Calcium ion binding properties and the effect of phosphorylation on the intrinsically disordered Starmaker protein

Biochemistry. 2015 Oct 27;54(42):6525-34. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.5b00933. Epub 2015 Oct 16.

Abstract

Starmaker (Stm) is an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) involved in otolith biomineralization in Danio rerio. Stm controls calcium carbonate crystal formation in vivo and in vitro. Phosphorylation of Stm affects its biomineralization properties. This study examined the effects of calcium ions and phosphorylation on the structure of Stm. We have shown that CK2 kinase phosphorylates 25 or 26 residues in Stm. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that Stm's affinity for calcium binding is dependent on its phosphorylation state. Phosphorylated Stm (StmP) has an estimated 30 ± 1 calcium binding sites per protein molecule with a dissociation constant (KD) of 61 ± 4 μM, while the unphosphorylated protein has 28 ± 3 sites and a KD of 210 ± 22 μM. Calcium ion binding induces a compaction of the Stm molecule, causing a significant decrease in its hydrodynamic radius and the formation of a secondary structure. The screening effect of Na(+) ions on calcium binding was also observed. Analysis of the hydrodynamic properties of Stm and StmP showed that Stm and StmP molecules adopt the structure of native coil-like proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Calcium Carbonate / metabolism
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Casein Kinase II / metabolism
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Intrinsically Disordered Proteins / chemistry*
  • Intrinsically Disordered Proteins / metabolism*
  • Kinetics
  • Minerals / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • Otolithic Membrane / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Zebrafish / metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins / chemistry*
  • Zebrafish Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
  • Minerals
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • stm protein, zebrafish
  • Casein Kinase II
  • Calcium Carbonate
  • Calcium