Rapid stimulation of Ser/Thr protein kinases following treatment of Swiss 3T3 cells with bombesin. Involvement of casein kinase-2 in the signaling pathway of bombesin.

Treatment of quiescent Swiss 3T3 mouse fibroblasts with bombesin resulted in a rapid 6-8-fold stimulation of cytosolic Ser/Thr kinase activities toward the S6 peptide (RRLSSLR), myelin basic protein (MBP), and the G peptide (SPQPSRRGSESSEE). Anion exchange Mono Q chromatography resolved multiple S6 peptide- and G peptide kinase activities and two MBP kinase peaks. Both MBP- and several S6 peptide kinase peaks could be inactivated by PCSL (PP2A2) phosphatase action. This indicates that the bombesin-induced activation of these enzymes is mediated by a Ser/Thr phosphorylation event. The S6 peptide kinases as well as the two MBP kinases stimulated in response to bombesin are similar to those activated by epidermal growth factor in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts which suggests that the early events of the signal transduction pathway mediated by these growth factors in Swiss 3T3 cells may converge in the activation of common Ser/Thr kinases. Bombesin, which acts as a sole mitogen for Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts, also produced a several-fold increase in the kinase activity toward the RRREEESEEE peptide, a specific substrate for CK-2. This kinase activity was heparin-sensitive and also measurable with the G peptide (SPQPSRRGSESSEE) and GS-1 peptide (YRRAAVPPSPSPSLSRHSSPHQSEDEE), which contain consensus sequences for phosphorylation by CK-2. The bombesin-stimulated CK-2 activity could not be measured in whole cytosols but was revealed by the anion exchange chromatography step. The activation of CK-2 was not reversed by PCSL phosphatase action. The implication of CK-2 in the signal transduction pathway of bombesin is discussed.     

Tumor necrosis factor stimulates multiple serine/threonine protein kinases in Swiss 3T3 and L929 cells. Implication of casein kinase-2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases in the tumor necrosis factor signal transduction pathway.

Incubation of Swiss 3T3 or L929 cells with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) leads to the rapid stimulation of several cytosolic Ser/Thr kinases active toward myelin basic protein, the S6 peptide (RRLSSLR), the G peptide (SPQPSRRGSESSEE), and Kemptide (LRRASLG). This confirms the hypothesis that kinases other than protein kinases A and C may be involved in the TNF signal transduction. Chromatography on Mono Q resolved multiple kinase peaks with each substrate tested and moreover revealed a TNF-mediated casein kinase-2 activation in both cell lines, measurable with the specific RRREEESEEE peptide or with the G peptide. The TNF-stimulated myelin basic protein kinases-1 and -2 were identified as extracellular signal-regulated kinases-2 and -1, respectively, based on their elution pattern on Mono Q chromatography, their inactivation by protein phosphatase action, their reaction with phosphothreonine and phosphotyrosine antibodies, and by their migration on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as 42- and 44-kDa proteins recognized by anti-extracellular signal-regulated kinase antibodies.     

Multiple components in an epidermal growth factor-stimulated protein kinase cascade. In vitro activation of a myelin basic protein/microtubule-associated protein 2 kinase.

Epidermal growth factor stimulates the activity of several cytosolic serine/threonine protein kinases in quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells. Two of these, which use myelin basic protein (MBP) as substrate, act as kinase kinases in that they are able to activate a separate peptide kinase activity in vitro by a mechanism involving protein phosphorylation. In this study, we have identified two activities from extracts of epidermal growth factor-treated cells that stimulate an ATP-dependent activation of both of the MBP kinases, derived in their inactive precursor forms from extracts of untreated cells. The resulting MBP kinase activities are stable to further purification and can be inactivated with either tyrosine or serine/threonine protein phosphatases and then reactivated to their original levels of activity. Thus, we propose that the in vitro activation involves protein phosphorylation, stimulated by the action of novel MBP kinase activating factors that represent intermediate components in a growth factor-stimulated kinase cascade.     

