S100A1, a 21-kDa dimeric Ca 2؉-binding protein, is an enhancer of cardiac Ca 2؉ release and contractility and a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of cardiomyopathy. The role of S100A1 in skeletal muscle has been less well defined. Additionally, the precise molecular mechanism underlying S100A1 modulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2؉ release in striated muscle has not been fully elucidated. Here, utilizing a genetic approach to knock out S100A1, we demonstrate a direct physiological role of S100A1 in excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle. We show that the absence of S100A1 leads to decreased global myoplasmic Ca 2؉ transients following electrical excitation. Using high speed confocal microscopy, we demonstrate with high temporal resolution depressed activation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2؉ release in S100A1 ؊/؊ muscle fibers. Through competition assays with sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles and through tryptophan fluorescence experiments, we also identify a novel S100A1-binding site on the cytoplasmic face of the intact ryanodine receptor that is conserved throughout striated muscle and corresponds to a previously identified calmodulin-binding site. Using a 12-mer peptide of this putative binding domain, we demonstrate low micromolar binding affinity to S100A1. NMR spectroscopy reveals this peptide binds within the Ca 2؉ -dependent hydrophobic pocket of S100A1. Taken together, these data suggest that S100A1 plays a significant role in skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling, primarily through specific interactions with a conserved binding domain of the ryanodine receptor. This warrants further investigation into the use of S100A1 as a therapeutic target for the treatment of both cardiac and skeletal myopathies.The S100 family of proteins, so named because of their solubility in 100% ammonium sulfate, are small (16 -26 kDa), acidic, Ca 2ϩ

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP) is a familial skeletal muscle disorder that presents with recurrent episodes of severe weakness lasting hours to days associated with reduced serum potassium (K + ). HypoPP is genetically heterogeneous, with missense mutations of a calcium channel (Ca V 1.1) or a sodium channel (Na V 1.4) accounting for 60% and 20% of cases, respectively. The mechanistic link between Ca V 1.1 mutations and the ictal loss of muscle excitability during an attack of weakness in HypoPP is unknown. To address this question, we developed a mouse model for HypoPP with a targeted Ca V 1.1 R528H mutation. The Ca v 1.1 R528H mice had a HypoPP phenotype for which low K + challenge produced a paradoxical depolarization of the resting potential, loss of muscle excitability, and weakness. A vacuolar myopathy with dilated transverse tubules and disruption of the triad junctions impaired Ca 2+ release and likely contributed to the mild permanent weakness. Fibers from the Ca V 1.1 R528H mouse had a small anomalous inward current at the resting potential, similar to our observations in the Na V 1.4 R669H HypoPP mouse model. This "gating pore current" may be a common mechanism for paradoxical depolarization and susceptibility to HypoPP arising from missense mutations in the S4 voltage sensor of either calcium or sodium channels.

We investigated which subtypes of G-protein beta subunits participate in voltage-dependent modulation of N-type calcium channels. Calcium currents were recorded from cultured rat superior cervical ganglion neurons injected intranuclearly with DNA encoding five different G-protein beta subunits. Gbeta1 and Gbeta2 strongly mimicked the fast voltage-dependent inhibition of calcium channels produced by many G-protein-coupled receptors. The Gbeta5 subunit produced much weaker effects than Gbeta1 and Gbeta2, whereas Gbeta3 and Gbeta4 were nearly inactive in these electrophysiological studies. The specificity implied by these results was confirmed and extended using the yeast two-hybrid system to test for protein-protein interactions. Here, Gbeta1 or Gbeta2 coupled to the GAL4-activation domain interacted strongly with a channel sequence corresponding to the intracellular loop connecting domains I and II of a alpha1 subunit of the class B calcium channel fused to the GAL4 DNA-binding domain. In this assay, the Gbeta5 subunit interacted weakly, and Gbeta3 and Gbeta4 failed to interact. Together, these results suggest that Gbeta1 and/or Gbeta2 subunits account for most of the voltage-dependent inhibition of N-type calcium channels and that the linker between domains I and II of the calcium channel alpha1 subunit is a principal receptor for this inhibition.

The skeletal muscle Ca2+ release channel, also known as ryanodine receptor type 1 (RyR1), is the largest ion channel protein known and is crucial for effective skeletal muscle contractile activation. RyR1 function is controlled by Cav1.1, a voltage gated Ca2+ channel that works mainly as a voltage sensor for RyR1 activity during skeletal muscle contraction and is also fine-tuned by Ca2+, several intracellular compounds (e.g., ATP), and modulatory proteins (e.g., calmodulin). Dominant and recessive mutations in RyR1, as well as acquired channel alterations, are the underlying cause of various skeletal muscle diseases. The aim of this mini review is to summarize several current aspects of RyR1 function, structure, regulation, and to describe the most common diseases caused by hereditary or acquired RyR1 malfunction.