Discovering peptide ligands using epitope libraries.

Epitope libraries are large collections of peptides. Each peptide is displayed on the surface of a bacteriophage particle and is encoded by a randomly mutated region of the phage genome, thus associating each unique peptide with the DNA molecule encoding it. Antibodies and other binding proteins are used to select specifically for rare, phage-bearing peptide ligands; sequencing of the corresponding viral DNA will reveal their amino acid sequences. Relatively high-affinity peptides for a variety of peptide- and non-peptide-binding ligates have been affinity-isolated from epitope libraries. This technology has been used to map epitopes on proteins and to find peptide mimics for non-peptide-binding ligates. The current challenge lies in developing epitope library technology so that tight-binding peptide ligands can be detected for a wider variety of ligates, including those that recognize folded proteins. Should this be accomplished, many powerful applications can be envisioned in the areas of drug design and the development of diagnostic markers and vaccines.     

Determination of a putative phosphate-containing peptide in calreticulin.

Calreticulin is an abundant endo/sarcoplasmic reticulum (ER/SR) protein that may carry out multiple functions inside cells. Except for calreticulin, all of the major ER/SR Ca2+-binding proteins are substrates for protein kinase CK2 in vitro, which led us to hypothesize that native calreticulin might exist in the phosphorylated form. To investigate this possibility, we purified calreticulin from cardiac microsomes and verified its identity by immunoblot analysis and sequencing of tryptic peptides. Purified calreticulin, like cardiac calsequestrin, contained endogenous phosphate as determined by a Malachite green assay for phosphate. Previous analyses of cardiac calsequestrin have localized phosphate to a single tryptic peptide containing serine phosphate on sites phosphorylated by protein kinase CK2. Using a similar procedure, we analyzed calreticulin tryptic peptides with Malachite green, localizing phosphate binding to a single calreticulin peptide 367LKEEEEDKK. As this peptide contains no phosphorylatable residues, our results suggest that calreticulin may tightly bind phosphate or a phosphate-containing molecule at this site.     

Mitotic phosphorylation of DNA topoisomerase II alpha by protein kinase CK2 creates the MPM-2 phosphoepitope on Ser-1469

DNA topoisomerase II alpha is required for chromatin condensation during prophase. This process is temporally linked with the appearance of mitosis-specific phosphorylation sites on topoisomerase IIalpha including one recognized by the MPM-2 monoclonal antibody. We now report that the ability of mitotic extracts to create the MPM-2 epitope on human topoisomerase II alpha is abolished by immunodepletion of protein kinase CK2. Furthermore, the MPM-2 phosphoepitope on topoisomerase II alpha can be generated by purified CK2. Phosphorylation of C-truncated topoisomerase II alpha mutant proteins conclusively shows, that the MPM-2 epitope is present in the last 163 amino acids. Use of peptides containing all conserved CK2 consensus sites in this region indicates that only the peptide containing Arg-1466 to Ala-1485 is able to compete with topoisomerase II alpha for binding of the MPM-2 antibody. Replacement of Ser-1469 with Ala abolishes the ability of the phosphorylated peptide to bind to the MPM-2 antibody while a peptide containing phosphorylated Ser-1469 binds tightly. Surprisingly, the MPM-2 phosphoepitope influences neither the catalytic activity of topoisomerase II alpha nor its ability to form molecular complexes with CK2 in vitro. In conclusion, we have identified protein kinase CK2 as a new MPM-2 kinase able to phosphorylate an important mitotic protein, topoisomerase II alpha, on Ser-1469.     

Optimal sequences for non-phosphate-directed phosphorylation by protein kinase CK1 (casein kinase-1)--a re-evaluation.