Evidence for an epidermal growth factor-stimulated protein kinase cascade in Swiss 3T3 cells. Activation of serine peptide kinase activity by myelin basic protein kinases in vitro

Two intermediary kinases in a protein serine/threonine kinase cascade that is triggered in the response of Swiss 3T3 cells to epidermal growth factor (EGF) have been identified. Several separable EGF-stimulated serine/threonine kinase activities were characterized in the preceding paper (Ahn, N. G., Weiel, J. E., Chan, C. P., and Krebs, E.G. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 11487-11494). These were preincubated in various combinations in the presence of MgATP with chromatographic fractions from unstimulated cell extracts. Activation of the rate of phosphorylation of a synthetic peptide, Arg-Arg-Leu-Ser-Ser-Leu-Arg-Ala, was observed on preincubation of the breakthrough fraction from unstimulated cell extracts with either of two distinct EGF-stimulated kinase activities, each of which phosphorylated myelin basic protein. Kinetic analysis and fractionation by sizing gel chromatography demonstrated that two myelin basic protein kinase activities (of approximately 30 and approximately 50 kDa) represented the activating components in the mixtures whereas the unstimulated cell extract breakthrough gave rise in each case to the activated Arg-Arg-Leu-Ser-Ser-Leu-Arg-Ala peptide kinase activity of approximately 110 kDa. Inasmuch as the in vitro activation reactions required magnesium plus ATP and were reversed by protein phosphatase treatment, an activation mechanism involving phosphoryl transfer is suggested.     

Activation of multiple protein kinases during the burst in protein phosphorylation that precedes the first meiotic cell division in Xenopus oocytes

A number of different protein and peptide substrates were used to identify and characterize stimulated kinase activities in Xenopus oocyte extracts prepared during the major burst in protein phosphorylation that precedes meiotic cell division. While total cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity in the cytosol was not stimulated, this kinase was the major kinase phosphorylating a number of the substrates and consequently had to be inhibited to prevent its masking cAMP-independent protein kinase activities. Sizable stimulations of kinase activities were then observed in extracts from progesterone-treated oocytes as compared to controls when the following substrates were utilized: Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser-Leu-Gly (Kemptide) (8-fold); the synthetic peptide, Arg-Arg-Leu-Ser-Ser-Leu-Arg-Ala, the sequence of which is based on that of a phosphorylation site in ribosomal protein S6 (8-fold); ribosomal protein S6 (8-fold); histone H1 (5-fold); skeletal muscle glycogen synthase (3-fold); and myelin basic protein (30-fold). When these substrates were used to assay extracts fractionated on DEAE-Sephacel, at least three distinct peaks of stimulated kinase activity were detected, eluting at 0.12, 0.17, and 0.21 M NaCl. These peaks were tentatively designated M-phase Activated Kinases(s), MAK-H, MAK-S, and MAK-M, respectively. Using histone H1 as a selective probe for MAK-H and S6 peptide or Kemptide as probes for MAK-S, the kinase activities comprising these peaks were found to cycle with the meiotic cell cycle.     

Okadaic acid mimics the action of insulin in stimulating protein kinase activity in isolated adipocytes. The role of protein phosphatase 2a in attenuation of the signal

