Modulation of MICAL Monooxygenase Activity by its Calponin Homology Domain: Structural and Mechanistic Insights

Sci Rep. 2016 Mar 3:6:22176. doi: 10.1038/srep22176.

Abstract

MICALs (Molecule Interacting with CasL) are conserved multidomain enzymes essential for cytoskeletal reorganization in nerve development, endocytosis, and apoptosis. In these enzymes, a type-2 calponin homology (CH) domain always follows an N-terminal monooxygenase (MO) domain. Although the CH domain is required for MICAL-1 cellular localization and actin-associated function, its contribution to the modulation of MICAL activity towards actin remains unclear. Here, we present the structure of a fragment of MICAL-1 containing the MO and the CH domains-determined by X-ray crystallography and small angle scattering-as well as kinetics experiments designed to probe the contribution of the CH domain to the actin-modification activity. Our results suggest that the CH domain, which is loosely connected to the MO domain by a flexible linker and is far away from the catalytic site, couples F-actin to the enhancement of redox activity of MICALMO-CH by a cooperative mechanism involving a trans interaction between adjacently bound molecules. Binding cooperativity is also observed in other proteins regulating actin assembly/disassembly dynamics, such as ADF/Cofilins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Mice
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / chemistry*
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases / chemistry*
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases / genetics
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases / metabolism
  • Protein Domains
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Mical1 protein, mouse
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases