A caldesmon peptide activates smooth muscle via a mechanism similar to ERK-mediated phosphorylation

FEBS Lett. 2006 Jan 9;580(1):63-6. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2005.11.047. Epub 2005 Dec 6.

Abstract

Caldesmon (CaD) is thought to regulate smooth muscle contraction, because it binds actin and inhibits actomyosin interactions. A synthetic actin-binding peptide (GS17C) corresponding to Gly666-Ser682 of chicken gizzard CaD has been shown to induce force development in permeabilized smooth muscle cells. The mechanism of GS17C's action remains unclear, although a structural effect was postulated. By photo-crosslinking and fluorescence quenching experiments with a gizzard CaD fragment (H32K; Met563-Pro771) and its mutants, we showed that GS17C indeed dissociated the C-terminal region of H32K from actin, in a manner similar to extracellular signal-regulated kinase-mediated phosphorylation, thereby reversing the CaD-imposed inhibition and enabling the actomyosin interaction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actomyosin / chemistry
  • Actomyosin / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / chemistry*
  • Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calmodulin-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Chickens / metabolism*
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / chemistry*
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / metabolism
  • Gizzard, Avian / chemistry*
  • Gizzard, Avian / metabolism
  • Muscle Contraction / physiology
  • Muscle, Smooth / chemistry*
  • Muscle, Smooth / metabolism
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Binding
  • Rabbits

Substances

  • Calmodulin-Binding Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Actomyosin
  • Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases