Modulation of inhibitory efficiency of rat skeletal muscle calpastatin by phosphorylation

Rat skeletal muscle calpastatin form is markedly modified in its inhibitory properties by means of a reverse reaction which involves both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Dephospho-calpastatin shows greater inhibitory efficiency versus mu-calpain, whereas phospho-calpastatin shows maximal inhibition versus m-calpain. Both forms are present in fresh rat muscle. Phosphorylation has been reproduced "in vitro" using a homologous Ca2+ independent protein kinase and found to result in the incorporation of approximately one mole of 32P per mole of protein. Dephosphorylation was induced by treatment with alkaline phosphatase and 32P release shown found to correlate with modifications of the inhibitory properties. This reversible covalent modification of calpastatin is considered an important advancement in the understanding of how different calpain isoforms can be more efficiently controlled by a single inhibitor isozyme form.