alpha 2-receptor purified from porcine brain cortex. Retention of the effects of cations and amiloride analogs in transiently expressed alpha 2-receptors supports the interpretation that the allosteric sites for these agents reside in the alpha 2-receptor molecule itself.

Allosteric Regulation