TRPM7 channel is regulated by magnesium nucleotides via its kinase domain

TRPM7 is a Ca2+- and Mg2+-permeable cation channel that also contains a protein kinase domain. While there is general consensus that the channel is inhibited by free intracellular Mg2+, the functional roles of intracellular levels of Mg center dot ATP and the kinase domain in regulating TRPM7 channel activity have been discussed controversially. To obtain insight into these issues, we have determined the effect of purine and pyrimidine magnesium nucleotides on TRPM7 currents and investigated the possible involvement of the channel's kinase domain in mediating them. We report here that physiological Mg center dot ATP concentrations can inhibit TRPM7 channels and strongly enhance the channel blocking efficacy of free Mg2+. Mg center dot ADP, but not AMP, had similar, albeit smaller effects, indicating a double protection against possible Mg2+ and Ca2+ overflow during variations of cell energy levels. Furthermore, nearly all Mg-nucleotides were able to inhibit TRPM7 activity to varying degrees with the following rank in potency: ATP>TTP>CTP >= GTP >= UTP>ITP approximate to free Mg2+ alone. These nucleotides also enhanced TRPM7 inhibition by free Mg2+, suggesting the presence of two interacting binding sites that jointly regulate TRPM7 channel activity. Finally, the nucleotide-mediated inhibition was lost in phosphotransferase-deficient single-point mutants of TRPM7, while the Mg2+-dependent regulation was retained with reduced efficacy. Interestingly, truncated mutant channels with a complete deletion of the kinase domain regained Mg center dot NTP sensitivity; however, this inhibition did not discriminate between nucleotide species, suggesting that the COOH-terminal truncation exposes the previously inaccessible Mg2+ binding site to Mg-nucleotide binding without imparting nucleotide specificity. We conclude that the nucleotide-dependent regulation of TRPM7 is mediated by the nucleotide binding site on the channel's endogenous kinase domain and interacts synergistically with a Mg2+ binding site extrinsic to that domain.