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Molecular simulation assisted identification of Ca2+ binding residues in TMEM16A

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Abstract

Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) play vital roles in a variety of physiological processes. Transmembrane protein 16A (TMEM16A) has been confirmed as the molecular counterpart of CaCCs which greatly pushes the molecular insights of CaCCs forward. However, the detailed mechanism of Ca2+ binding and activating the channel is still obscure. Here, we utilized a combination of computational and electrophysiological approaches to discern the molecular mechanism by which Ca2+ regulates the gating of TMEM16A channels. The simulation results show that the first intracellular loop serves as a Ca2+ binding site including D439, E444 and E447. The experimental results indicate that a novel residue, E447, plays key role in Ca2+ binding. Compared with WT TMEM16A, E447Y produces a 30-fold increase in EC50 of Ca2+ activation and leads to a 100-fold increase in Ca2+ concentrations that is needed to fully activate the channel. The following steered molecular dynamic (SMD) simulation data suggests that the mutations at 447 reduce the Ca2+ dissociation energy. Our results indicated that both the electrical property and the size of the side-chain at residue 447 have significant effects on Ca2+ dependent gating of TMEM16A.

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Acknowledgments

The work is supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China Grants 11175055 to YZ, 113471215 to SZ.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Tianjin, Hebei Province, China

    Chun-Li Pang, Hong-Bo Yuan, Tian-Guang Cao, Ya-Fei Chen, Hui Liu, Hui Yu, Yong Zhan, Hai-Long An & Yue-Bin Han

  2. Institute of Biophysics, School of Sciences, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, China

    Chun-Li Pang, Hong-Bo Yuan, Tian-Guang Cao, Ya-Fei Chen, Hui Liu, Hui Yu, Yong Zhan, Hai-Long An & Yue-Bin Han

  3. School of Sciences, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China

    Ji-Guo Su

  4. Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, Shijiazhuang, China

    Hai-Ling Zhang

  5. The Key Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology for New Drug, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China

    Hai-Ling Zhang

  6. Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China

    Hai-Ling Zhang

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  1. Chun-Li Pang
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  8. Hai-Ling Zhang
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Correspondence to Yong Zhan or Hai-Long An.

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Pang, CL., Yuan, HB., Cao, TG. et al. Molecular simulation assisted identification of Ca2+ binding residues in TMEM16A. J Comput Aided Mol Des 29, 1035–1043 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10822-015-9876-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10822-015-9876-x

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