Disruption of the Key Ca2+ Binding Site in the Selectivity Filter of Neuronal Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels Inhibits Channel Trafficking

Summary: Voltage-gated calcium channels are exquisitely Ca2+ selective, conferred primarily by four conserved pore-loop glutamate residues contributing to the selectivity filter. There has been little previous work directly measuring whether the trafficking of calcium channels requires their ability to bind Ca2+ in the selectivity filter or to conduct Ca2+. Here, we examine trafficking of neuronal CaV2.1 and 2.2 channels with mutations in their selectivity filter and find reduced trafficking to the cell surface in cell lines. Furthermore, in hippocampal neurons, there is reduced trafficking to the somatic plasma membrane, into neurites, and to presynaptic terminals. However, the CaV2.2 selectivity filter mutants are still influenced by auxiliary α2δ subunits and, albeit to a reduced extent, by β subunits, indicating the channels are not grossly misfolded. Our results indicate that Ca2+ binding in the pore of CaV2 channels may promote their correct trafficking, in combination with auxiliary subunits. Furthermore, physiological studies utilizing selectivity filter mutant CaV channels should be interpreted with caution. : Meyer et al. examine whether selectivity filtering mutations in CaV2 channels, preventing inward Ba2+ currents, would reduce trafficking. Pore-mutant channels show strongly reduced cell-surface expression in cell lines and neurons, but still require β and α2δ subunits and thus are not grossly misfolded. Keywords: N-type, P/Q-type, calcium channel, selectivity filter, α2δ subunit, β subunit, divalent cation, permeation, trafficking, calcium currents