A novel motif in calcimembrin/C16orf74 dictates multimeric dephosphorylation by calcineurin

Abstract

Calcineurin (CN), the only Ca ²⁺ -calmodulin activated protein phosphatase, dephosphorylates substrates within membrane-associated Ca ²⁺ microdomains. CN binds to substrates and regulators via short linear motifs (SLIMs), PxIxIT and LxVP. PxIxIT binding to CN is Ca ²⁺ independent and affects its distribution, while LxVP associates only with the active enzyme and promotes catalysis. 31 human proteins contain one or more composite ‘LxVPxIxIT’ motifs, whose functional properties have not been examined. Here we report studies of calcimembrin/C16orf74 (CLMB), a largely uncharacterized protein containing a composite motif that binds and directs CN to membranes. We demonstrate that CLMB associates with membranes via N-myristoylation and dynamic S-acylation and is dephosphorylated by CN on Thr44. The LxVP and PxIxIT portions of the CLMB composite sequence, together with Thr44 phosphorylation, confer high affinity PxIxIT-mediated binding to CN (KD∼8.9 nM) via an extended, ³³ LxVPxIxITxx(p)T ⁴⁴ sequence. This binding promotes CLMB-based targeting of CN to membranes, but also protects Thr44 from dephosphorylation. Thus, we propose that CN dephosphorylates CLMB in multimeric complexes, where one CLMB molecule recruits CN to membranes via PxIxIT binding, allowing others to engage through their LxVP motif for dephosphorylation. This unique mechanism makes dephosphorylation sensitive to CLMB:CN ratios and is supported by in vivo and in vitro analyses. CLMB overexpression is associated with poor prognoses for several cancers, suggesting that it promotes oncogenesis by shaping CN signaling.

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