Predicted calmodulin-binding sequence in the γ subunit of phosphorylase b kinase

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Abstract
A basic, amphiphilic α helix is a structural feature common to a variety of inhibitors of calmodulin and to the calmodulin-binding domains of myosin light chain kinases. To aid in recognizing this structural feature in sequences of peptides and proteins we have developed a computer algorithm which searches for sequences of appropriate length, hydrophobicity, helical hydrophobic moment, and charge to be considered as potential calmodulin-binding sequences. Such sequences occurred infrequently in proteins of known crystal structure. This algorithm was used to find the most likely site in the catalytic (γ) subunit of phosphorylase b kinase for interaction with calmodulin (the δ subunit). A peptide corresponding to this site (residues 341–361 of the γ subunit) was synthesized and found to bind calmodulin with approximately an 11 nM dissociation constant. A variant of this peptide in which an aspartic acid at position 7 in its sequence (347 of the γ subunit) was replaced with an asparagin was found to bind calmodulin with approximately a 3 nM dissociation constant.