Description

• General description: Research area: Cell Signaling Calmodulin (CaM) is a Ca2+-sensor protein containing four EF-hand motifs that bind to four Ca2+ ions.[1] It is found ubiquitously in all eukaryotes.[2]
• Application: Calmodulin from bovine testes has been used:as a component of the reaction mixture in PhosphoSens assay to measure Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKIIα) substrate phosphorylation[3]to generate standard curve for the determination of in situ calmodulin concentration in tissues[4]as a ligand in radio-ligand binding for studying calmodulin affinity[5]
• Biochem/physiol Actions: Calmodulin (CaM) aids in the Ca2+ signal transduction pathway in higher plants and animals. Ca2+ binding is required for CaM activation. Upon activation, CaM binds and activates numerous target proteins involved in a variety of cellular processes including regulation of plant metabolism, phytohormone signaling, ion transport, protein folding, protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation[1], cell motility, exocytosis, and cytoskeletal assembly. In neurons, calcium-activated CaM helps in the regulation of glutamate receptors, modulation of proteins in signaling pathways, and regulation of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) activity.[2]