Crystal structure of a C-terminal deletion mutant of human protein kinase CK2 catalytic subunit

Protein kinase CK2 (formerly called: casein kinase 2) is a heterotetrameric enzyme composed of two separate catalytic chains (CK2alpha) and a stable dimer of two non-catalytic subunits (CK2beta). CK2alpha is a highly conserved member of the superfamily of eukaryotic protein kinases. The crystal structure of a C-terminal deletion mutant of human CK2alpha was solved and refined to 2.5A resolution. In the crystal the CK2alpha mutant exists as a monomer in agreement with the organization of the subunits in the CK2 holoenzyme. The refined structure shows the helix alphaC and the activation segment, two main regions of conformational plasticity and regulatory importance in eukaryotic protein kinases, in active conformations stabilized by extensive contacts to the N-terminal segment. This arrangement is in accordance with the constitutive activity of the enzyme. By structural superimposition of human CK2alpha in isolated form and embedded in the human CK2 holoenzyme the loop connecting the strands beta4 and beta5 and the ATP-binding loop were identified as elements of structural variability. This structural comparison suggests that the ATP-binding loop may be the key region by which the non-catalytic CK2beta dimer modulates the activity of CK2alpha. The beta4/beta5 loop was found in a closed conformation in contrast to the open conformation observed for the CK2alpha subunits of the CK2 holoenzyme. CK2alpha monomers with this closed beta4/beta5 loop conformation are unable to bind CK2beta dimers in the common way for sterical reasons, suggesting a mechanism to protect CK2alpha from integration into CK2 holoenzyme complexes. This observation is consistent with the growing evidence that CK2alpha monomers and CK2beta dimers can exist in vivo independently from the CK2 holoenzyme and may possess physiological roles of their own.     

The catalytic subunit of human protein kinase CK2 structurally deviates from its maize homologue in complex with the nucleotide competitive inhibitor emodin

The Ser/Thr kinase CK2 (former name: casein kinase 2) is a heterotetrameric enzyme composed of two catalytic chains (CK2α) attached to a dimer of noncatalytic subunits. Together with the cyclin-dependent kinases and the mitogen-activated protein kinases, CK2α belongs to the CMGC family of the eukaryotic protein kinases. CK2 is an important survival and stability factor in eukaryotic cells: its catalytic activity is elevated in a wide variety of tumors while its down-regulation can lead to apoptosis. Thus, CK2 is a valuable target for drug development and for chemical biology approaches of cell biological research, and small organic inhibitors addressing CK2 are of considerable interest. We describe here the complex structure between a C-terminal deletion mutant of human CK2α and the ATP-competitive inhibitor emodin (1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthraquinone, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry name: 1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methylanthracene-9,10-dione) and compare it with a previously published complex structure of emodin and maize CK2α. With a resolution of 1.5 Å, the human CK2α/emodin structure has a much better resolution than its maize counterpart (2.6 Å). Even more important, in spite of a sequence identity of more than 77% between human and maize CK2α, the two structures deviate significantly in the orientation, in which emodin is trapped by the enzyme, and in the local conformations around the ligand binding site: maize CK2α shows its largest adaptations in the ATP-binding loop, whereas human CK2α shows its largest adaptations in the hinge region connecting the two main domains of the protein kinase core. These observations emphasize the importance of local plasticity for ligand binding and demonstrate that two orthologues of an enzyme can behave quite different in this respect.     

Evolved to be active: sulfate ions define substrate recognition sites of CK2alpha and emphasise its exceptional role within the CMGC family of eukaryotic protein kinases

CK2alpha is the catalytic subunit of protein kinase CK2 and a member of the CMGC family of eukaryotic protein kinases like the cyclin-dependent kinases, the MAP kinases and glycogen-synthase kinase 3. We present here a 1.6 A resolution crystal structure of a fully active C-terminal deletion mutant of human CK2alpha liganded by two sulfate ions, and we compare this structure systematically with representative structures of related CMGC kinases. The two sulfate anions occupy binding pockets at the activation segment and provide the structural basis of the acidic consensus sequence S/T-D/E-X-D/E that governs substrate recognition by CK2. The anion binding sites are conserved among those CMGC kinases. In most cases they are neutralized by phosphorylation of a neighbouring threonine or tyrosine side-chain, which triggers conformational changes for regulatory purposes. CK2alpha, however, lacks both phosphorylation sites at the activation segment and structural plasticity. Here the anion binding sites are functionally changed from regulation to substrate recognition. These findings underline the exceptional role of CK2alpha as a constitutively active enzyme within a family of strictly controlled protein kinases.     

