The HOOK-domain between the SH3 and the GK domains of Cavbeta subunits contains key determinants controlling calcium channel inactivation.

Ca(v)beta subunits of voltage-gated calcium channels contain two conserved domains, a src-homology-3 (SH3)-domain and a guanylate kinase-like (GK)-domain. The SH3-domain is split, with its final (fifth) beta-strand separated from the rest of the domain by an intervening sequence termed the HOOK-domain, whose sequence varies between Ca(v)beta subunits. Here we have been guided by the recent structural studies of Ca(v)beta subunits in the design of specific truncated constructs, with the goal of investigating the role of the HOOK-domain of Ca(v)beta subunits in the modulation of inactivation of N-type calcium channels. We have coexpressed the beta subunit constructs with Ca(v)2.2 and alpha(2)delta-2, using the N-terminally palmitoylated beta(2a) subunit, because it supports very little voltage-dependent inactivation, and made comparisons with beta(1b) domains. Deletion of the variable region of the beta(2a) HOOK-domain resulted in currents with a rapidly inactivating component, and additional mutation of the beta(2a) palmitoylation motif further enhanced inactivation. The isolated GK-domain of beta(2a) alone enhanced current amplitude, but the currents were rapidly and completely inactivating. When the beta(2a)-GK-domain construct was extended proximally, by including the HOOK-domain and the epsilon-strand of the SH3-domain, inactivation was about four-fold slower than in the absence of the HOOK domain. When the SH3-domain of beta(2a) truncated prior to the HOOK-domain was coexpressed with the (HOOK+epsilonSH3+GK)-domain of beta(2a), all the properties of beta(2a) were restored, in terms of loss of inactivation. Furthermore, removal of the HOOK sequence from the (HOOK+epsilonSH3+GK)-beta(2a) construct increased inactivation. Together, these results provide evidence that the HOOK domain is an important determinant of inactivation.