Molecular Cloning and Distribution of a Plasma Membrane Calcium ATPase Homolog from the Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata

Plasma membrane calcium ATPase （PMCA） plays a critical role in transporting Ca^2＋ out of the cytosol across the plasma membrane which is essential both in keeping intracellular Ca^2＋ homeostasis and in biomineralization. In this paper we cloned and localized a gene encoding PMCA from the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata. This PMCA shares similarity with other published PMCAs within the functional domains. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis shows that it is expressed ubiquitously. Furthermore, in situ hybridization reveals that it is expressed in the inner epithelial cells of the outer fold and in the outer epithelial cells of the middle fold, as well as the edge near the shell, which suggests that PMCA may be involved in calcified layer formation. The identification and characterization of oyster PMCA can help to further understand the structural and functional properties of molluscan PMCA, as well as the mechanism of maintaining Ca^2＋ homeostasis and the mechanism of mineralization in pearl oyster.

Plasma membrane calcium ATPase 4b inhibits nitric oxide generation through calcium-induced dynamic interaction with neuronal nitric oxide synthase

The activation and deactivation of Ca^(2+)- and calmodulindependent neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the central nervous system must be tightly controlled to prevent excessive nitric oxide (NO) generation. Considering plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA) is a key deactivator of nNOS, the present investigation aims to determine the key events involved in nNOS deactivation of by PMCA in living cells to maintain its cellular context. Using time-resolved Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), we determined the occurrence of Ca^(2+)-induced protein-protein interactions between plasma membrane calcium ATPase 4b (PMCA4b) and nNOS in living cells. PMCA activation significantly decreased the intracellular Ca 2+ concentrations ([Ca^(2+)]_(i)), which deactivates nNOS and slowdowns NO synthesis. Under the basal [Ca^(2+)]_(i) caused by PMCA activation, no protein-protein interactions were observed between PMCA4b and nNOS. Furthermore, both the PDZ domain of nNOS and the PDZ-binding motif of PMCA4b were essential for the protein-protein interaction. The involvement of lipid raft microdomains on the activity of PMCA4b and nNOS was also investigated. Unlike other PMCA isoforms, PMCA4 was relatively more concentrated in the raft fractions. Disruption of lipid rafts altered the intracellular localization of PMCA4b and affected the interaction between PMCA4b and nNOS, which suggest that the unique lipid raft distribution of PMCA4 may be responsible for its regulation of nNOS activity. In summary, lipid rafts may act as platforms for the PMCA4b regulation of nNOS activity and the transient tethering of nNOS to PMCA4b is responsible for rapid nNOS deactivation.

Na^+-K^+-ATPase activity of hepatocyte plasma membranes,reversible and irreversible alterations due to bile acids

Background Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDC) is an apolar bile salt and damages hepatocytes, whereas ursodeoxycholic acid (UDC) is a more polar bile salt and protects liver cell against toxic bile salts. We therefore investigated the activity of membrane associated Na + K + ATPase, a coenzyme of the sodium dependent bile salt carrier. Methods Liver plasma membranes (LPM) were isolated from rat livers according to the method of Song et al (J Cell Biol 1969; 41:124). The LPM were incubated with bile salts (TUDC, UDC, TCDC, CDC) in concentrations of 0.1 2 mmol/L for 0 30 minutes at room temperature. To study reversibility of the effect of CDC, LPM were diluted with buffer 50 times of volume after incubation. The activity of membrane associated Na + K+ ATPase was determined enzymatically at 37℃ and the phospholipid (PL) release into the supernatant was measured. Results CDC and TCDC both showed a dose dependent inhibition of the enzyme activity (P<0.01 vs control). Gastroenterology, Center of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, D 60590 Frankfurt Main, Germany (You T, Guldutuna S, Bhatti S and Leuschner U)Initially TCDC induced an increase in enzyme activity at concentrations of 0.1 1 mmol/L, however, after 3 minutes activity repidly decreased to less than 30% of controls. Up to a concentration of 1 mmol/L CDC the inhibition of enzyme activity could be reversed by diluting the bile salt in the incubation medium. At a concentration of 2 mmol/L CDC activity was only partially restored and at this concentration a marked PL release into the supernatant was observed, indicating solubilization of the membranes. UDC did not decrease the enzyme activity at concentrations of 0.1 2 mmol/L. At a concentration of 2 mmol/L TUDC inhibited the Na + K + ATPase by about 20%. Solubilization of membrane PL was not observed. Conclusion CDC and TCDC inhibited Na + K + ATPase. Dilution of the bile salt with buffer reversed the inhibitory effect up to concentrations of 1 mmol/L CDC. The inhibitory effect is probably due to alteration of the plasma membrane. 2 mM CDC caused irreparable membrane damage. Physiological concentrations of UDC and TUDC did not affect membrane ATPase.