Conformational plasticity of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase CK2 and its consequences for regulation and drug design

At the first glance CK2α, the catalytic subunit of protein kinase CK2, is a rigid molecule: in contrast to many eukaryotic protein kinases in CK2α the canonical regulatory key elements like the activation segment occur exclusively in their typical active conformations. This observation fits well to the constitutive activity of the enzyme, meaning, its independence from phosphorylation or other characteristic control factors. Most CK2α structures are based on the enzyme from Zea mays, supplemented by an increasing number of human CK2α structures. In the latter a surprising plasticity of important ATP-binding elements – the interdomain hinge region and the glycine-rich loop – was discovered. In fully active CK2α the hinge region is open and does not anchor the ATP ribose, but alternatively it can adopt a closed conformation, form hydrogen bonds to the ribose moiety and thus retract the γ-phospho group from its functional position. In addition to this partially inactive state human CK2α was recently found in a fully inactive conformation. It is incompatible with ATP-binding due to a combination of a closed hinge and a collapse of the glycine-rich loop into the ATP cavity. These conformational transitions are apparently correlated with the occupation state of a remote docking site located at the interface to the non-catalytic subunit CK2β: if CK2β blocks this site, the fully active conformation of CK2α is stabilized, while the binding of certain small molecule seems to favour the partially and fully inactive states. This observation may be exploited to design effective and selective CK2 inhibitors.     

Structure of the human protein kinase CK2 catalytic subunit CK2α' and interaction thermodynamics with the regulatory subunit CK2β

Protein kinase CK2 (formerly “casein kinase 2”) is composed of a central dimer of noncatalytic subunits (CK2β) binding two catalytic subunits. In humans, there are two isoforms of the catalytic subunit (and an additional splicing variant), one of which (CK2α) is well characterized. To supplement the limited biochemical knowledge about the second paralog (CK2α′), we developed a well-soluble catalytically active full-length mutant of human CK2α′, characterized it by Michaelis-Menten kinetics and isothermal titration calorimetry, and determined its crystal structure to a resolution of 2 Å. The affinity of CK2α′ for CK2β is about 12 times lower than that of CK2α and is less driven by enthalpy. This result fits the observation that the β4/β5 loop, a key element of the CK2α/CK2β interface, adopts an open conformation in CK2α′, while in CK2α, it opens only after assembly with CK2β. The open β4/β5 loop in CK2α′ is stabilized by two elements that are absent in CK2α: (1) the extension of the N-terminal β-sheet by an additional β-strand, and (2) the filling of a conserved hydrophobic cavity between the β4/β5 loop and helix αC by a tryptophan residue. Moreover, the interdomain hinge region of CK2α′ adopts a fully functional conformation, while unbound CK2α is often found with a nonproductive hinge conformation that is overcome only by CK2β binding. Taken together, CK2α′ exhibits a significantly lower affinity for CK2β than CK2α; moreover, in functionally critical regions, it is less dependent on CK2β to obtain a fully functional conformation.     

Primary and secondary interactions between CK2α and CK2β lead to ring-like structures in the crystals of the CK2 holoenzyme

Protein kinase CK2 predominantly exists as a heterotetrameric holoenyzme consisting of two catalytic subunits (CK2α) and two non-catalytic subunits (CK2β). Early investigations which we review here had revealed the presence of two types of contacts between CK2α and CK2β: a primary interaction responsible for the stability of the CK2 holoenzyme and stimulatory for the catalytic activity, and a secondary interaction which is inhibitory and in which the acidic loop of CK2β associates with the basic stretch and the (p+1)-loop of CK2α. At the end of the last decade both types of interactions were assumed to occur within the same tetrameric complex. The CK2 holoenyzme structure, however, suggested that the secondary interactions must happen between different CK2 tetramers. Such a behaviour should lead to higher-ordered aggregates consistent with several previous reports about a distinct aggregation propensity of CK2. We demonstrate here that in the CK2 holoenzyme crystals contacts between different CK2 tetramers exists which provide structural details of the secondary CK2α/CK2β interactions. These mainly ionic interactions lead to trimeric rings of CK2 holoenzymes in the crystal. In these rings each CK2 tetramer possesses one CK2α subunit open for substrate binding and another one whose active site is blocked by a secondary contact with CK2β from a neighbouring tetramer. This observation fits to previous findings that salt-sensitive ring-like aggregates of CK2 holoenzymes can exist which possess significant catalytic activity. Furthermore it suggests that earlier ideas about a regulatory role of the enzyme’s aggregation propensity may be worth to be revitalised.     