A variety of synthetic peptides derived from either the inhibitor-2 (I-2) phosphoacceptor sites or the optimal sequences selected in an oriented peptide library have been compared for their susceptibility to phosphorylation by protein kinase CK1 (also termed casein kinase-1). The I-2-derived peptides are by far preferred over the library peptides by both rat liver CK1 (and by the alpha/beta, gamma and delta/epsilon isoforms immunoprecipitated from it) and recombinant Xenopus laevis CK1 alpha. The superiority of the I-2-derived peptides over the library ones is reflected by Vmax values one to two orders of magnitude higher while the Km values are comparable. Individual substitutions of any of the aspartic acids with alanine in the I-2-derived peptide RRKHAAIGDDDDAYSITA is detrimental, producing both a fall in Vmax and an increase in Km which are more pronounced at position n -3, but also quite significant at positions n -4, n -5 and, to a lesser extent, n -6. The unfavourable effect of these substitutions is more evident with rat liver CK1 than with recombinant Xenopus laevis CK1 alpha. The chimeric peptide IGDDDDAY-S-IIIFFA, resulting from the combination of the N-terminal acidic sequence of the I-2 (Ser86) site and the C-terminal hydrophobic cluster selected in the library peptides (MAEFDTG-S-IIIFFAKKK and MAYYDAA-S-IIIFFAKKK) is phosphorylated as efficiently as the I-2-derived peptide in terms of both Km and Vmax. These combined data strongly support the conclusion that, at variance with the optimal sequences selected in the library, optimal non-phosphate-directed phosphorylation of peptide substrates by CK1 critically relies on the presence of a cluster of acidic residues (preferably aspartic acid) upstream from position n -2, while the highly hydrophobic region downstream from serine selected in the library appears to be dispensable. The reason for these discrepancies remains unclear. The possibility that the library data are biased by the invariant elements forming its scaffold (MA-x-x-x-x-x-SI-x-x-x-x-AKKK) would be consistent with the observation that the library-selected peptides, despite their low Km values, fail to compete against the phosphorylation of protein and peptide substrates by CK1, suggesting that they bind to elements partially distinct from those responsible for substrate recognition.     

Characterization of the proto-oncogene pim-1: kinase activity and substrate recognition sequence.

The human pim-1 proto-oncogene was expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-fusion protein and the enzymatic properties of its kinase activity were characterized. Likewise, a Pim-1 mutant lacking intrinsic kinase activity was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis (Lys67 to Met) and expressed in E. coli. In vitro assays with the mutant Pim-1 kinase showed no contaminating kinase activity. The wild-type Pim-1 kinase-GST fusion protein showed a pH optimum of 7 to 7.5 and optimal activity was observed at either 10 mM MgCl2 or 5 mM MnCl2. Higher cation concentrations were inhibitory, as was the addition of NaCl to the assays. Previous work by this laboratory assaying several proteins and peptides showed histone H1 and the peptide Kemptide to be efficiently phosphorylated by recombinant Pim-1 kinase. Here we examine the substrate sequence specificity of Pim-1 kinase in detail. Comparison of different synthetic peptide substrates showed Pim-1 to have a strong substrate preference for the peptide Lys-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser*-Gly-Pro with an almost sixfold higher specificity constant kcat/Km over that of the substrate Kemptide (Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser*-Leu-Gly). The presence of basic amino acid residues on the amino terminal side of the target Ser/Thr was shown to be essential for peptide substrate recognition. Furthermore, phosphopeptide analysis of calf thymus histone H1 phosphorylated in vitro by Pim-1 kinase resulted in fragments containing sequences similar to that of the preferred synthetic substrate peptide shown above. Therefore, under optimized in vitro conditions, the substrate recognition sequence for Pim-1 kinase is (Arg/Lys)3-X-Ser/Thr*-X', where X' is likely neither a basic nor a large hydrophobic residue.     

Analysis of acetylcholine receptor phosphorylation sites using antibodies to synthetic peptides and monoclonal antibodies.

Three peptides corresponding to residues 354-367, 364-374, 373-387 of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) delta subunit were synthesized. These peptides represent the proposed phosphorylation sites of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, the tyrosine-specific protein kinase and the calcium/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase respectively. Using these peptides as substrates for phosphorylation by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase it was shown that only peptides 354-367 was phosphorylated whereas the other two were not. These results verify the location of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site within the AChR delta subunit. Antibodies elicited against these peptides reacted with the delta subunit. The antipeptide antibodies and two monoclonal antibodies (7F2, 5.46) specific for the delta subunit were tested for their binding to non-phosphorylated receptor and to receptor phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Antibodies to peptide 354-367 were found to react preferentially with non-phosphorylated receptor whereas the two other anti-peptide antibodies bound equally to phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated receptors. Monoclonal antibody 7F2 reacted preferentially with the phosphorylated form of the receptor whereas monoclonal antibody 5.46 did not distinguish between the two forms.     

