Which enzymes need calcium to function?

  • The protein calmodulin activates many enzymes in the presence of calcium:
    • Calcium-calmodulin complexes bind to enzymes acting as a co-factor
    • Known as a ‘calcium-binding regulatory protein’
  • Enzymes activated by calmodulin include:
    • Glycogen synthase
    • Adenyl cyclase
    • Pancreatic lipase
    • Pyruvate carboxylase
    • Phospholipase A2