The kinesin I family member KIF5C is a novel substrate for protein kinase CK2

Protein kinase CK2 is ubiquitously expressed. The holoenzyme is composed of two catalytic α- or α′-subunits and two regulatory β-subunits but evidence is accumulating that the subunits can function independently. The composition of the holoenzyme as well as the expression of the individual subunits varies in different tissues, with high expression of CK2α′ in testis and brain. CK2 phosphorylates a number of different substrates which are implicated in basal cellular processes such as proliferation and survival of cells. Here, we report a new substrate, KIF5C, which is a member of the kinesin 1 family of motor neuron proteins. Phosphorylation of KIF5C was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. Using deletion mutants, a peptide library, and mutation analysis a phosphorylation site for CK2 was mapped to amino acid 338 which is located in the non-motor domain of KIF5C. Interestingly, KIF5C is phosphorylated by holoenzymes composed of CK2α/CK2β and CK2α′/CK2β as well as by CK2α′ alone but not by CK2α alone.     

Purification and characterization of the CK2alpha'-based holoenzyme, an isozyme of CK2alpha: a comparative analysis

Protein kinase CK2 (former name: "casein kinase 2") is a pivotal and ubiquitously expressed member of the eukaryotic protein kinase superfamily. It predominantly exists as a heterotetrameric holoenzyme composed of two catalytic subunits (CK2alpha) and two regulatory subunits (CK2beta). In higher animals two paralog catalytic chains-abbreviated CK2alpha and CK2alpha'--exist which can combine with CK2beta to three isoforms of the holoenzyme: CK2alpha(2)beta(2), CK2alpha(2)(')beta(2), and CK2alphaalpha(')beta(2). While CK2alpha and the "normal" holoenzyme CK2alpha(2)beta(2) have been extensively characterized in vitro and in vivo, little is known about the enzymological properties of CK2alpha' and the "alternative" holoenzyme CK2alpha(2)(')beta(2) and about their specific physiological roles. A major reason for this lack of knowledge is the fact that so far CK2alpha' rather than CK2alpha has caused serious stability and solubility problems during standard heterologous expression procedures. To overcome them, we developed a preparation scheme for CK2alpha(2)(')beta(2) from Homo sapiens in catalytically active form based on two critical steps: first expression of human CK2alpha' as a well soluble fusion protein with the maltose binding protein (MBP) and second proteolytic cleavage of CK2alpha'-MBP in the presence of human CK2beta so that CK2alpha' subunits are incorporated into holoenzyme complexes directly after their release from MBP. This successful strategy which may be adopted in comparably difficult cases of protein/protein complex preparation is presented here together with evidence that the CK2alpha'-based and the CK2alpha-based holoenzymes are similar concerning their catalytic activities but are significantly different with respect to some well-known CK2 properties like autophosphorylation and supra-molecular aggregation.     

CK2β interacts with and regulates p21-activated kinases in Drosophila

The role of CK2β has been defined as the regulatory subunit of protein kinase CK2, which is a heterotetrameric complex composed of two CK2β and two catalytic active CK2α subunits. The identification of other serine/threonine kinases such as A-Raf, Chk1, and c-Mos that interact with and are regulated by CK2β has challenged this view and provided evidence for functions of CK2β outside the CK2 holoenzyme. In this report we describe the first interaction of Drosophila CK2β outside the CK2 holoenzyme with p21-activated kinase (PAK) proteins. This interaction is seen for distinct PAK and CK2β isoforms. In contrast to the CK2α–CK2β interaction, dimer formation of the CK2β subunits is not a prerequisite for binding of PAK proteins. Our results support the idea that CK2β can bind to PAK proteins in a CK2α independent manner and negatively regulates PAK kinase activity.     

