Calmodulin activates adenylate cyclase from rabbit heart plasma membranes.

It was shown that calmodulin (CM) activates the adenylate cyclase (AC) of rabbit heart light sarcolemma in the presence of micromolar free Ca2+ concentrations and this effect is blocked by trifluoroperazine and troponin I. GTP (in the presence of isoproterenol) and Gpp(NH)p are able to increase the CM-dependent activity of enzyme. It was concluded that there is no special CM-dependent "form' of AC in the heart and the common catalytic component of AC can be regulated both by CM and guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory component (N-protein). In the presence of Ca2+ and guanine nucleotide heart AC exists as a complex: CM-catalytic component-N-protein.