Summary
The plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) plays an essentialrole in maintaining low cytosolic Ca2+ in resting platelets. Earlier studies demonstrated that the 4b isoform of PMCA interacts
viaits C-terminal end with the PDZ domains of membrane-associated guanylate kinase
proteins. Activation of saponin-permeabilized platelets in the presence of a peptide
composed of the lastten residues of the PMCA4b C-terminus leads to a significant decrease
of PMCA associated with the cytoskeleton, suggesting that PDZ domain interactions
play a role in tethering the pumpto the cytoskeleton. Here we present experiments
conducted to evaluate the mechanism of this association. Co-immunoprecipitationassays
coupled with liquid chromatography/tandemmass spectrometry analysis and immunoblotting
were used to identify proteins that interact with PMCA in the resting platelet. Our
results indicate that the only PDZ domain-containing proteinassociated with PMCA is
the LIM family protein, CLP36. Glutathione-S-transferase pull-down from a platelet
extractusing a fusion protein containing the C-terminal PDZ domainbinding motif of
PMCA confirmed binding of CLP36 to PMCA. Gel filtration chromatography of detergent-solubilized
plateletsdemonstrated the existence of a 1,000-kDa complex containingPMCA and CLP36,
and in addition, α -actinin and actin. Immunoflourescencemicroscopy confirmed the
co-localization ofPMCA with CLP36 in resting and activated platelets. Taken togetherthese
results suggest that PMCA is localized in non-filamentousactin complexes in resting
platelets by means of PDZdomain interactions and then associates with the actin cytoskeletonduring
cytoskeletal rearrangement upon platelet activation. Thus, in addition to the reversible
serine/threonine andtyrosine phosphorylation events previously described in humanplatelets,
PMCA function may be regulated by interactions withanchoring and cytoskeletal proteins.
Keywords
Platelets - plasma membrane Ca
2+-ATPase - calcium signaling - filopodia