Calcium release through P2X4 activates calmodulin to promote endolysosomal membrane fusion

Intra-endolysosomal Ca²⁺ release is required for endolysosomal membrane fusion with intracellular organelles. However, the molecular mechanisms for intra-endolysosomal Ca²⁺ release and the downstream Ca²⁺ targets involved in the fusion remain elusive. Previously, we demonstrated that endolysosomal P2X4 forms channels activated by luminal adenosine triphosphate in a pH-dependent manner. In this paper, we show that overexpression of P2X4, as well as increasing endolysosomal P2X4 activity by alkalinization of endolysosome lumen, promoted vacuole enlargement in cells and endolysosome fusion in a cell-free assay. These effects were prevented by inhibiting P2X4, expressing a dominantnegative P2X4 mutant, and disrupting the P2X4 gene. We further show that P2X4 and calmodulin (CaM) form a complex at endolysosomal membrane where P2X4 activation recruits CaM to promote fusion and vacuolation in a Ca²⁺-dependent fashion. Moreover, P2X4 activation-triggered fusion and vacuolation were suppressed by inhibiting CaM. Our data thus suggest a new molecular mechanism for endolysosomal membrane fusion involving P2X4-mediated endolysosomal Ca²⁺ release and subsequent CaM activation.