Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modification of calmodulin function by enzymatic carboxyl methylation

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

Calmodulin is a ubiquitous calcium-binding protein that regulates a variety of enzymes such as adenylate cyclase, cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, ATPase and protein kinase (for review see ref. 1). So far, no enzymatic modification of calmodulin has been shown to affect its function. Another ubiquitous protein, the enzyme protein-carboxyl methylase (PCM), modifies proteins post-translationally by methylating their free carboxyl groups and thus neutralizing negative charges2–6. This enzyme is one of three elements of the protein-carboxyl methylation system; the two others are the substrates, the methyl acceptor proteins (MAP) and the demethylating enzyme, protein methylesterase (PME)7. We report here that calmodulin is an exceptionally good substrate for PCM and that the enzymatic post-translational methylation of calmodulin inhibits its stimulatory effect on cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. Furthermore, we present evidence that carboxyl methylation of calmodulin occurs in intact cells.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cheung, W. Y. Science 207, 19–27 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Liss, M., Maxam, A. M. & Cuprak, L. J. J. biol. Chem. 244, 1617–1622 (1969).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Kim, S. & Paik, W. K. J. biol. Chem. 245, 1806–1813 (1970).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Kim, S. & Paik, W. K. Biochemistry 10, 3141–3145 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Morin, A. M. & Liss, M. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 52, 373–378 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kim, S. Archs Biochem. Biophys. 157, 476–484 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Gagnon, C. & Heisler, S. Life Sci. 25, 993–1000 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Watterson, D. M., Harrilson, W. G. Jr, Keller, P. M., Sharief, F. & Vanaman, T. C. J. biol. Chem. 251, 4501–4513 (1976).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Gagnon, C. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 88, 847–853 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Diliberto, E. J. Jr & Axelrod, J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71, 1701–1704 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Kim, S. & Paik, W. K. Experientia 32, 982–984 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gagnon, C., Viveros, O. H., Diliberto, E. J. Jr & Axelrod, J. J. biol Chem. 353, 3778–3781 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kincaid, R. L., Manganiello, V. C. & Vaughan, M. J. biol. Chem. 254, 4970–4973 (1979).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. O'Dea, R. F. et al. Nature 272, 462–464 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Venkatasubramanian, K. et al. Molec. Immun. 17, 201–207 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L. & Randall, R. J. J. biol. Chem. 193, 265–275 (1951).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sharma, R. K. & Wang, J. H. in Advances in Cyclic Nucleotide Research (eds Brooker, G., Greengard, P. & Robinson, G. A.) 187–198 (Raven, New York, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Jamieson, G. A. & Vanaman, T. C. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 90, 1048–1056 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Van Eldik, L. J., Grossman, A. R., Iverson, D. B. & Watterson, D. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 1912–1916 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, Canada, G1K 7P4

    Claude Gagnon & Susan Kelly

  2. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, 20205, USA

    Vincent Manganiello, Martha Vaughan & Charles Odya

  3. National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20205, USA

    Warren Strittmatter, Andrew Hoffman & Fusao Hirata

Authors
  1. Claude Gagnon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Susan Kelly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vincent Manganiello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Martha Vaughan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Charles Odya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Warren Strittmatter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Andrew Hoffman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Fusao Hirata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gagnon, C., Kelly, S., Manganiello, V. et al. Modification of calmodulin function by enzymatic carboxyl methylation. Nature 291, 515–516 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/291515a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/291515a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation