The mechanism of substrate recognition of Ca2+-dependent protein kinases

Abstract

Ca2+-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are encoded by a multigene family and are thought to play central roles in Ca2+ signaling in plants. Although the primary structures of CDPK isoforms are highly conserved, several studies suggested a distinct physiological function for each CDPK isoform in plants. Hence, there should be mechanisms by which individual CDPK specifically recognizes its substrate. Recently, the variable N-terminal domain of NtCDPK1 was shown to play an essential role in the specific recognition of the substrate. Because the variable N-terminal domain of other CDPKs may also be involved in the substrate recognition, the search for interacting proteins of the variable N-terminal domain would provide important clues to identify the physiological substrates of each CDPK. Additionally, manipulation of the variable N-terminal domain may enable us to engineer the substrate specificity of CDPK, leading a rational rewiring of cellular signaling pathways.