Phosphorylation by cdc2 kinase modulates DNA binding activity of high mobility group I nonhistone chromatin protein

Chromatin high mobility group protein I (HMG-I) is a mammalian nonhistone protein that has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo to preferentially bind to A.T-rich sequences of DNA. Recently the DNA-binding domain peptide that specifically mediates the in vitro interaction of high mobility group protein (HMG)-I with the narrow minor groove of A.T-DNA has been experimentally determined. Because of its predicted secondary structure, the binding domain peptide has been called "the A.T hook" motif. Previously we demonstrated that the A.T hook of murine HMG-I protein is specifically phosphorylated by purified mammalian cdc2 kinase in vitro and that the same site(s) are also phosphorylated in vivo in metaphase-arrested cells. We also found that the DNA binding affinity of short synthetic binding domain peptides phosphorylated in vitro by cdc2 kinase was significantly reduced compared with unphosphorylated peptides. Here we extend these findings to intact natural and recombinant HMG-I proteins. We report that the affinity of binding of full-length HMG-I proteins to A.T-rich sequences is highly dependent on ionic conditions and that phosphorylation of intact proteins by cdc2 kinase reduces their affinity of in vitro binding to A.T-DNA by about 20-fold when assayed near normal mammalian physiological salt concentrations. Furthermore, in cell synchronization studies, we demonstrated that murine HMG-I proteins are phosphorylated in vivo in a cell cycle-dependent manner on the same amino acid residues modified by purified cdc2 kinase in vitro. Together these results strongly support the assertion that HMG-I proteins are natural substrates for mammalian cdc2 kinase in vivo and that their cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation by this enzyme(s) significantly modulates their DNA binding affinity, thereby possibly altering their biological function(s).     

Selection of inhibitory peptides for Aurora-A kinase from a phage-displayed library of helix–loop–helix peptides

Conformationally constrained peptide libraries have been made by grafting randomized amino acid sequences onto a rigid scaffold derived from natural proteins. Here, as a library scaffold, we propose a de novo designed helix–loop–helix motif. We constructed a peptide library of the loop region and screened against Aurora-A, which is a member of the Aurora family of serine/threonine protein kinases, to successfully isolate the inhibitory peptides. A semi-rational strategy, which combines phage-displayed libraries and de novo designed peptides, would provide a new way to generate selective peptide inhibitors for the protein kinase family.     

Exploratory studies on CA-15L,an anti-HIV active HIV-1 capsid fragment

Utilizing overlapping fragment peptide libraries covering the whole sequence of an HIV-1 capsid (CA) protein with the addition of an octa-arginyl moiety, we had previously found several peptides with anti-HIV-1 activity. Herein, among these potent CA fragment peptides, CA-15L was examined because this peptide sequence overlaps with Helix 7, a helix region of the CA protein, which may be important for oligomerization of the CA proteins. A CA-15L surrogate with hydrophilic residues, and its derivatives, in which amino acid sequences are shifted toward the C-terminus by one or more residues, were synthesized and their anti-HIV activity was evaluated. In addition, its derivatives with substitution for the Ser149 residue were synthesized and their anti-HIV activity was evaluated because Ser149 might be phosphorylated in the step of degradation of CA protein oligomers. Several active compounds were found and might become new anti-HIV agents and new tools for elucidation of CA functions.     

A phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase binds to platelet-derived growth factor receptors through a specific receptor sequence containing phosphotyrosine.