Treatment of adipocytes with okadaic acid (a specific inhibitor of type 1 and 2a protein phosphatases) resulted in a rapid 8-10-fold stimulation of cell extract myelin basic protein (MBP) kinase activity (t1/2 = 10 min) and kinase activity toward a synthetic peptide RRLSSLRA (S6 peptide) (t1/2 = 5 min). Insulin brought about a smaller stimulation of these two activities (t1/2 = 2.5 min). MBP kinase activity from cells treated with okadaic acid or insulin was resolved by anion exchange chromatography into two well defined peaks; S6 peptide kinase activity was less well resolved. The two partially purified MBP kinases were inactivated by the protein tyrosine phosphatase CD45 or by protein phosphatase 2a (PP-2a). In contrast, partially purified S6 peptide kinase activity was inactivated only by PP-2a or protein phosphatase 1 (PP-1). Furthermore, a 38-kDa protein which co-eluted with one peak of MBP kinase and a 42-kDa protein which co-eluted with the other peak of MBP kinase were phosphorylated on tyrosine after treatment with okadaic acid. These findings illustrate several important points concerning regulation of MBP and S6 peptide kinases. First, these protein kinases are regulated by phosphorylation, and, second, in the absence of hormonal stimuli their activities are strongly suppressed by protein phosphatases. Lastly, the increased tyrosine phosphorylation accompanying the activation of MBP kinases following okadaic acid treatment suggests a role for PP-2a in events that are mediated by tyrosine phosphorylation.     

Protein kinase C-dependent activation of a myelin basic protein kinase by gastrin-releasing peptide in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts

Addition of gastrin releasing peptide to serum-starved Swiss 3T3 mouse fibroblasts results in a transient appearance of a myelin basic protein-kinase activity in cytosolic extracts. Increased kinase activity is also observed upon stimulation of cells with bradykinin, epidermal growth factor or 4 beta-phorbol dibutyrate. Chromatographic analysis of the cytosolic extracts show that both gastrin-releasing peptide and 4 beta-phorbol dibutyrate induce the appearance of a kinase activity similar to that induced by epidermal growth factor. The response to gastrin-releasing peptide is abolished by down-regulation of protein kinase C and attenuated by acute inhibition of protein kinase C using staurosporine. The effect of epidermal growth factor was also suppressed under these conditions, albeit to a lesser extent. The results indicate (1) that activation of myelin basic protein kinase(s) may be common to different growth factors, and (2) that protein kinase C may participate in this response, at least in the case of gastrin-releasing peptide.     

Mitogen-activated S6 kinase is stimulated via protein kinase C-dependent and independent pathways in Swiss 3T3 cells

Soluble extracts prepared from quiescent Swiss mouse 3T3 cells that had been briefly exposed to various mitogens exhibited a 2- to 3-fold elevation in phosphorylating activities toward ribosomal protein S6 and a synthetic peptide, Arg-Arg-Leu-Ser-Ser-Leu-Arg-Ala (RRLSSLRA), patterned after a phosphorylation site sequence from S6. Optimal activation of the phosphorylating activity occurred within 15-20 min of exposure of the cells to platelet-derived growth factor (10 ng/ml), epidermal growth factor (100 nM), and insulin (100 nM), and 2-5 min after 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) (100 nM) treatment. Fractionation of the cytosolic extracts from mitogen- or TPA-treated cells on Sephacryl S-300, TSK-400, and DEAE-Sephacel columns gave results suggesting that a single stimulated kinase accounted for the enhanced S6 and RRLSSLRA phosphorylating activities. The mitogen-activated kinase had an apparent Mr of about 85,000 as determined with Sephacryl S-300, but eluted with an apparent Mr of 26,000 from a TSK-400 high pressure liquid chromatography column. The S6 kinase was also stimulated in cytosols from insulin-like growth factor 1- (100 nM), vasopressin- (250 nM), prostaglandin F2 alpha- (250 nM), and 10% fetal calf serum-treated cells but not from quiescent cells exposed to beta-transforming growth factor (2 ng/ml). TPA, vasopressin and prostaglandin F2 alpha appeared to stimulate this kinase via a protein kinase C-dependent mechanism, since the responses to these hormones, but not to platelet-derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and insulin, were lost in protein kinase C-depleted cells.     

Identification of epidermal growth factor Thr-669 phosphorylation site peptide kinases as distinct MAP kinases and p34cdc2.

