Changes in the R‐region interactions depend on phosphorylation and contribute to PKA and PKC regulation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channel

The CFTR chloride channel is regulated by phosphorylation at PKA and PKC consensus sites within its regulatory region (R‐region) through a mechanism, which is still not completely understood. We used a split‐CFTR construct expressing the N‐term‐TMD1‐NBD1 (Front Half; FH), TMD2‐NBD2‐C‐Term (Back Half; BH), and the R‐region as separate polypeptides (Split‐R) in BHK cells, to investigate in situ how different phosphorylation conditions affect the R‐region interactions with other parts of the protein. In proximity ligation assays, we studied the formation of complexes between the R‐region and each half of the Split‐CFTR. We found that at basal conditions, the density of complexes formed between the R‐region and both halves of the split channel were equal. PKC stimulation alone had no effect, whereas PKA stimulation induced the formation of more complexes between the R‐region and both halves compared to basal conditions. Moreover, PKC + PKA stimulation further enhanced the formation of FH‐R complexes by 40% from PKA level. In cells expressing the Split‐R with the two inhibitory PKC sites on the R‐region inactivated (SR‐S641A/T682A), density of FH‐R complexes was much higher than in Split‐R WT expressing cells after PKC or PKC + PKA stimulation. No differences were observed for BH‐R complexes measured at all phosphorylation conditions. Since full‐length CFTR channels display large functional responses to PKC + PKA in WT and S641A/T682A mutant, we conclude that FH‐R interactions are important for CFTR function. Inactivation of consensus PKC site serine 686 (S686A) significantly reduced the basal BH‐R interaction and prevented the PKC enhancing effect on CFTR function and FH‐R interaction. The phospho‐mimetic mutation (S686D) restored basal BH‐R interaction and the PKC enhancing effect on CFTR function with enhanced FH‐R interaction. As the channel function is mainly stimulated by PKA phosphorylation of the R‐region, and this response is known to be enhanced by PKC phosphorylation, our data support a model in which the regulation of CFTR activation results from increased interactions of the R‐region with the N‐term‐TMD1‐NBD1. Also, serine S686 was found to be critical for the PKC enhancing effect which requires a permissive BH‐R interaction at basal level and increased FH‐R interaction after PKC + PKA phosphorylation.