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulates autophosphorylation of the PDGF receptor and association of the receptor with several cytoplasmic molecules, including phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3 kinase). In this study we examined the association of PI3 kinase with immunoprecipitated autophosphorylated PDGF receptor in vitro. The PI3 kinase from cell lysates bound to the wild-type receptor but not to a mutant receptor that had a deletion of the kinase insert region. A protein of an apparent size of 85 kDa bound to the receptor, consistent with previous observations that a protein of this size is associated with PI3 kinase activity. In addition, 110- and 74-kDa proteins bound to the phosphorylated receptor. Dephosphorylated receptors lost the ability to bind PI3 kinase activity as well as the 85-kDa protein. A 20-amino-acid peptide composed of a sequence in the kinase insert region that included one of the autophosphorylation sites of the receptor (tyrosine 719) as well as a nearby tyrosine (Y708) blocked the binding of PI3 kinase to the receptor, but only when the peptide was phosphorylated on tyrosine residues. A scrambled version of the peptide did not block PI3 kinase binding to the receptor even when it was phosphorylated on tyrosine. These tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides did not block binding of phospholipase C-gamma or GTPase-activating protein to the receptor. In separate experiments (receptor blots), soluble radiolabeled receptor bound specifically to an 85-kDa protein present in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-fractionated 3T3 cell lysates that were transferred to nitrocellulose paper. The binding was blocked by the same tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides that prevented binding of PI3 kinase activity to immobilized receptors. These findings show that the PDGF receptor binds directly to an 85-kDa protein and to a PI3 kinase activity through specific sequences in the kinase insert region. The association of a 110-kDa protein with the receptor also involve these sequences, suggesting that this protein may be a subunit of the PI3 kinase. Phosphotyrosine is an essential structure required for the interactions of these proteins with the PDGF receptor.     

Identification of model peptides as affinity ligands for the purification of humanized monoclonal antibodies by means of phage display.

A proof-of-principle study was initiated to determine whether phage-display technology could be used to identify peptides as leads in the customization of ligands for affinity chromatography and to identify a peptide or peptidomimetic for use as a Protein A alternative in the affinity purification of monoclonal antibodies. The constant region of humanized anti-Tac (HAT), prepared by pepsin digestion and receptor-affinity chromatography, was used as the target for phage display in this study. As such, 20 phage-derived peptide sequences were identified from four rounds of biopanning with two linear phage-display libraries (7-mer, containing 100 copies of 2 x 10(9) sequences and 12-mer, containing 70 copies of 1.4 x 10(9) sequences). Five peptides were synthesized for use as affinity ligands, based on sequence homology to Protein A, sequence redundancy, and amino acid motifs. The best HAT binding immobilized peptide was EPIHRSTLTALL. The best-fit analysis of this peptide sequence with Protein A yielded an alignment well within the Fc binding domain of Protein A. These results suggest that phage display can serve as a tool in the identification of peptides as model ligands for affinity chromatography.     

The activity of protein kinases from hamster fibroblasts towards a synthetic peptide based on a carboxy-terminal portion of ribosomal protein S6

A synthetic decapeptide, S6(231-240), based on a region near the C-terminus of eukaryotic ribosomal protein S6, was used as a substrate for protein kinases (EC 2.7.1.37) from hamster fibroblasts stimulated with fresh medium. Consistent with the results of others using shorter peptides from this region, it was found that the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase preferentially phosphorylated the residue corresponding to Ser-235, whereas protein kinase C preferentially phosphorylated the residue corresponding to Ser-236 in this peptide. The peptide did not serve as a substrate for the growth-associated protein kinase from hamster fibroblasts that phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 in 40S ribosomal subunits, but did serve as a substrate for a previously undetected protein kinase activity that was resolved from the latter by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. This S6(231-240) protein kinase activity did not phosphorylate ribosomal protein S6 in 40S ribosomal subunits, but is possibly a proteolytic fragment of the 40S ribosomal subunit S6 kinase as the latter activity acquired the ability to phosphorylate the decapeptide after partial tryptic proteolysis. The S6(231-240) protein kinase activity preferentially phosphorylated the residue corresponding to Ser-236 with an apparent Km of 15 microM. These results suggest that specific interactions with the ribosome may be required to activate the growth-associated ribosomal protein S6 kinase.     

Ribosomal proteins P0, P1, and P2 are phosphorylated by casein kinase II at their conserved carboxyl termini

