J. Eisfeld et al., LACK OF INVOLVEMENT OF PROTEIN-KINASE-A PHOSPHORYLATION IN VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT FACILITATION OF THE ACTIVITY OF HUMAN CARDIAC L-TYPE CALCIUM CHANNELS, Biochemical and biophysical research communications, 221(2), 1996, pp. 446-453
Phosphorylation by protein kinase A is thought to be involved in volta
ge-dependent facilitation of calcium channels. Here we have shown that
the subunit complex of a cloned human cardiac calcium channel, expres
sed in Xenopus oocytes, responds to voltage-dependent facilitation by
an approximately 50% increase of the calcium channel peak current. The
removal of all protein kinase A consensus sequences by site-directed
mutagenesis decreased but did not eliminate the response to prepulse f
acilitation. Moreover, Rp-cAMP-S, an inhibitor of protein kinase A, co
uld not prevent facilitation of the mild-type calcium channel currents
. Similarly, AMP-PNP a nonhydrolyzable analog of ATP, while significan
tly decreasing the whole-cell current amplitude, failed to reduce the
response to double-pulse facilitation. Therefore, we conclude that the
voltage-dependent facilitation of cloned calcium channel currents is
not due to enhancement of phosphorylation, but probably to some type o
f voltage-induced conformational change in the channel. (C) 1996 Acade
mic Press, Inc.