Skip to main content

The STIM-Orai Pathway

Orai, the Pore-Forming Subunit of the CRAC Channel

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) pathways
  • 688 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the Orai proteins, Orai1-3 in humans and other mammals, and on the definitive evidence that Orai is the pore subunit of the CRAC channel. It starts by reviewing briefly the defining characteristics of the CRAC channel, then discusses the first studies that implicated Orai as part of the store-operated Ca2+ entry pathway and as the CRAC channel pore subunit, and finally examines some insights from cell biological and electrophysiological studies of recombinant Orai proteins.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aussel C, Marhaba R, Pelassy C, Breittmayer JP (1996) Submicromolar La3+ concentrations block the calcium release-activated channel, and impair CD69 and CD25 expression in CD3- or thapsigargin-activated jurkat cells. Biochem J 313:909–913

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bakowski D, Parekh AB (2002) Monovalent cation permeability and Ca2+ block of the store-operated Ca2+ current ICRAC in rat basophilic leukemia cells. Pflugers Arch 443:892–902

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calloway N, Vig M, Kinet JP, Holowka D, Baird B (2009) Molecular clustering of STIM1 with Orai1/CRACM1 at the plasma membrane depends dynamically on depletion of Ca2+ stores and on electrostatic interactions. Mol Biol Cell 20:389–399

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeHaven WI, Smyth JT, Boyles RR, Putney JW Jr (2007) Calcium inhibition and calcium potentiation of Orai1, Orai2, and Orai3 calcium release-activated calcium channels. J Biol Chem 282:17548–17556

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeHaven WI, Smyth JT, Boyles RR, Bird GS, Putney JW Jr (2008) Complex actions of 2-aminoethyldiphenyl borate on store-operated calcium entry. J Biol Chem 283:19265–19273

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Derler I, Fahrner M, Carugo O, Muik M, Bergsmann J, Schindl R, Frischauf I, Eshaghi S, Romanin C (2009a) Increased hydrophobicity at the N terminus/membrane interface impairs gating of the severe combined immunodeficiency-related ORAI1 mutant. J Biol Chem 284:15903–15915

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Derler I, Fahrner M, Muik M, Lackner B, Schindl R, Groschner K, Romanin C (2009b) A Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) modulatory domain (CMD) within STIM1 mediates fast Ca2+-dependent inactivation of ORAI1 channels. J Biol Chem 284:24933–24938

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ellinor PT, Yang J, Sather WA, Zhang JF, Tsien RW (1995) Ca2+ channel selectivity at a single locus for high-affinity Ca2+ interactions. Neuron 15:1121–1132

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feske S, Gwack Y, Prakriya M, Srikanth S, Puppel SH, Tanasa B, Hogan PG, Lewis RS, Daly M, Rao A (2006) A mutation in Orai1 causes immune deficiency by abrogating CRAC channel function. Nature 441:179–185

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feske S, Picard C, Fischer A (2010) Immunodeficiency due to mutations in ORAI1 and STIM1. Clin Immunol 135:169–182

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fierro L, Parekh AB (1999) Fast calcium-dependent inactivation of calcium release-activated calcium current (CRAC) in RBL-1 cells. J Membr Biol 168:9–17

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frischauf I, Muik M, Derler I, Bergsmann J, Fahrner M, Schindl R, Groschner K, Romanin C (2009) Molecular determinants of the coupling between STIM1 and Orai channels: differential activation of Orai1-3 channels by a STIM1 coiled-coil mutant. J Biol Chem 284:21696–21706

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frischauf I, Schindl R, Bergsmann J, Derler I, Fahrner M, Muik M, Fritsch R, Lackner B, Groschner K, Romanin C (2011) Cooperativeness of Orai cytosolic domains tunes subtype-specific gating. J Biol Chem 286:8577–8584

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gwack Y, Srikanth S, Feske S, Cruz-Guilloty F, Oh-hora M, Neems DS, Hogan PG, Rao A (2007) Biochemical and functional characterization of Orai proteins. J Biol Chem 282:16232–16243

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gwack Y, Srikanth S, Oh-Hora M, Hogan PG, Lamperti ED, Yamashita M, Gelinas C, Neems DS, Sasaki Y, Feske S, Prakriya M, Rajewsky K, Rao A (2008) Hair loss and defective T- and B-cell function in mice lacking ORAI1. Mol Cell Biol 28:5209–5222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hogan PG (2012) STIM1-ORAI1 store-operated calcium current. Chapter 6.24 in Egelman E (ed) Comprehensive Biophysics. Elsevier, Amsterdam, in press

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogan PG, Lewis RS, Rao A (2010) Molecular basis of calcium signaling in lymphocytes: STIM and ORAI. Annu Rev Immunol 28:491–533

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoth M, Penner R (1992) Depletion of intracellular calcium stores activates a calcium current in mast cells. Nature 355:353–356

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoth M, Penner R (1993) Calcium release-activated calcium current in rat mast cells. J Physiol 465:359–386

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ji W, Xu P, Li Z, Lu J, Liu L, Zhan Y, Chen Y, Hille B, Xu T, Chen L (2008) Functional stoichiometry of the unitary calcium-release-activated calcium channel. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:13668–13673

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee KP, Yuan JP, Zeng W, So I, Worley PF, Muallem S (2009) Molecular determinants of fast Ca2+-dependent inactivation and gating of the orai channels. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:14687–14692

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepple-Wienhues A, Cahalan MD (1996) Conductance and permeation of monovalent cations through depletion-activated Ca2+ channels (ICRAC) in Jurkat T cells. Biophys J 71:787–794

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis RS, Cahalan MD (1989) Mitogen-induced oscillations of cytosolic Ca2+ and transmembrane Ca2+ current in human leukemic T cells. Cell Regul 1:99–112

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li Z, Lu J, Xu P, Xie X, Chen L, Xu T (2007) Mapping the interacting domains of STIM1 and Orai1 in Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel activation. J Biol Chem 282:29448–29456

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lis A, Peinelt C, Beck A, Parvez S, Monteilh-Zoller M, Fleig A, Penner R (2007) CRACM1, CRACM2, and CRACM3 are store-operated Ca2+ channels with distinct functional properties. Curr Biol 17:794–800

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luik RM, Wu MM, Buchanan J, Lewis RS (2006) The elementary unit of store-operated Ca2+ entry: local activation of CRAC channels by STIM1 at ER-plasma membrane junctions. J Cell Biol 174:815–825

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madl J, Weghuber J, Fritsch R, Derler I, Fahrner M, Frischauf I, Lackner B, Romanin C, Schütz GJ (2010) Resting state Orai1 diffuses as homotetramer in the plasma membrane of live mammalian cells. J Biol Chem 285:41135–41142

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maruyama Y, Ogura T, Mio K, Kato K, Kaneko T, Kiyonaka S, Mori Y, Sato C (2009) Tetrameric Orai1 is a teardrop-shaped molecule with a long, tapered cytoplasmic domain. J Biol Chem 284:13676–13685

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McCarl CA, Picard C, Khalil S, Kawasaki T, Röther J, Papolos A, Kutok J, Hivroz C, Ledeist F, Plogmann K, Ehl S, Notheis G, Albert MH, Belohradsky BH, Kirschner J, Rao A, Fischer A, Feske S (2009) ORAI1 deficiency and lack of store-operated Ca2+ entry cause immunodeficiency, myopathy, and ectodermal dysplasia. J Allergy Clin Immunol 124:1311–1318

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McDonald TV, Premack BA, Gardner P (1993) Flash photolysis of caged inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate activates plasma membrane calcium current in human T cells. J Biol Chem 268:3889–3896

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McNally BA, Yamashita M, Engh A, Prakriya M (2009) Structural determinants of ion permeation in CRAC channels. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:22516–22521

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mercer JC, Dehaven WI, Smyth JT, Wedel B, Boyles RR, Bird GS, Putney JW Jr (2006) Large store-operated calcium selective currents due to co-expression of Orai1 or Orai2 with the intracellular calcium sensor, Stim1. J Biol Chem 281:24979–24990