A synthetic peptide modeled after the major threonine (T669) phosphorylation site of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was an efficient substrate (apparent Km approximately 0.45 mM) for phosphorylation by purified p44mpk, a MAP kinase from sea star oocytes. The peptide was also phosphorylated by a related human MAP kinase, which was identified by immunological criteria as p42mapk. Within 5 min of treatment of human cervical carcinoma A431 cells with EGF or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), a greater than 3-fold activation of p42mapk was measured. However, Mono Q chromatography of A431 cells extracts afforded the resolution of at least three additional T669 peptide kinases, some of which may be new members of the MAP kinase family. One of these (peak I), which weakly adsorbed to Mono Q, phosphorylated myelin basic protein (MBP) and other MAP kinase substrates, immunoreacted as a 42 kDa protein on Western blots with four different MAP kinase antibodies, and behaved as a approximately 45 kDa protein upon Superose 6 gel filtration. Another T669 peptide kinase (peak IV), which bound more tightly to Mono Q than p42mapk (peak II), exhibited a nearly identical substrate specificity profile to that of p42mapk, but it immunoreacted as a 40 kDa protein only with anti-p44mpk antibody on Western blots, and eluted from Superose 6 in a high molecular mass complex of greater than 400 kDa. By immunological criteria, the T669 peptide kinase in Mono Q peak III was tentatively identified as an active form of p34cdc2 associated with cyclin A. The Mono Q peaks III and IV kinases were modestly stimulated following either EGF or PMA treatments of A431 cells, and they exhibited a greater T669 peptide/MBP ratio than p42mapk. These findings indicated that multiple proline-directed kinases may mediate phosphorylation of the EGF receptor.     

In vivo phosphorylation and activation of ribosomal protein S6 kinases during Xenopus oocyte maturation

Previous studies have shown that increased ribosomal protein S6 kinase activity in unfertilized Xenopus eggs can be resolved by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography into two peaks, designated S6 kinase I and S6 kinase II. We show here that antibody against bacterially expressed S6 kinase II cross-reacts with S6 kinase I. Both S6 kinases undergo marked phosphorylation when they are activated during oocyte maturation, and both become deactivated and dephosphorylated upon activation of eggs. Immunoblotting of extracts of oocytes reveals that all S6 kinase molecules undergo a decrease and increase in electrophoretic mobility upon activation and deactivation, respectively. The increase in electrophoretic mobility can be produced in vitro by incubation of activated S6 kinase with purified phosphatases. Phosphoamino acid analysis of S6 kinase II labeled in vivo during maturation reveals both phosphoserine and phosphothreonine, and phosphopeptide maps suggest that several kinases may phosphorylate and activate S6 kinase II in vivo. These results demonstrate that, during oocyte maturation and early development, S6 kinase activation and deactivation are regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, suggesting a probable mechanism for S6 kinase regulation in other mitogenically stimulated cells.     

An activated S6 kinase in extracts from serum- and epidermal growth factor-stimulated Swiss 3T3 cells

Soluble extracts from serum- or epidermal growth factor-stimulated Swiss 3T3 cells show up to a 25-fold increase in their ability to phosphorylate 40 S ribosomal protein S6. The increased S6 phosphorylation is due to increased protein kinase activity in extracts of stimulated cells and not due to the inactivation of an S6 phosphatase. However, the presence of phosphatase inhibitors as well as EGTA is required during the preparation of cell extracts to obtain fully active S6 kinase(s). Epidermal growth factor has little effect at concentrations below 10(-10) M: activity increases sharply at 10(-9) M epidermal growth factor and reaches saturation at 10(-8) M (50-60% of the activity obtained by stimulating with 10% serum). Activation of the kinase activity in cell extracts is observed as early as 2 min after serum stimulation, reaches 50% between 10 and 15 min, and is maximal by 60 min of serum stimulation. Phosphorylation in vitro of ribosomal protein S6 with extracts from serum-stimulated cells followed by analysis of the tryptic phosphopeptides shows the presence of 9 of the 11 phosphopeptides induced by serum in vivo.     

An array of insulin-activated, proline-directed serine/threonine protein kinases phosphorylate the p70 S6 kinase.

