Probing the effects of nonannular lipid binding on the stability of the calcium pump SERCA

The calcium pump SERCA is a transmembrane protein that is critical for calcium transport in cells. SERCA resides in an environment made up largely by the lipid bilayer, so lipids play a central role on its stability and function. Studies have provided insights into the effects of annular and bulk lipids on SERCA activation, but the role of a nonannular lipid site in the E2 intermediate state remains elusive. Here, we have performed microsecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to probe the effects of nonannular lipid binding on the stability and structural dynamics of the E2 state of SERCA. We found that the structural integrity and stability of the E2 state is independent of nonannular lipid binding, and that occupancy of a lipid molecule at this site does not modulate destabilization of the E2 state, a step required to initiate the transition toward the competent E1 state. We also found that binding of the nonannular lipid does not induce direct allosteric control of the intrinsic functional dynamics the E2 state. We conclude that nonannular lipid binding is not necessary for the stability of the E2 state, but we speculate that it becomes functionally significant during the E2-to-E1 transition of the pump.