Medium Optimization for Improved Ethanol Production in Very High Gravity Fermentation

An optimal medium （300 g·L^-1 initial glucose） comprising 6.3 mmol·L^-1 Mg2＋, 5.0 mmol·L^-1 Ca2＋, 15.0 g·L^-1 peptone and 21.5 g·L^-1 yeast extract was determined by uniform design to improve very high gravity （VHG） ethanol fermentation, showing over 30% increase in final ethanol （from 13.1% to 17.1%, by volume）, 29% decrease in fermentation time （from 84 to 60 h）, 80% increase in biomass formation and 26% increase in glucose utilization. Experiments also revealed physiological aspects linked to the fermentation enhancements. Compared to the control, trehalose in the cells grown in optimal fermentation medium increased 17.9-, 2.8-, 1.9-, 1.8- and 1.9-fold at the fermentation time of 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 h, respectively. Its sharp rise at the early stage of fermentation when there was a considerable osmotic stress suggested that trehalose played an important role in promoting fermentation. Meanwhile, at the identical five fermentation time, the plasma membrane ATPase activity of the cells grown in optimal medium was 2.3, 1.8, 1.6, 1.5 and 1.3 times that of the control, respectively. Their disparities in enzymatic activity became wider when the glucose levels were dramatically changed for ethanol production, suggesting this enzyme also contributed to the fermentation improvements. Thus, medium optimization for VHG ethanol fermentation was found to trigger the increased yeast trehalose accumulation and plasma membrane ATPase activity.

Ca^(2+) signalling in cardiovascular disease:the role of the plasma membrane calcium pumps

The plasma membrane calcium ATPases(PMCA) are a family of genes which extrude Ca2+from the cell and are involved in the maintenance of intracellular free calcium levels and/or with Ca2+signalling,depending on the cell type.In the cardiovascular system,Ca2+ is not only essential for contraction and relaxation but also has a vital role as a second messenger in signal transduction pathways.A complex array of mechanisms regulate intracellular free calcium levels in the heart and vasculature and a failure in these systems to maintain normal Ca2+homeostasis has been linked to both heart failure and hypertension.This article focuses on the functions of PMCA,in particular isoform 4(PMCA4) ,in the heart and vasculature and the reported links between PMCAs and contractile function,cardiac hypertrophy,cardiac rhythm and sudden cardiac death,and blood pressure control and hypertension.It is becoming clear that this family of calcium extrusion pumps have essential roles in both cardiovascular health and disease.

Mechanism and effect of Shijueming (Concha Haliotidis) on serum calcium in spontaneously hypertensive rats

OBJECTIVE： To observe the impact of Shijueming （Concha Haliotidis） on spontaneously hypertensive rats via blood pressure, serum calcium, vascular smooth muscle membrane L-type calcium channel α1 C subunit （CaL-α1C）, plasma membrane calci- um-ATPase （PMCA） mRNA expression, and the L-type calcium channel in vascular smooth muscle cells. METHODS： Twelve-week-old male rats with sponta- neous hypertension were divided into three groups： a Shijueming （Concha Haliotidis） group （group 1）, a nifedipine group （group 2）, and a dis- tilled water group （group 3）. All were given a four-week treatment. Blood pressure and dissocia- tive serum calcium were examined before treat- ment. Blood pressure was taken every week during treatment. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to examine dissociative serum calcium. Re-verse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the expression of CaL-α1C and PM- CA1 mRNA. The patch clamp technique was used to examine the electrophysiological characteristics of the vascular smooth muscle cell calcium chan- nels. RESULTS： After treatment, blood pressure of the Shijueming （Concha Halioticlis） group lowered but not significantly （P〉0.05）. Blood pressure of the nifedipine group lowered significantly （P〈0.05）. Blood pressure of the distilled water group re- mained high. The concentration of serum calcium in the Shijueming （Concha Haliotidis） and the dis- tilled water groups lowered （P〈0.05）. Expression of CaL-α1C mRNA in the nifedipine group decreased compared with the distilled water group （P〈0.01）. There was the decreasing trend in the Shijueming （Concha Haliotidis） group, but it was not statistically significant. Shijueming （Concha Haliotidis） also had effects on the expression of PMCA1 mRNA but with- out statistical significance. However, there was a significant decreasing effect on vascular smooth muscle cell Ica-L flow. CONCLUSION： This study indicated that Shijuem- ing （Concha Haliotidis） could increase serum calci- um and decrease blood pressure. It may work by in- fluencing calcium channels, expression of PMCA1 mRNA, and regulating ion calcium channels and calcium-ATPase.