First Inactive Conformation of CK2α, the Catalytic Subunit of Protein Kinase CK2

The Ser/Thr kinase casein kinase 2 (CK2) is a heterotetrameric enzyme composed of two catalytic chains (CK2α, catalytic subunit of CK2) attached to a dimer of two noncatalytic subunits (CK2β, noncatalytic subunit of CK2). CK2α belongs to the superfamily of eukaryotic protein kinases (EPKs). To function as regulatory key components, EPKs normally exist in inactive ground states and are activated only upon specific signals. Typically, this activation is accompanied by large conformational changes in helix αC and in the activation segment, leading to a characteristic arrangement of catalytic key elements. For CK2α, however, no strict physiological control of activity is known. Accordingly, CK2α was found so far exclusively in the characteristic conformation of active EPKs, which is, in this case, additionally stabilized by a unique intramolecular contact between the N-terminal segment on one side, and helix αC and the activation segment on the other side. We report here the structure of a C-terminally truncated variant of human CK2α in which the enzyme adopts a decidedly inactive conformation for the first time. In this CK2α structure, those regulatory key regions still are in their active positions. Yet the glycine-rich ATP-binding loop, which is normally part of the canonical anti-parallel β-sheet, has collapsed into the ATP-binding site so that ATP is excluded from binding; specifically, the side chain of Arg47 occupies the ribose region of the ATP site and Tyr50, the space required by the triphospho moiety. We discuss some factors that may support or disfavor this inactive conformation, among them coordination of small molecules at a remote cavity at the CK2α/CK2β interaction region and binding of a CK2β dimer. The latter stabilizes the glycine-rich loop in the extended active conformation known from the majority of CK2α structures. Thus, the novel inactive conformation for the first time provides a structural basis for the stimulatory impact of CK2β on CK2α.     

Tyrphostin AG213对重组人蛋白激酶CK2全酶的抑制动力学

利用基因工程克隆、表达和纯化获得重组人蛋白激酶CK2α和 β亚基 ,在体外等摩尔数混合构成有最大生物活性的重组人CK2全酶 .以重组人CK2全酶为分子靶点 ,研究tyrphostinAG2 13对该全酶的直接作用及其抑制动力学 .通过测定转移到CK2底物上的 [γ 3 2 P]GTP的 [3 2 P]放射活度 ,检测CK2活性 .结果表明 :重组人CK2是一种Ca2 + 、cAMP和cGMP等第二信使非依赖性蛋白激酶 ,与天然CK2的性质一致 .AG2 13对重组人CK2全酶具有很强的抑制作用 ,IC50 为 1 1μmol L ,抑制作用远大于已知CK2的抑制剂 5 ,6 二氯 1 β 呋喃糖苯并咪唑 (DRB)和N (2 氨乙基 ) 5 氯萘 1 硫胺 (A3) .AG2 13对重组人CK2全酶的动力学研究表明 :它与GTP呈现非竞争 竞争性混合型抑制作用 ,抑制常数Ki 和Ki′值分别为 0 6 μmol L与 1 4 μmol L ;与酪蛋白呈非竞争性抑制作用 ,Ki 值为 0 9μmol L .结果说明 ,tyrphostinAG2 13不仅是酪氨酸蛋白激酶的抑制剂 ,而且是一种十分有效的蛋白激酶CK2的抑制剂 .重组人蛋白激酶CK2可作为一种较为简便筛选和开发有效的CK2抑制剂的分子靶点 .     

Yeast holoenzyme of protein kinase CK2 requires both β and β′ regulatory subunits for its activity

Protein kinase CK2 is a highly conserved Ser/Thr protein kinase that is ubiquitous among eucaryotic organisms and appears to play an important role in many cellular functions. This enzyme in yeast has a tetrameric structure composed of two catalytic (α and/or α′) subunits and two regulatory β and β′ subunits. Previously, we have reported isolation from yeast cells four active forms of CK2, composed of αα′ββ′, α₂ββ′, α′₂ββ′ and a free α′-catalytic subunit. Now, we report that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae CK2 holoenzyme regulatory β subunit cannot substitute other β′ subunit and only both of them can form fully active enzymatic unit. We have examined the subunit composition of tetrameric complexes of yeast CK2 by transformation of yeast strains containing single deletion of the β or β′ regulatory subunits with vectors carrying lacking CKB1 or CKB2 genes. CK2 holoenzyme activity was restored only in cases when both of them were present in the cell. Additional, co-immunoprecypitation experiments show that polyadenylation factor Fip1 interacts with catalytic α subunits of CK2 and interaction with beta subunits in the holoenzyme decreases CK2 activity towards this protein substrate. These data may help to elucidate the role of yeast protein kinase CK2β/β′ subunits in the regulation of holoenzyme assembly and phosphotransferase activity.     

