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. 2015 Jun 2;108(11):2658-69.
doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.04.024.

Different KChIPs compete for heteromultimeric assembly with pore-forming Kv4 subunits

Jingheng Zhou  1 , Yiquan Tang  2 , Qin Zheng  1 , Meng Li  1 , Tianyi Yuan  3 , Liangyi Chen  3 , Zhuo Huang  4 , KeWei Wang  5
Affiliations

Different KChIPs compete for heteromultimeric assembly with pore-forming Kv4 subunits

Jingheng Zhou et al. Biophys J. .

Abstract

Auxiliary Kv channel-interacting proteins 1-4 (KChIPs1-4) coassemble with pore-forming Kv4 α-subunits to form channel complexes underlying somatodendritic subthreshold A-type current that regulates neuronal excitability. It has been hypothesized that different KChIPs can competitively bind to Kv4 α-subunit to form variable channel complexes that can exhibit distinct biophysical properties for modulation of neural function. In this study, we use single-molecule subunit counting by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in combinations with electrophysiology and biochemistry to investigate whether different isoforms of auxiliary KChIPs, KChIP4a, and KChIP4bl, can compete for binding of Kv4.3 to coassemble heteromultimeric channel complexes for modulation of channel function. To count the number of photobleaching steps solely from cell membrane, we take advantage of a membrane tethered k-ras-CAAX peptide that anchors cytosolic KChIP4 proteins to the surface for reduction of background noise. Single-molecule subunit counting reveals that the number of KChIP4 isoforms in Kv4.3-KChIP4 complexes can vary depending on the KChIP4 expression level. Increasing the amount of KChIP4bl gradually reduces bleaching steps of KChIP4a isoform proteins, and vice versa. Further analysis of channel gating kinetics from different Kv4-KChIP4 subunit compositions confirms that both KChIP4a and KChIP4bl can modulate the channel complex function upon coassembly. Taken together, our findings show that auxiliary KChIPs can heteroassemble with Kv4 in a competitive manner to form heteromultimeric Kv4-KChIP4 channel complexes that are biophysically distinct and regulated under physiological or pathological conditions.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pore-forming Kv4.3 α-subunit forms a tetramer. (A) Schematic illustration of the Kv4.3-EGFP (left). Representative image (EGFP channel) taken using TIRF microscopy shows the Kv4.3 puncta on the plasma membrane of a fixed HEK 293 cell (right). The puncta enclosed with red circles were chosen for later single-molecule bleaching analysis (Scale bar: 1 μm). (B) Examples of photon traces from example spots with one, two, three, or four GFP bleaching steps (marked by red arrowheads). Representative time courses of GFP emission are shown after background correction. The y axis plots the photons collected per 200-ms sampling period for comparison. Red lines mark the photon levels. (C) Histogram of bleaching steps for GFP (red) from cells expressing Kv4.3-EGFP and the fit with 80% probability (p = 80%) of GFP being fluorescent (blue) (n = 223 spots).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The anchor of KChIP4a and KChIP4bl to the plasma membrane by CAAX membrane-tethered signal peptide. (A) Cytoplasmic distributions of Kv4.3-mCherry and KChIP4a-EGFP. (B) Plasma membrane distributions of Kv4.3-mCherry and KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX. (C) Cytoplasmic and plasma membrane distributions of Kv4.3-mCherry and KChIP4bl-EGFP. (D) Plasma membrane distributions of Kv4.3-mCherry and KChIP4bl-EGFP-CAAX. –CAAX indicates attachment of a PM-targeting CAAX signal from k-Ras to the C-terminus of fusion proteins (Scale bars: 10 μm). Schematic illustrations of constructs used for coexpression are shown in the left panels. (E) Representative current traces of Kv4.3-mCherry + KChIP4a-EGFP (left) and Kv4.3-mCherry + KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX (right) expressed in HEK 293 cells. (F) Quantitative analysis of inactivation time constants for Kv4.3-mCherry + KChIP4a-EGFP and Kv4.3-mCherry + KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX (n = 10 cells). Values are mean ± SE. Statistical analysis was conducted by Student’s t-test, and the statistical significance was considered as p > 0.05. (G) Quantitative analysis of the voltage dependence of SSI of Kv4.3-mCherry + KChIP4a-EGFP and Kv4.3-mCherry + KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX (n = 9 cells).
Figure 3
Figure 3
