Phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol lipids to produce second messengers, including inositol‐1,4,5‐triphosphate (IP3) and diacylgycerol (DAG), which increase intracellular calcium and activate protein kinase C (PKC), respectively. PLCɛ contributes to cardiac hypertrophy and contractility, as well as to oncogenic and inflammatory signaling pathways following activation of G protein‐coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases. PLCɛ shares a conserved core with the PLC superfamily, but the roles of individual domains in regulation of activity and membrane binding have not been established. We used functional assays to show that the PLCɛ PH domain significantly increases basal lipase activity, but is dispensable for stability. We provide the first structural insights into domain organization of PLCɛ using small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and electron microscopy (EM) to reveal that the PH domain is conformationally heterogeneous in solution. Comparisons of the PLCɛ solution structure to that of the closely‐related PLCβ enzyme demonstrate that the PLCβ PH domain is also mobile in solution, in contrast to previously reported crystal structures. We propose that the dynamic nature of the PLC PH domain and resulting conformational heterogeneity contributes to subfamily‐specific differences in activity and regulation by G proteins. We are now using cryo‐EM to expand on these findings and obtain higher resolution structures. Support or Funding Information This work is supported by the Purdue Center for Cancer Research, AHA grant 16SDG29930017, NIH NLHBI 1R01HL141076‐01 to A.M.L., and Purdue College of Science Staff and Administrative & Professional Staff Advisory Council Professional Development awards to E.E.G. SAXS experiments used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE‐AC02‐06CH11357. This project was supported by grant 9 P41 GM103622 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. Use of the Pilatus 3 1M detector was provided by grant 1S10OD018090‐01 from NIGMS. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Phospholipase Cε (PLCε) generates lipid-derived second messengers at the plasma and perinuclear membranes in the cardiovascular system. It is activated in response to a wide variety of signals, such as those conveyed by Rap1A and Ras, through a mechanism that involves its C-terminal Ras association (RA) domains (RA1 and RA2). However, the complexity and size of PLCε has hindered its structural and functional analysis. Herein, we report the 2.7 Å crystal structure of the minimal fragment of PLCε that retains basal activity. This structure includes the RA1 domain, which forms extensive interactions with other core domains. A conserved amphipathic helix in the autoregulatory X-Y linker of PLCε is also revealed, which we show modulates activity in vitro and in cells. The studies provide the structural framework for the core of this critical cardiovascular enzyme that will allow for a better understanding of its regulation and roles in disease.

Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are negative regulators of G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling through their ability to act as GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) for activated Gα subunits. Members of the RZ subfamily of RGS proteins bind to activated Gαo, Gαz, and Gαi1–3 proteins in the nervous system and thereby inhibit downstream pathways, including those involved in Ca2+-dependent signaling. In contrast to other RGS proteins, little is known about RZ subfamily structure and regulation. Herein, we present the 1.5-Å crystal structure of RGS17, the most complete and highest-resolution structure of an RZ subfamily member to date. RGS17 cocrystallized with Ca2+ bound to conserved positions on the predicted Gα-binding surface of the protein. Using NMR chemical shift perturbations, we confirmed that Ca2+ binds in solution to the same site. Furthermore, RGS17 had greater than 55-fold higher affinity for Ca2+ than for Mg2+. Finally, we found that Ca2+ promotes interactions between RGS17 and activated Gα and decreases the Km for GTP hydrolysis, potentially by altering the binding mechanism between these proteins. Taken together, these findings suggest that Ca2+ positively regulates RGS17, which may represent a general mechanism by which increased Ca2+ concentration promotes the GAP activity of the RZ subfamily, leading to RZ-mediated inhibition of Ca2+ signaling.

Phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol lipids to produce diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol phosphates, to activate protein kinase C (PKC) and downstream signaling pathways, including cell growth and survival. The PLCɛ subfamily has emerged as a key player in cardiovascular health, where it is required for maximum contractility. However, prolonged activation of PLCɛ results in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure through its ability to regulate hypertrophic gene expression. This process is regulated by the small GTPase Rap1A, which is activated downstream of β‐adrenergic receptors. Rap1A binds to the C‐terminal Ras association (RA) domain of PLCɛ, simultaneously translocating the complex to the perinuclear region and activating PLCɛ. However, the molecular mechanism of this process is not known. We seek to characterize the interactions between Rap1A and PLCɛ using structural and functional studies to map the Rap1A binding site on PLCɛ and determine whether activation results in conformational changes that release autoinhibition and/or increase membrane association. These studies provide the first molecular details of the Rap1A‐dependent activation of PLCɛ and opens the door to the development of new therapeutic strategies for treating cardiac hypertrophy.Support or Funding InformationAmerican Heart Association Scientist Development Grant (16SDG29920017) to A.M.L.; Purdue Center for Cancer ResearchThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Phospholipase Cε (PLCe) is activated downstream of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) through direct interactions with small GTPases, including Rap1A and Ras. While Ras has been reported to allosterically activate the lipase, it is not known whether Rap1A has the same ability, or what its molecular mechanism might be. Rap1A activates PLCε in response to the stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs), translocating the complex to the perinuclear membrane. Because the C-terminal Ras association (RA2) domain of PLCε was proposed to the primary binding site for Rap1A, we first confirmed using purified proteins that the RA2 domain is indeed essential for activation by Rap1A. However, we also showed that the PLCε pleckstrin homology (PH) domain and first two EF hands (EF1/2) are required for Rap1A activation, and identified hydrophobic residues on the surface of the RA2 domain that are also necessary for activation. Finally, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) showed that Rap1A binding induces and stabilizes discrete conformational states in PLCε variants that can be activated by the GTPase. This data, together with the recent structure of a catalytically active fragment of PLCe, provide the first evidence that Rap1A, and by extension Ras, allosterically activate the lipase by promoting and stabilizing interactions between the RA2 domain and the PLC core.