Yeast surviving factor Svf1 as a new interacting partner, regulator and in vitro substrate of protein kinase CK2

Since Svf1 is phosphoprotein, we investigated whether it was a substrate for protein kinase CK2. According to the amino acid sequence Svf1 harbours 20 putative CK2 phosphorylation sites. Here, we have reported cloning, overexpression, purification and characterization of yeast Svf1 as a substrate for three forms of yeast CK2. Svf1 serves as a substrate for both the recombinant CK2α (K _m 0.35 μM) and CK2α′ (K _m 0.18 μM) as well as CK2 holoenzyme (K _m 1.1 μM). Different K _m values argue that CK2β(β′) subunit has an inhibitory effect on the activity of both CK2α and CK2α′ towards surviving factor Svf1. Reconstitution of α′₂ββ′ isoform of CK2 holoenzyme shows that β/β′ subunits have regulatory effect depending on the kind of CK2 catalytic subunit. This effect was not observed in the case of α₂ββ′ isoform, which may be due to interaction between Svf1 and regulatory CK2β subunit (shown by co-immunoprecipitation experiments). Interactions between CK2 subunits and Svf1 protein may have influence on ATP as well as ATP-competitive inhibitors (TBBt and TBBz) binding. CK2 phosphorylates up to six serine residues in highly acidic peptide K¹⁹⁹EVIPESDEEESSADEDDNEDEDEESGDSEEESGSEEESDSEEVEITYED²⁴⁸ of the Svf1 protein in vitro. Presented data may help to elucidate the role of protein kinase CK2 and Svf1 in the regulation of cell survival pathways.     

重组人蛋白激酶CK 2α亚基的原核表达、纯化与鉴定

将构建成功的人蛋白激酶 CK2 α亚基 c DNA的重组质粒 ,转化大肠杆菌 BL2 1 ( DE3) ,IPTG诱导后获特异高效表达 ,表达蛋白占菌体总蛋白的 30 % ,但大多数重组蛋白以不溶形式存在 .表达产物依次进行 DE- 5 2、P1 1磷酸纤维素和肝素 - Sepharose柱层析分离 ,最后从 30 9mg可溶性蛋白质中得到 6.1 mg纯化蛋白 . SDS- PAGE显示纯化的蛋白质为一分子量 4 2 k D的单一蛋白带 .Western- blot的结果证明 :纯化的表达产物与抗人 CK2α抗体可发生特异性免疫反应 . CK2α和β亚基等摩尔分子混合可组成有完全活性的全酶 .重组的 CK2全酶的性质和功能与该酶的已知特性一致 .这些结果证明重组蛋白是人蛋白激酶 CK2 α亚基     

Phosphorylation of thymidylate synthase from various sources by human protein kinase CK2 and its catalytic subunits

Thymidylate synthase (TS) was found to be a substrate for both catalytic subunits of human CK2, with phosphorylation by CK2α and CK2α′ characterized by similar K_m values, 4.6 μM and 4.2 μM, respectively, but different efficiencies, the apparent turnover number with CK2α being 10-fold higher. With both catalytic subunits, phosphorylation of human TS, like calmodulin and BID, was strongly inhibited in the presence of the regulatory subunit CK2β, the holoenzyme being activated by polylysine. Phosphorylation of recombinant human, rat, mouse and Trichinella spiralis TSs proteins was compared, with the human enzyme being apparently a much better substrate than the others. Following hydrolysis and TLC, phosphoserine was detected in human and rat, and phosphotyrosine in T. spiralis, TS, used as substrates for CK2α. MALDI-TOF MS analysis led to identification of phosphorylated Ser¹²⁴ in human TS, within a sequence LGFS¹²⁴TREEGD, atypical for a CK2 substrate recognition site. The phosphorylation site is located in a region considered important for the catalytic mechanism or regulation of human TS, corresponding to the loop 107-128. Following phosphorylation by CK2α, resulting in incorporation of 0.4 mol of phosphate per mol of dimeric TS, human TS exhibits unaltered K_m values for dUMP and N^5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate, but a 50% lower turnover number, pointing to a strong influence of Ser¹²⁴ phosphorylation on its catalytic efficiency.     

