The crystal structure of the primary Ca2+ sensor of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger reveals a novel Ca2+ binding motif.

The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger is a plasma membrane protein that regulates intracellular Ca2+ levels in cardiac myocytes. Transport activity is governed by Ca2+, and the primary Ca2+ sensor (CBD1) is located in a large cytoplasmic loop connecting two transmembrane helices. The binding of Ca2+ to the CBD1 sensory domain results in conformational changes that stimulate the exchanger to extrude Ca2+. Here, we present a crystal structure of CBD1 at 2.5A resolution, which reveals a novel Ca2+ binding site consisting of four Ca2+ ions arranged in a tight planar cluster. This intricate coordination pattern for a Ca2+ binding cluster is indicative of a highly sensitive Ca2+ sensor and may represent a general platform for Ca2+ sensing.