The structural basis of ryanodine receptor ion channel function

Large-conductance Ca2+ release channels known as ryanodine receptors (RyRs) mediate the release of Ca2+ from an intracellular membrane compartment, the endo/sarcoplasmic reticulum. There are three mammalian RyR isoforms: RyR1 is present in skeletal muscle; RyR2 is in heart muscle; and RyR3 is expressed at low levels in many tissues including brain, smooth muscle, and slow-twitch skeletal muscle. RyRs form large protein complexes comprising four 560-kD RyR subunits, four ∼12-kD FK506-binding proteins, and various accessory proteins including calmodulin, protein kinases, and protein phosphatases. RyRs share ∼70% sequence identity, with the greatest sequence similarity in the C-terminal region that forms the transmembrane, ion-conducting domain comprising ∼500 amino acids. The remaining ∼4,500 amino acids form the large regulatory cytoplasmic “foot” structure. Experimental evidence for Ca2+, ATP, phosphorylation, and redox-sensitive sites in the cytoplasmic structure have been described. Exogenous effectors include the two Ca2+ releasing agents caffeine and ryanodine. Recent work describing the near atomic structures of mammalian skeletal and cardiac muscle RyRs provides a structural basis for the regulation of the RyRs by their multiple effectors.