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mignen O, Thompson JL, Shuttleworth TJ (2008a) Both Orai1 and Orai3 are essential components of the arachidonate-regulated Ca2+-selective (ARC) channels. J Physiol 586:185–195

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mignen O, Thompson JL, Shuttleworth TJ (2008b) Orai1 subunit stoichiometry of the mammalian CRAC channel pore. J Physiol 586:419–425

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mignen O, Thompson JL, Shuttleworth TJ (2009) The molecular architecture of the arachidonate-regulated Ca2+-selective ARC channel is a pentameric assembly of Orai1 and Orai3 subunits. J Physiol 587:4181–4197

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Motiani RK, Abdullaev IF, Trebak M (2010) A novel native store-operated calcium channel encoded by Orai3: selective requirement of Orai3 versus Orai1 in estrogen receptor-positive versus estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cells. J Biol Chem 285:19173–19183

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muik M, Frischauf I, Derler I, Fahrner M, Bergsmann J, Eder P, Schindl R, Hesch C, Polzinger B, Fritsch R, Kahr H, Madl J, Gruber H, Groschner K, Romanin C (2008) Dynamic coupling of the putative coiled-coil domain of ORAI1 with STIM1 mediates ORAI1 channel activation. J Biol Chem 283:8014–8022

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mullins FM, Park CY, Dolmetsch RE, Lewis RS (2009) STIM1 and calmodulin interact with Orai1 to induce Ca2+-dependent inactivation of CRAC channels. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:15495–15500

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Navarro-Borelly L, Somasundaram A, Yamashita M, Ren D, Miller RJ, Prakriya M (2008) STIM1-Orai1 interactions and Orai1 conformational changes revealed by live-cell FRET microscopy. J Physiol 586:5383–5401

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Parekh AB, Putney JW Jr (2005) Store-operated calcium channels. Physiol Rev 85:757–810

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park CY, Hoover PJ, Mullins FM, Bachhawat P, Covington ED, Raunser S, Walz T, Garcia KC, Dolmetsch RE, Lewis RS (2009) STIM1 clusters and activates CRAC channels via direct binding of a cytosolic domain to Orai1. Cell 136:876–890

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peinelt C, Vig M, Koomoa DL, Beck A, Nadler MJ, Koblan-Huberson M, Lis A, Fleig A, Penner R, Kinet JP (2006) Amplification of CRAC current by STIM1 and CRACM1 (Orai1). Nat Cell Biol 8:771–773

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peinelt C, Lis A, Beck A, Fleig A, Penner R (2008) 2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate directly facilitates and indirectly inhibits STIM1-dependent gating of CRAC channels. J Physiol 586:3061–3073

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Penna A, Demuro A, Yeromin AV, Zhang SL, Safrina O, Parker I, Cahalan MD (2008) The CRAC channel consists of a tetramer formed by Stim-induced dimerization of Orai dimers. Nature 456:116–120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prakriya M, Lewis RS (2001) Potentiation and inhibition of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channels by 2-aminoethyldiphenyl borate (2-APB) occurs independently of IP(3) receptors. J Physiol 536:3–19

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prakriya M, Lewis RS (2006) Regulation of CRAC channel activity by recruitment of silent channels to a high open-probability gating mode. J Gen Physiol 128:373–386

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prakriya M, Feske S, Gwack Y, Srikanth S, Rao A, Hogan PG (2006) Orai1 is an essential pore subunit of the CRAC channel. Nature 443:230–233

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ross PE, Cahalan MD (1995) Ca2+ influx pathways mediated by swelling or stores depletion in mouse thymocytes. J Gen Physiol 106:415–444

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schindl R, Bergsmann J, Frischauf I, Derler I, Fahrner M, Muik M, Fritsch R, Groschner K, Romanin C (2008) 2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate alters selectivity of Orai3 channels by increasing their pore size. J Biol Chem 283:20261–20267

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scrimgeour N, Litjens T, Ma L, Barritt GJ, Rychkov GY (2009) Properties of Orai1 mediated store-operated current depend on the expression levels of STIM1 and Orai1 proteins. J Physiol 587:2903–2918

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soboloff J, Spassova MA, Tang XD, Hewavitharana T, Xu W, Gill DL (2006) Orai1 and STIM reconstitute store-operated calcium channel function. J Biol Chem 281:20661–20665

