Two dimensional crystallization of calcium transport regulatory complexes

Phospholamban and sarcolipin physically interact with the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump (SERCA) and differentially regulate contractility in smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscle. While mutagenesis and cross-linking studies have provided insight into the mechanism of interaction, we lack a molecular understanding of these regulatory complexes. We have compared two crystal forms of SERCA in the absence and presence of phospholamban by electron cryo-microscopy. Our previous studies with phospholamban utilized both small helical crystals [1] and large two-dimensional crystals [2], where the fundamental units of both crystal forms were found to be anti-parallel dimer ribbons of SERCA molecules. The SERCA dimer ribbons have been known for decades as a rigid assembly of calcium-free SERCA molecules induced by the addition of decavanadate. While the lattice formed by the SERCA dimer ribbons is different in the helical (p2) and two-dimensional crystals (p22121), we now show that a phospholamban oligomer interacts with SERCA in a similar manner in both crystal types. With this information, we next undertook a structural investigation of SERCA and sarcolipin in the large two-dimensional crystals. Both wild-type and a gain-of-function mutant (Asn4-to-Ala) mutant of sarcolipin were utilized. Projection maps were determined for SERCA in the presence of sarcolipin to a resolution of 8.5 Å and were most consistent with a pentameric state for sarcolipin. While both phospholamban and sarcolipin interacted with transmembrane segment M3 of SERCA, the interaction of the sarcolipin pentamer was mediated by an additional density consistent with a sarcolipin monomer.