Phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes produce second messengers that increase the intracellular Ca2+ concentration and activate protein kinase C (PKC). These enzymes also share a highly conserved arrangement of core domains. However, the contributions of the individual domains to regulation are poorly understood, particularly in isoforms lacking high-resolution information, such as PLCϵ. Here, we used small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), EM, and functional assays to gain insights into the molecular architecture of PLCϵ, revealing that its PH domain is conformationally dynamic and essential for activity. We further demonstrate that the PH domain of PLCβ exhibits similar dynamics in solution that are substantially different from its conformation observed in multiple previously reported crystal structures. We propose that this conformational heterogeneity contributes to subfamily-specific differences in activity and regulation by extracellular signals.
Keywords: PKC; Phospholipase C; calcium; conformational change; phosphatidylinositol lipid; second messenger; signal transduction; signaling protein; structural biology.