This study characterizes the insulin-activated serine/threonine protein kinases in H4 hepatoma cells active on a 37-residue synthetic peptide (called the SKAIPS peptide) corresponding to a putative autoinhibitory domain in the carboxyl-terminal tail of the p70 S6 kinase as well as on recombinant p70 S6 kinase. Three peaks of insulin-stimulated protein kinase active on both these substrates are identified as two (possibly three) isoforms of the 40-45-kDa erk/microtubule-associated protein (MAP)-2 kinase family and a 150-kDa form of cdc2. Although distinguishable in their substrate specificity, these protein kinases together with the p54 MAP-2 kinase share a major common specificity determinant reflected in the SKAIPS peptide: the requirement for a proline residue immediately carboxyl-terminal to the site of Ser/Thr phosphorylation. In addition, however, at least one peak of insulin-stimulated protein kinase active on recombinant p70, but not on the SKAIPS peptide, is present although not yet identified. MFP/cdc2 phosphorylates both rat liver p70 S6 kinase and recombinant p70 S6 kinase exclusively at a set of Ser/Thr residues within the putative autoinhibitory (SKAIPS peptide) domain. erk/MAP kinase does not phosphorylate rat liver p70 S6 kinase, but readily phosphorylates recombinant p70 S6 kinase at sites both within and in addition to those encompassed by the SKAIPS peptide sequences. Although the tryptic 32P-peptides bearing the cdc2 and erk/MAP kinase phosphorylation sites co-migrate with a subset of the sites phosphorylated in situ in insulin-stimulated cells, phosphorylation of the p70 S6 kinase by these proline-directed protein kinases in vitro does not reproducibly activate p70 S6 kinase activity. Thus, one or more erk/MAP kinases and cdc2 are likely to participate in the insulin-induced phosphorylation of the p70 S6 kinase. In addition to these kinases, however, phosphorylation of the p70 S6 kinase by other as yet unidentified protein kinases is necessary to recapitulate the multisite phosphorylation required for activation of the p70 S6 kinase.     

Activation of a Ca2+-inhibitable protein kinase that phosphorylates microtubule-associated protein 2 in vitro by growth factors, phorbol esters, and serum in quiescent cultured human fibroblasts

Treatment of quiescent human embryonic lung fibroblastic cells (TIG-3) with 10 nM epidermal growth factor (EGF) resulted in 4-6-fold activation of a protein kinase activity in cell extracts that phosphorylated microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) on serine and threonine residues in vitro. The half-maximal activation of the kinase activity occurred within 5 min after EGF treatment, and the maximal level was attained at 15 min. Casein and histone were very poor substrates for this EGF-stimulated MAP2 kinase activity. The activation of the kinase activity persisted after brief dialysis. Interestingly, the EGF-stimulated MAP2 kinase activity was sensitive to micromolar concentrations of free Ca2+; it was inhibited 50% by 0.5 microM Ca2+ and almost totally inhibited by 2 microM Ca2+. The activated MAP2 kinase activity was recovered in flow-through fractions on phosphocellulose column chromatography, while kinase activities that phosphorylate 40 S ribosomal protein S6 (S6 kinase activities) were mostly retained on the column and eluted at 0.5 M NaCl. Platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin, phorbol esters (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate), and fresh fetal calf serum also induced activation of the MAP2 kinase in the quiescent TIG-3 cells. The activated MAP2 kinase activity in cells stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate, or fetal calf serum was almost completely inhibited by 2 microM Ca2+, like the EGF-stimulated kinase. In addition, MAP2 phosphorylated by the kinase activated by different stimuli gave very similar phosphopeptide mapping patterns. These results suggest that several growth factors, phorbol esters, and serum activate a common, Ca2+-inhibitable protein kinase which is distinct from S6 kinase in quiescent human fibroblasts.     

