• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.527-532
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• 2011

IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1 (IQGAP1), which is a well-known $Ca^{2+}$-independent calmodulin (CaM) binding protein, is involved in various cellular functions such as cell proliferation and cell migration. IQGAP1 has four repeated IQ motifs, which are crucial for CaM binding. It has been shown that all four IQ motifs of IQGAP1 can bind to $Ca^{2+}$/CaM, while the third and fourth IQ motifs of IQGAP1 can bind to apoCaM. However, it has not been clear whether the CaM binding of IQ motifs of IQGAP1 was mediated directly or indirectly. In this study, we examined whether the binding between CaM and each IQ motif of IQGAP1 was direct in vitro. As a result, we found that IQ1 motif has a weak $Ca^{2+}$-dependent CaM binding. In contrast, IQ3 has a $Ca^{2+}$-dependent CaM binding. All other motifs have no significant CaM binding. We also found that IQ(2.7-3) and IQ(3.5-4.4) have CaM binding capacity. This finding indicates that IQ motifs of IQGAP1 plays a dynamic role via different motif interactions with $Ca^{2+}$/CaM or proCaM.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.333-338
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• 2012

IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating proteins (IQGAPs), which are well-known $Ca^{2+}$-independent calmodulin (CaM) binding proteins, are involved in various cellular functions such as cell proliferation, carcinogenesis and cell migration. The IQGAP3 similar to IQGAP1 has four repeated IQ motifs, which are crucial for CaM binding. It has been recently shown that all four IQ motifs of the IQGAP1 could bind to CaM, while not clear the binding of four IQ motifs of the IQGAP3. In this study, we examined the binding between CaM and each IQ motif of IQGAP3. As a result, we found that IQ2 and IQ3, but not IQ1 and IQ4, have a $Ca^{2+}$-independent CaM binding activity. We also found that IQ(3.5-4.4) on the IQGAP3 has $Ca^{2+}$-dependent CaM binding activity as similar with that of IQGAP1. This finding indicates that IQ motifs of the IQGAP3 plays a dynamic role via different interaction of IQ motifs with $Ca^{2+}$/CaM or apoCaM.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.361-373
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• 2020

Integrins such as lymphocyte function-associated antigen -1 (LFA-1) have an essential role in T cell immunity. Integrin activation, namely, the transition from the inactive conformation to the active one, takes place when an intracellular signal is generated by specific receptors such as T cell receptors (TCRs) and chemokine receptors in T cells. In an effort to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the TCR-mediated LFA-1 activation, we had previously established a high-throughput cell-based assay and screened a chemical library deposited in the National Institute of Health in the United States. As a result, several hits had been isolated including HIKS-1 (Benzo[b]thiophene-3-carboxylic acid, 2-[3-[(2-carboxyphenyl) thio]-2,5-dioxo-1-pyrrolinyl]-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-,3-ethyl ester). In an attempt to reveal the mode of action of HIKS-1, in this study, we did drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) assay finding that HIKS-1 interacted with the IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1 (IQGAP1), a 189 kDa multidomain scaffold protein critically involved in various signaling mechanisms. Furthermore, the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) provided compelling evidence that HIKS-1 also interacted with IQGAP1 in vivo. Taken together, it can be concluded that HIKS-1 interferes with the TCR-mediated LFA-1 activation by interacting with IQGAP1 and thereby disrupting the signaling pathway for LFA-1 activation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.9
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• pp.656-663
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• 2014

Gintonin, a novel, ginseng-derived G protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand, elicits $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ transients in neuronal and non-neuronal cells via pertussis toxin-sensitive and pertussis toxin-insensitive G proteins. The slowly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ ($I_{Ks}$) channel is a cardiac $K^+$ channel composed of KCNQ1 and KCNE1 subunits. The C terminus of the KCNQ1 channel protein has two calmodulin-binding sites that are involved in regulating $I_{Ks}$ channels. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of gintonin-mediated activation of human $I_{Ks}$ channel activity by expressing human $I_{Ks}$ channels in Xenopus oocytes. We found that gintonin enhances $I_{Ks}$ channel currents in concentration- and voltage-dependent manners. The $EC_{50}$ for the $I_{Ks}$ channel was $0.05{\pm}0.01{\mu}g/ml$. Gintonin-mediated activation 1 of the $I_{Ks}$ channels was blocked by an LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, an active phospholipase C inhibitor, an $IP_3$ receptor antagonist, and the calcium chelator BAPTA. Gintonin-mediated activation of both the $I_{Ks}$ channel was also blocked by the calmodulin (CaM) blocker calmidazolium. Mutations in the KCNQ1 $[Ca^{2+}]_i$/CaM-binding IQ motif sites (S373P, W392R, or R539W)blocked the action of gintonin on $I_{Ks}$ channel. However, gintonin had no effect on hERG $K^+$ channel activity. These results show that gintonin-mediated enhancement of $I_{Ks}$ channel currents is achieved through binding of the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$/CaM complex to the C terminus of KCNQ1 subunit.