The independently folding C2
domain motif serves as a Ca
2+-dependent membrane dockingtrigger in a large number of Ca
2+ signaling pathways. A comparison was initiated between three closelyrelated C2
domains from the conventional protein kinase C subfamily (cPKC, isoforms
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
,
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
, and
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
). Theresults reveal that these C2
domain isoforms exhibit some similarities but are specialized in importantways, including different Ca
2+ stoichiometries. In the absence of membranes, Ca
2+ affinities of the isolatedC2
domains are similar (2-fold difference) while Hill coefficients reveal cooperative Ca
2+ binding for thePKC
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
C2
domain but not for the PKC
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
or PKC
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
C2
domain (
H = 2.3 ± 0.1 for PKC
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
, 0.9 ± 0.1 forPKC
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
, and 0.9 ± 0.1 for PKC
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
). When phosphatidylserine-containing membranes are present, Ca
2+affinities range from the sub-micromolar to the micromolar (7-fold difference) ([Ca
2+]
1/2 = 0.7 ± 0.1
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
Mfor PKC
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
, 1.4 ± 0.1
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
M for PKC
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
, and 5.0 ± 0.2
![](/images/entities/mgr.gif)
M for PKC
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
), and cooperative Ca
2+ binding isobserved for all three C2
domains (Hill coefficients equal 1.8 ± 0.1 for PKC
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
, 1.3 ± 0.1 for PKC
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
, and1.4 ± 0.1 for PKC
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
). The large effects of membranes are consistent with a coupled Ca
2+ and membranebinding equilibrium, and with a direct role of the phospholipid in stabilizing bound Ca
2+. The net negativecharge of the phospholipid is more important to membrane affinity than its headgroup structure, althougha slight preference for phosphatidylserine is observed over other anionic phospholipids. The Ca
2+stoichiometries of the membrane-bound C2
domains are detectably different. PKC
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
and PKC
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
each bindthree Ca
2+ ions in the membrane-associated state; membrane-bound PKC
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
binds two Ca
2+ ions, and athird binds weakly or not at all under physiological conditions. Overall, the results indicate that conventionalPKC C2
domains first bind a subset of the final Ca
2+ ions in solution, and then associate weakly with themembrane and bind additional Ca
2+ ions to yield a stronger membrane interaction in the fully assembledtertiary complex. The full complement of Ca
2+ ions is needed for tight binding to the membrane. Thus,even though the three C2
domains are 64% identical, differences in Ca
2+ affinity, stoichiometry, andcooperativity are observed, demonstrating that these closely related C2
domains are specialized for theirindividual functions and contexts.