Molecular Mechanism of a FRET Biosensor for the Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor Pathologically Leaky State

Ca2+ leak from cardiomyocyte sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via hyperactive resting cardiac ryanodine receptor channels (RyR2) is pro-arrhythmic. An exogenous peptide, (DPc10) detects leaky RyR2 in cardiomyocytes. Conversely, calmodulin (CaM) inhibits RyR2 leak. These observations have led to designing a FRET biosensor for drug discovery targeting RyR2. Here we used FRET to understand the molecular mechanism driving the DPc10-CaM interdependence when binding RyR2 in SR vesicles. We used donor-FKBP12.6 (D-FKBP) to resolve RyR2 binding of acceptor-CaM (A-CaM). In low nanomolar Ca2+, DPc10 decreased both FRETmax (under saturating [A-CaM]) and the CaM/RyR2 binding affinity. In micromolar Ca2+, DPc10 decreased FRETmax without affecting CaM/RyR2 binding affinity. This correlates with analysis of fluorescence-lifetime-detected FRET indicating that DPc10 lowers occupancy of the RyR2 CaM-binding sites in nanomolar (not micromolar) Ca2+ and lengthens D-FKBP/A-CaM distances independent of [Ca2+]. To observe DPc10/RyR2 binding, we used acceptor-DPc10 (A-DPc10). CaM weakens A-DPc10/RyR2 binding, this effect being larger in micromolar vs. nanomolar Ca2+. Moreover, A-DPc10/RyR2 binding is cooperative in CaM- and FKBP-dependent manner, suggesting that both endogenous modulators promote concerted structural changes between RyR2 protomers for channel regulation. Aided by analysis of cryo-EM structures, these insights inform further development of the DPc10-CaM paradigm for therapeutic discovery targeting RyR2.