Dissociation of RalA from synaptic membranes by Ca2+/calmodulin

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1999 Oct 5;263(3):765-9. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1999.1463.

Abstract

Ras-related small GTP-binding proteins execute many cellular functions, such as cell growth, differentiation, cytoskeletal reorganization, membrane trafficking, and membrane fusion. RalA belongs to the superfamily of Ras-related small GTP-binding proteins. Synaptic vesicles (SV) contain small GTP-binding proteins, where RalA, Rab3A, and Rab5A are the major GTP-binding proteins. It has been postulated that a cycling of these proteins between membrane-bound and soluble states is required for regulating cellular functions. Calmodulin (CaM) was found to dissociate Rab3A from SV membranes by forming a 1:1 complex with Ca2+/CaM. RalA was also found to be a Ca2+/CaM-binding protein. Therefore, we examined if Ca2+/CaM can also cause the RalA to dissociate from SV membranes. In this study, we identified that Ca2+/CaM dissociates RalA as well as Rab3A from synaptic vesicles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Calcium / pharmacology*
  • Calmodulin / isolation & purification
  • Calmodulin / pharmacology*
  • Cattle
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / drug effects
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / metabolism*
  • Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors / isolation & purification
  • Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Membrane Fusion
  • Rats
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Synaptic Membranes / drug effects
  • Synaptic Membranes / metabolism*
  • Synaptosomes / metabolism*
  • rab3A GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rab3A GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism*
  • rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • ral GTP-Binding Proteins*

Substances

  • Calmodulin
  • GDP dissociation inhibitor 1
  • Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Inhibitors
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases
  • Rala protein, rat
  • rab3A GTP-Binding Protein
  • rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins
  • ral GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Calcium