Structural perspectives of phospholamban, a helical transmembrane pentamer

Phospholamban is a 52-amino-acid protein that assembles into a pentamer in sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. The protein has a role in the regulation of the resident calcium ATPase through an inhibitory association that can be reversed by phosphorylation. The phosphorylation of phospholamban is initiated by beta-adrenergic stimulation, identifying phospholamban as an important component in the stimulation of cardiac activity by beta-agonists. It is this role of phospholamban that has motivated studies in recent decades. There is evidence that phospholamban may also function as a Ca2+-selective ion channel. The structural properties of phospholamban have been studied by mutagenesis, modeling, and spectroscopy, resulting in a new view of the organization of this key molecule in membranes.