Regulation of adenylate cyclase from glial tumor cells by calcium and a calcium-binding protein.

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A biphasic response to changes in Ca2+ concentration was observed for basal and norepinephrine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in homogenates of C-6 glioma cells. The enzyme was stimulated approximately 40% by low concentrations of free Ca2+ (less than or equal to 1 muM) and inhibited to successively greater extents as free Ca2+ concentrations were increased to approximately 100 muM. Ca2+ did not alter the concentration of norepinephrine required for enzyme activation. Homogenates of C-6 cells were separated into particulate and supernatant fractions by centrifugation at 27,000 X g for 20 min. The particulate fraction contained nearly all of the adenylate cyclase activity. This activity was stimulated approximately 40% by the addition of untreated supernatant fraction, by boiled or dialyzed supernatant fraction, and by a homogenous Ca2+-binding protein (calcium-dependent regulator (CDR) prepared from brain. Addition of either the supernatant fraction or CDR lowered the Ca2+ concentration required for maximal stimulation of the adenylate cyclase. The factor in the supernatant fraction which activated the particulate enzyme was subsequently identified in acrylamide gel electrophoretic studies to be CDR. The amount of CDR required for maximal activation of the enzyme was found to be lowered as the Ca2+ concentration in the assay was increased. High amounts of added CDR (100 to 1000 ng) were inhibitory. Use of the monionic detergent, Lubrol PX, to prepare dispersed adenylate cyclase from the particulate fraction resulted in large losses of activity. The resultant preparation of enzyme contained some CDR which could not be removed by chromatography of the preparation on anion exchange columns. Addition of homogeneous CDR to the assay activated the enzyme several-fold at low Ca2+ concentrations. At higher Ca2+ concentrations the enzyme was activated fully by the CDR endogenous to the preparation and added Ca2+. CDR was inhibitory.