Phosphorylation of Microtubule-Associated Protein 2 at Distinct Sites by Calmodulin-Dependent and Cyclic-AMP-Dependent Kinases

Microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) is an excellent substrate for both cyclic-AMP (cAMP)-dependent and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinases. A recently purified cytosolic Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase (now designated CaM kinase II) phosphorylates MAP2 as a major substrate. We now report that microtubule-associated cAMP-dependent and calmodulin-dependent protein kinases phosphorylate MAP2 on separate sites. Tryptic phosphopeptide digestion and two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping revealed 11 major peptides phosphorylated by microtubule-associated cAMP-dependent kinase and five major peptide species phosphorylated by calmodulin-dependent kinase. All 11 of the cAMP-dependently phosphorylated peptides were phosphorylated on serine residues, whereas four of five major peptides phosphorylated by the calmodulin-dependent kinase were phosphorylated on threonine. Only one peptide spot phosphorylated by both kinases was indistinguishable by both migration and phosphoamino acid site. The results indicate that cAMP-dependent and calmodulin-dependent kinases may regulate microtubule and cytoskeletal dynamics by phosphorylation of MAP2 at distinct sites.     

Two SNF1-related protein kinases from spinach leaf phosphorylate and inactivate 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, nitrate reductase, and sucrose phosphate synthase in vitro.

We resolved from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaf extracts four Ca2+-independent protein kinase activities that phosphorylate the AMARAASAAALARRR (AMARA) and HMRSAMSGLHLVKRR (SAMS) peptides, originally designed as specific substrates for mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase and its yeast homolog, SNF1. The two major activities, HRK-A and HRK-C (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase kinase A and C) were extensively purified and shown to be members of the plant SnRK1 (SNF1-related protein kinase 1) family using the following criteria: (a) They contain 58-kD polypeptides that cross-react with an antibody against a peptide sequence characteristic of the SnRK1 family; (b) they have similar native molecular masses and specificity for peptide substrates to mammalian AMP-activated protein kinase and the cauliflower homolog; (c) they are inactivated by homogeneous protein phosphatases and can be reactivated using the mammalian upstream kinase; and (d) they phosphorylate 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase from Arabidopsis at the inactivating site, serine (Ser)-577. We propose that HRK-A and HRK-C represent either distinct SnRK1 isoforms or the same catalytic subunit complexed with different regulatory subunits. Both kinases also rapidly phosphorylate nitrate reductase purified from spinach, which is associated with inactivation of the enzyme that is observed only in the presence of 14-3-3 protein, a characteristic of phosphorylation at Ser-543. Both kinases also inactivate spinach sucrose phosphate synthase via phosphorylation at Ser-158. The SNF1-related kinases therefore potentially regulate several major biosynthetic pathways in plants: isoprenoid synthesis, sucrose synthesis, and nitrogen assimilation for the synthesis of amino acids and nucleotides.     

IL-3-induced activation of protein kinases in the mast cell/megakaryocyte R6-XE.4 line

A role for second messenger-regulated protein kinases in the early post-IL-3 receptor signal transduction pathway was investigated in the mast cell/megakaryocyte line R6-XE.4. The activity of the calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) was assessed by the ability of the enzyme to phosphorylate histone H1 in the presence of calcium, diacylglycerol, and phosphatidylserine or after proteolytic activation of PKC with trypsin. In high serum-supplemented cells, but not in cells that were preincubated in serum-deficient media for 6 h, subsequent treatment for 15 min with synthetic IL-3 (10 micrograms/ml) caused up to a sixfold increase in the calcium- and lipid-stimulated histone H1 phosphorylating activity of particulate-associated PKC after fractionation on MonoQ. However, there was no corresponding reduction of cytosolic PKC activity. Therefore, IL-3 appeared to modify the activity of preexisting membrane-associated PKC rather than eliciting its recruitment from the cytoplasm in R6-XE.4 cells. This was in contrast to the situation with FDC-P1 cells, where IL-3 induced PKC translocation. IL-3 also stimulated a cytosolic protein kinase that phosphorylated a synthetic peptide patterned after a phosphorylation site in ribosomal protein S6, but this IL did not alter the activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Purification and characterization of mitogen-activated protein kinase activator(s) from epidermal growth factor-stimulated A431 cells.