A potential casein kinase II (CK II) recognition site is located within the conserved carboxyl (COOH) terminus of the ribosomal P (phospho) proteins P0, P1, and P2. To determine whether the COOH termini of the P proteins are physiological substrates for CK II, we studied the phosphorylation of the P proteins in vitro and in intact cells. The results show that the addition of exogenous purified CK II and ATP to intact ribosomes in vitro resulted in the relatively selective phosphorylation of all three P proteins. A synthetic peptide corresponding to the COOH-terminal 22 amino acids of P2 (C-22) was also phosphorylated by CK II with a Km of 13.4 microM. An endogenous ribosome-associated, CK II-like enzyme also phosphorylated the P proteins relatively selectively in the presence of 10 mM Mg2+ and ATP. The endogenous kinase was inhibited by heparin, utilized either ATP or GTP as a phosphate donor, and phosphorylated casein. A CK II-specific peptide (Arg-Arg-Arg-Glu-Glu-Glu-Thr-Glu-Glu-Glu) and the C-22 peptide inhibited the phosphorylation of the P proteins by the endogenous kinase, providing further evidence for its CK II-like properties and for localization of the CK II phosphorylation site to the COOH termini of the P proteins. Tryptic phosphopeptide maps of P1 and P2 phosphorylated by exogenous CK II and the endogenous ribosome-bound kinase were virtually identical. These phosphopeptides comigrated with the tryptic digest of C-22 and with the tryptic phosphopeptides derived from P1 and P2 isolated from intact cells metabolically labeled with [32P]orthophosphate in vivo. These studies demonstrate that exogenous CK II and a ribosome-bound, CK II-like enzyme phosphorylate the ribosomal P proteins in vitro and localize the target site for phosphorylation to the COOH terminus. The incorporation of phosphate into the same target site in intact cells indicates that the P proteins are in vivo substrates of CK II.     

Characterization of synthetic peptide substrates for p34cdc2 protein kinase

Synthetic peptide substrates for the cell division cycle regulated protein kinase, p34cdc2, have been developed and characterized. These peptides are based on the sequences of two known substrates of the enzyme, Simian Virus 40 Large T antigen and the human cellular recessive oncogene product, p53. The peptide sequences are H-A-D-A-Q-H-A-T-P-P-K-K-K-R-K-V-E-D-P-K-D-F-OH (T antigen) and H-K-R-A-L-P-N-N-T-S-S-S-P-Q-P-K-K-K-P-L-D-G-E-Y-NH2 (p53), and they have been employed in a rapid assay of phosphorylation in vitro. Both peptides show linear kinetics and an apparent Km of 74 and 120 microM, respectively, for the purified human enzyme. The T antigen peptide is specifically phosphorylated by p34cdc2 and not by seven other protein serine/threonine kinases, chosen because they represent major classes of such enzymes. The peptides have been used in whole cell lysates to detect protein kinase activity, and the cell cycle variation of this activity is comparable to that measured with specific immune and affinity complexes of p34cdc2. In addition, the peptide phosphorylation detected in mitotic cells is depleted by affinity adsorption of p34cdc2 using either antibodies to p34cdc2 or by immobilized p13, a p34cdc2-binding protein. Purification of peptide kinase activity from mitotic HeLa cells yields an enzyme indistinguishable from p34cdc2. These peptides should be useful in the investigation of p34cdc2 protein kinase and their regulation throughout the cell division cycle.     

The consensus sequences for cdc2 kinase and for casein kinase-2 are mutually incompatible. A study with peptides derived from the beta-subunit of casein kinase-2.

Two series of synthetic peptides that reproduce the amino- and carboxyl-terminal segments of the beta-subunit of casein kinase-2, including the sites phosphorylated by CK2 and cdc2 kinase, respectively, have been used as model substrates for these enzymes. The N-terminal peptide beta(1-9), MSSSEEVSW, is readily phosphorylated by CK2 but not all by cdc2. The opposite is true of the C-terminal peptide beta(206-215), NFKSPVKTIR, whose Ser-4 is a good target for cdc2 while being unaffected by CK2. The individual substitutions of Pro-5 and Lys-7 in the latter peptide with Gly and Ala (or Glu), respectively, prevent its phosphorylation by cdc2, whereas the substitution of Lys-3 with Ala is well tolerated and the substitution of the target Ser with Thr actually improves phosphorylation. Thus the consensus sequence for cdc2 is shown to be X-S-P-X-K. Such a requirement for a basic residue at position +3 is opposite to that of CK2 whose consensus sequence (S-X-X-E/D/Yp/Sp) includes an acidic residue at the same position. Moreover the motif Ser-Pro is detrimental for CK2, preventing the phosphorylation of otherwise suitable peptides. These observations would rule out the possibility that the site specificity of CK2 might overlap with that of cdc2 and possibly of other Pro-directed protein kinases.     

