Abstract
TRPV5, transient receptor potential cation channel vanilloid subfamily member 5, is an epithelial Ca(2+) channel that plays a key role in the active Ca(2+) reabsorption process in the kidney. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4252499 in the TRPV5 gene results in an A563T variation in the sixth transmembrane (TM) domain of TRPV5. Our previous study indicated that this variation increases the Ca(2+) transport function of TRPV5. To understand the molecular mechanism, a model of TRPV5 was established based on the newly deposited structure of TRPV6 that has 83.1% amino acid identity with TRPV5 in the modeled region. Computational simulations were performed to study the structural and dynamical differences between the TRPV5 variants with A563 and T563. Consistent with the TRPV1-based simulation, the results indicate that the A563T variation increases the contacts between residues 563 and V540, which is one residue away from the key residue D542 in the Ca(2+)-selective filter. The variation enhanced the stability of the secondary structure of the pore region, decreased the fluctuation of residues around residue 563, and reduced correlated and anti-correlated motion between monomers. Furthermore, the variation increases the pore radius at the selective filter. These findings were confirmed using simulations based on the recently determined structure of rabbit TRPV5. The simulation results provide an explanation for the observation of enhanced Ca(2+) influx in TRPV5 caused by the A563T variation. The A563T variation is an interesting example of how a residue distant from the Ca(2+)-selective filter influences the Ca(2+) transport function of the TRPV5 channel. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.