Characterization of the InsP6-dependent interaction between CK2 and Nopp140

Nopp140, a highly phosphorylated nucleolar protein, negatively regulates CK2, a kinase essential for cell proliferation. We quantitatively analyzed the interaction between two subunits of CK2 and Nopp140 and characterized the mechanism by which InsP₆ inhibits the interaction. Nopp140 specifically binds to the catalytic subunit of CK2 (CK2α) with a dissociation constant of (K_d) of 4 nM, which interferes with the catalytic activity of CK2. The C-terminal region of Nopp140 is determined as CK2α-binding region by a yeast two-hybrid method as well as a direct measurement of the interaction between CK2α and deletion mutants of Nopp140. InsP₆ specifically binds to CK2α and disrupts the interaction between CK2α and Nopp140 with an IC₅₀ value of 25 μM, thereby attenuating the Nopp140-mediated repression of CK2 activity.     

Development of a high-throughput screening-compatible assay to identify inhibitors of the CK2α/CK2β interaction

Increased activity of protein kinase CK2 is associated with various types of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and chronic inflammation. In the search for CK2 inhibitors, attention has expanded toward compounds disturbing the interaction between CK2α and CK2β in addition to established active site-directed approaches. The current article describes the development of a fluorescence anisotropy-based assay that mimics the principle of CK2 subunit interaction by using CK2α^1–335 and the fluorescent probe CF-Ahx-Pc as a CK2β analog. In addition, we identified new inhibitors able to displace the fluorescent probe from the subunit interface on CK2α^1–335. Both CF-Ahx-Pc and the inhibitors I-Pc and Cl-Pc were derived from the cyclic peptide Pc, a mimetic of the C-terminal CK2α-binding motif of CK2β. The design of the two inhibitors was based on docking studies using the known crystal structure of the Pc/CK2α^1–335 complex. The dissociation constants obtained in the fluorescence anisotropy assay for binding of all compounds to human CK2α^1–335 were validated by isothermal titration calorimetry. I-Pc was identified as the tightest binding ligand with a K_D value of 240 nM and was shown to inhibit the CK2 holoenzyme-dependent phosphorylation of PDX-1, a substrate requiring the presence of CK2β, with an IC₅₀ value of 92 μM.     

Novel non-ATP competitive small molecules targeting the CK2 α/β interface

Increased CK2 levels are prevalent in many cancers. Combined with the critical role CK2 plays in many cell-signaling pathways, this makes it a prime target for down regulation to fight tumour growth. Herein, we report a fragment-based approach to inhibiting the interaction between CK2α and CK2β at the α-β interface of the holoenzyme. A fragment, CAM187, with an IC₅₀ of 44?μM and a molecular weight of only 257?gmol^?1 has been identified as the most promising compound. Importantly, the lead fragment only bound at the interface and was not observed in the ATP binding site of the protein when co-crystallised with CK2α. The fragment-like molecules discovered in this study represent unique scaffolds to CK2 inhibition and leave room for further optimisation.     

Programmed cell death protein 5 (PDCD5) is phosphorylated by CK2 in vitro and in 293T cells

CK2 is a multifunctional kinase, involved in cell growth, apoptosis, DNA integrity preservation, viral infection, and many other biological processes. Based on an analysis of phosphopeptides database derived from phosphoproteomic studies we previously identified a list of potential new CK2 substrates, including, among others, Programmed Cell Death 5 (PDCD5), a protein involved in cell death and down-regulated in different forms of human tumors. Here we provide experimental evidence that PDCD5 is indeed a bona fide substrate of CK2. PDCD5 is phosphorylated in vitro by both CK2α subunit and by the CK2 holoenzyme at a residue, S118, which is found phosphorylated in vivo. We also show that PDCD5 is phosphorylated by CK2 in 293T cells. Transfection of the non-phosphorylatable mutant (S118A) impairs the PDCD5 acceleration of either doxorubimicin- or UV-induced apoptosis in U2OS cells. Our results suggest a functional link between the CK2 phosphorylation and the apoptotic potential of PDCD5.     

Extracellular protein kinase CK2 is a novel associating protein of Neuropilin-1

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is a multifunctional transmembrane protein which has a short cytoplasmic region with no particular functional domain, and is considered to act as a co-receptor for both VEGFs and semaphorins. However, the molecular mechanisms by which NRP1 carries out such versatile functions are still poorly understood. Here we identified protein kinase CK2 holoenzyme as a novel NRP1 binding protein by our combined purification strategy using epitope-tag immunoprecipitation followed by reverse-phase column chromatography. Further we showed that CK2 binds to the extracellular domain of NRP1 which is also phosphorylated by CK2 both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings of novel molecular interactions and modification of NRP1 may provide a new clue to understand the diverse functions of NRP1.