Phosphorylation of myocardial fructose-6-phosphate,2-kinase: fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase by cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C. Activation by phosphorylation and amino acid sequences of the phosphorylation sites

Phosphorylation of pure fructose-6-phosphate,2-kinase:fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase from bovine heart by cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C was investigated. The major enzyme form (subunit Mr of 58,000) was rapidly phosphorylated by both cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C, incorporating 0.8 and 1.0 mol/mol of subunit, respectively. The rate of phosphorylation of the heart enzyme by cAMP-dependent protein kinase was 10 times faster than that of the rat liver enzyme. The minor enzyme (subunit Mr of 54,000), however, was phosphorylated only by protein kinase C and was phosphorylated much more slowly with a phosphate incorporation of less than 0.1 mol/mol of subunit. Phosphorylation by either cAMP-dependent protein kinase or protein kinase C activated the enzyme, but each phosphorylation affected different kinetic parameters. Phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase lowered the Km value for fructose 6-phosphate from 87 to 42 microM without affecting the Vmax, whereas the phosphorylation by protein kinase C increased the Vmax value from 55 to 85 milliunits/mg without altering the Km value. The phosphorylated peptides were isolated, and their amino acid sequences were determined. The phosphorylation sites for both cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C were located in a single peptide whose sequence was Arg-Arg-Asn-Ser-(P)-Phe-Thr-Pro-Leu-Ser-Ser-Ser-Asn-Thr(P)-Ile-Arg-Arg-Pro. The seryl residue nearest the N terminus was the residue specifically phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, whereas the threonine residue nearest the C terminus was phosphorylated by protein kinase C.     

mRNA display: ligand discovery,interaction analysis and beyond

In vitro peptide and protein selection using mRNA display enables the discovery and directed evolution of new molecules from combinatorial libraries. These selected molecules can serve as tools to control and understand biological processes, enhance our understanding of molecular interactions and potentially treat disease in therapeutic applications. In mRNA display, mRNA molecules are covalently attached to the peptide or protein they encode. These mRNA-protein fusions enable in vitro selection of peptide and protein libraries of >10(13) different sequences. mRNA display has been used to discover novel peptide and protein ligands for RNA, small molecules and proteins, as well as to define cellular interaction partners of proteins and drugs. In addition, several unique applications are possible with mRNA display, including self-assembling protein chips and library construction with unnatural amino acids and chemically modified peptides.     

Generation of von Willebrand factor epitope libraries expressed in E. coli

The von Willebrand factor (VWF) subunit is composed of several domains, often coinciding with structural regions, characterized through their specific interaction with a ligand. Since several monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) have been shown to functionally interfere with one of the specific interactions, we have created libraries of bacterial clones expressing peptidic sequences of VWF to map antibodies directed against this protein. Randomly cleaved fragments of VWF cDNA have been cloned in a plasmid designed for the expression of small peptides as part of larger fusion proteins. The NovaTope system is a useful procedure for protein analysis, allowing screening of epitopes composed of contiguous amino acid residues. To map MoAbs with conformational discontinuous epitopes displayed on small as well as large peptidic domains, this technique had to be widely modified to obtain two VWF peptide libraries expressing two ranges of peptide length (15-70 and 100-300 amino acids). Screening with six MoAbs with an epitope in a known region was performed to control both libraries. Four MoAbs were mapped through the characterization of overlapping sequences for 5-10 different positively expressed clones respectively. Two of these mapped MoAbs had no known inhibitory effect and bind reduced VWF only. The fact that the two other MoAbs mapped VWF functional interactions with ligands, platelet GPIIb/IIIa and Factor VIII, respectively, demonstrate that our libraries are valuable tools to determine conformational epitopes.     

In vitro phosphorylation of the tumor suppressor gene RB protein by mitosis-specific histone H1 kinase

The major components of the mitosis-specific histone H1 kinase are CDC2 kinase and cyclin and the consensus amino acid sequence for phosphorylation by this enzyme has been proposed. We have noted the presence of such sequences in six sites of the tumor suppressor gene RB protein and determined whether or not RB protein is in fact phosphorylated by this kinase. Highly purified enzyme was used for this purpose. HeLa cell extracts immunoprecipitated with anti-RB antiserum as well as RB proteins expressed in E. coli cells were shown to be phosphorylated by this kinase in vitro. Synthetic peptides for the six expected sites were also phosphorylated. These results suggest the possibility that the function of RB protein is regulated by CDC2 kinase.