Calmodulin Dependence of Presynaptic Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Signaling

Glutamatergic neurotransmission is controlled by presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). A subdomain in the intracellular carboxyl-terminal tail of group III mGluRs binds calmodulin and heterotrimeric guanosine triphosphate-binding protein (G protein) betagamma subunits in a mutually exclusive manner. Mutations interfering with calmodulin binding and calmodulin antagonists inhibit G protein-mediated modulation of ionic currents by mGluR 7. Calmodulin antagonists also prevent inhibition of excitatory neurotransmission via presynaptic mGluRs. These results reveal a novel mechanism of presynaptic modulation in which Ca(2+)-calmodulin is required to release G protein betagamma subunits from the C-tail of group III mGluRs in order to mediate glutamatergic autoinhibition.