The formation of variable stoichiometry of Kv4.3-KChIPs channel complexes is dependent on the relative expression level of auxiliary KChIP4a or KChIP4bl proteins. (A) Schematic illustration of Kv4.3-mCherry and KChIP4a-/KChIP4bl-EGFP-CAAX (left). Overlay of mCherry image with Kv4.3-mCherry spots and GFP image with KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX or KChIP4bl-EGFP-CAAX spots from HEK 293 cell (middle). Overlapping spots are circled in green in GFP image (right). (Scale bar represents 2 μm). (B) Examples of photon traces from example spots with one, two, three, or four GFP bleaching steps (marked by black arrowheads). Black lines mark photon levels. (C) Histogram of bleaching steps for GFP from cells expressing Kv4.3-mCherry and KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX (green) or KChIP4bl-EGFP-CAAX (red) (2 and 2 μg), and the fit with 80% probability of GFP being fluorescent (blue) (n = 205, 219 spots). (D) Distributions of numbers of GFP bleaching steps from KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX with the ratios of Kv4.3 and KChIP4a as indicated (n = 205–215 spots). (E) Distributions of numbers of GFP bleaching steps from KChIP4bl-EGFP-CAAX with the ratios of Kv4.3 and KChIP4bl as indicated (n = 219–234 spots).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Different KChIP subunits competitively bind to Kv4.3 channels. (A) HEK 293 cells were transfected with constructs indicated on top of each panel. Immunoprecipitations were carried out with anti-FLAG antibodies that recognize KChIP4a-3×FLAG, followed by Western blotting to detect Kv4.3 or KChIP4bl. GFP-tagged Kv4.3 and KChIP4bl proteins were detected with antibody against GFP. (B) Schematic illustration of Kv4.3-mCherry, KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX, and KChIP4bl-CAAX (left). Distributions of numbers of GFP bleaching steps from KChIP4a-EGFP-CAAX for different ratios of KChIP4a and KChIP4bl as indicated (n = 209–246 spots) (right). (C) Quantitative analysis for enlargement of Kv4-KChIP complex current by KChIP4bl in a dose-dependent manner (n = 11–15 oocytes). Values are mean ± SE. Statistical analysis was conducted by Student’s t-test, and the statistical significance was considered as ∗∗∗p < 0.001. (D) Schematic illustration of Kv4.3-mCherry, KChIP4a-CAAX, and KChIP4bl-EGFP-CAAX (left). Distributions of numbers of GFP bleaching steps from KChIP4bl-EGFP-CAAX for different ratios of KChIP4a and KChIP4bl as indicated (n = 201–222 spots) (right). (E) Quantitative analysis for suppression of Kv4-KChIP channel complex current by KChIP4a in a dose-dependent manner (n = 9–15 oocytes). Values are mean ± SE; ∗∗p < 0.01; ∗∗∗p < 0.001. To see this figure in color, go online.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Gating properties of Kv4.3-KChIP4 channel complexes. (A) Representative current traces and schematic illustrations of Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, and KChIP4a-Kv4.3. Outward K+ currents were evoked by 2-s step depolarization from −100 to +60 mV at 10-mV increments (left). Quantitative analysis for peak current amplitudes of Kv4.3 and tandem complexes (n = 30–42 oocytes) (right). Values are mean ± SE. Statistical analysis was conducted by Student’s t-test, and the statistical significance was considered as ∗∗∗p < 0.001. (B) Representative current traces and schematic illustrations of KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (left). Quantitative analysis for peak current amplitudes of KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (n = 20–30 oocytes) (right). Values are mean ± SE; ∗∗∗p < 0.001. (C) Quantitative analysis of inactivation time constants for Kv4.3 and tandem complexes (n = 14–30 oocytes) (left); quantitative analysis of inactivation time constants for KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (n = 15–18 oocytes) (right). Values are mean ± SE; ∗∗∗p < 0.001. (D) Representative curves of recovery from inactivation of Kv4.3 and tandem complexes and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (left); quantitative analysis of recovery from inactivation of Kv4.3 and tandem complexes (n = 13–17 oocytes), and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (n = 10–20 oocytes) (right). (E) Representative curves of the voltage dependence of SSI of Kv4.3 and tandem complexes and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (left); quantitative analysis of the voltage dependence of SSI of Kv4.3 and tandem complexes (n = 10–30 oocytes) and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (n = 15–23 oocytes) (right). (F) Representative curves of CSI of Kv4.3 and tandem complexes and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (left); quantitative analysis of CSI of Kv4.3 and tandem complexes (n = 12–27 oocytes) and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3, KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4bl, and KChIP4a-2×Kv4.3 + KChIP4a (n = 10–23 oocytes) (right). To see this figure in color, go online.
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