Two peaks of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activator activity are resolved upon ion exchange chromatography of cytosolic extracts from epidermal growth factor-stimulated A431 cells. Two forms of the activator (1 and 2) have been purified from these peaks, using chromatography on Q-Sepharose, heparin-agarose, hydroxylapatite, ATP-agarose, Sephacryl S-300, Mono S, and Mono Q. The two preparations each contained one major protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 46 or 45 kDa, respectively, on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Evidence identifying the MAP kinase activators as the 46- and 45-kDa proteins is presented. Using inactive mutants of MAP kinase as potential substrates, it was found that each preparation of MAP kinase activator catalyzes phosphorylation of the regulatory residues, threonine 188 and tyrosine 190, of Xenopus MAP kinase. These results support the concept that the MAP kinase activators are protein kinases. These MAP kinase kinases demonstrate an apparent high degree of specificity toward the native conformation of MAP kinase, although slow autophosphorylation on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues and phosphorylation of myelin basic protein on serine and threonine residues is detected as well.     

Epidermal growth factor-mediated activation of an S6 kinase in Swiss mouse 3T3 cells

Extracts from epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated Swiss mouse 3T3 cells are up to 10 times more potent in phosphorylating ribosomal protein S6 than extracts from quiescent cells. Preparation of extracts in the absence of phosphatase inhibitors leads to a time-dependent loss of kinase activity. In order of potency, the most efficient phosphatase inhibitors in protecting the S6 kinase activity are phosphotyrosine followed by p-nitrophenyl phosphate, beta-glycerol phosphate, and phosphoserine. The kinetics of kinase activation following EGF treatment are rapid and transient. The maximum increase is observed between 15 and 30 min with only 20-30% of the activity remaining after 2 h. Phosphorylation of S6 in the intact cell follows a similar pattern of activation, reaching a maximum between 30 and 60 min and then slowly returning to basal levels by approximately 3 h. The activation of protein synthesis is also rapid; however, in contrast to the transient activation of the S6 kinase and S6 phosphorylation, it remains persistently high for at least 6 h following EGF treatment. Comparison of these events with EGF binding shows that about 50% of the cell surface binding sites are lost within 10 min of exposure to EGF, and about 25% remain after 2 h. Finally, sodium orthovanadate, which is known to mimic the mitogenic effect of EGF, also leads to activation of the S6 kinase, however, with distinct kinetics and by an apparent EGF receptor-independent pathway.     

Activation of a Microtubule-Associated Protein-2 Kinase by Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I in Bovine Chromaffin Cells

Treatment of bovine chromaffin cells with insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) caused the activation of a protein kinase that phosphorylates microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) in vitro. Activation of MAP-2 kinase by IGF-I varied with the time of treatment (maximal at 10-15 min) and the concentration of IGF-I (maximal at 10 nM). The IGF-I-activated MAP-2 kinase was localized to the soluble fraction of chromaffin cell extracts and required Mg2+ for activity. The IGF-I-activated kinase also phosphorylated myelin basic protein, but had little or no activity toward histones or ribosomal S6 protein. To examine the role of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the activation of the MAP-2 kinase, we isolated phosphotyrosine (PTyr)-containing proteins from chromaffin cells by immunoaffinity adsorption on anti-PTyr-Sepharose beads. Anti-PTyr-Sepharose eluates from IGF-I-treated cells showed increased MAP-2 kinase activity; thus, the MAP-2 kinase (or a closely associated protein) appears to be a PTyr-containing protein. Treatment of anti-PTyr-Sepharose eluates or crude chromaffin cell extracts with alkaline phosphatase significantly decreased kinase activity toward myelin basic protein, indicating that phosphorylation of the IGF-I-activated kinase is required for its activity.     

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.