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spassova MA, Hewavitharana T, Fandino RA, Kaya A, Tanaka J, Gill DL (2008) Voltage gating at the selectivity filter of the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel induced by mutation of the Orai1 protein. J Biol Chem 283:14938–14945

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srikanth S, Jung HJ, Ribalet B, Gwack Y (2010a) The intracellular loop of Orai1 plays a central role in fast inactivation of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channels. J Biol Chem 285:5066–5075

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srikanth S, Jung HJ, Kim KD, Souda P, Whitelegge J, Gwack Y (2010b) A novel EF-hand protein, CRACR2A, is a cytosolic Ca2+ sensor that stabilizes CRAC channels in T cells. Nat Cell Biol 12:436–446

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vig M, Peinelt C, Beck A, Koomoa DL, Rabah D, Koblan-Huberson M, Kraft S, Turner H, Fleig A, Penner R, Kinet JP (2006a) CRACM1 is a plasma membrane protein essential for store-operated Ca2+ entry. Science 312:1220–1223

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vig M, Beck A, Billingsley JM, Lis A, Parvez S, Peinelt C, Koomoa DL, Soboloff J, Gill DL, Fleig A, Kinet JP, Penner R (2006b) CRACM1 multimers form the ion-selective pore of the CRAC channel. Curr Biol 16:2073–2079

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vig M, DeHaven WI, Bird GS, Billingsley JM, Wang H, Rao PE, Hutchings AB, Jouvin MH, Putney JW, Kinet JP (2008) Defective mast cell effector functions in mice lacking the CRACM1 pore subunit of store-operated calcium release-activated calcium channels. Nat Immunol 9:89–96

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu P, Lu J, Li Z, Yu X, Chen L, Xu T (2006) Aggregation of STIM1 underneath the plasma membrane induces clustering of Orai1. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 350:969–976

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamashita M, Navarro-Borelly L, McNally BA, Prakriya M (2007) Orai1 mutations alter ion permeation and Ca2+-dependent fast inactivation of CRAC channels: evidence for coupling of permeation and gating. J Gen Physiol 130:525–540

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang J, Ellinor PT, Sather WA, Zhang JF, Tsien RW (1993) Molecular determinants of Ca2+ selectivity and ion permeation in L-type Ca2+ channels. Nature 366:158–161

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yeromin AV, Zhang SL, Jiang W, Yu Y, Safrina O, Cahalan MD (2006) Molecular identification of the CRAC channel by altered ion selectivity in a mutant of Orai. Nature 443:226–229

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang SL, Yeromin AV, Zhang XH, Yu Y, Safrina O, Penna A, Roos J, Stauderman KA, Cahalan MD (2006) Genome-wide RNAi screen of Ca(2+) influx identifies genes that regulate Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103:9357–9362

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang SL, Kozak JA, Jiang W, Yeromin AV, Chen J, Yu Y, Penna A, Shen W, Chi V, Cahalan MD (2008) Store-dependent and -independent modes regulating Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel activity of human Orai1 and Orai3. J Biol Chem 283:17662–17671

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Y, Meraner P, Kwon HT, Machnes D, Oh-hora M, Zimmer J, Huang Y, Stura A, Rao A, Hogan PG (2010a) STIM1 gates the store-operated calcium channel ORAI1 in vitro. Nat Struct Mol Biol 17:112–116

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Y, Ramachandran S, Oh-Hora M, Rao A, Hogan PG (2010b) Pore architecture of the ORAI1 store-operated calcium channel. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107:4896–4901

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zweifach A, Lewis RS (1993) Mitogen-regulated Ca2+ current of T lymphocytes is activated by depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90:6295–6299

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zweifach A, Lewis RS (1995) Rapid inactivation of depletion-activated calcium current (ICRAC) due to local calcium feedback. J Gen Physiol 105:209–226

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick G. Hogan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Wien

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hogan, P.G. (2012). The STIM-Orai Pathway. In: Groschner, K., Graier, W., Romanin, C. (eds) Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) pathways. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-0962-5_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics