Cellular localization and biochemical characterization of a novel calcium-dependent protein kinase from tobacco

By screening tobacco cDNA library with MCK1 as a probe, we isolated a cDNA clone NtCPK5 （accession number AY971376）, which encodes a typical calcium-dependent protein kinase. Sequence analyses indicated that NtCPK5 is related to both CPKs and CRKs superfamilies and has all of the three conserved domains of CPKs. The biochemical activity of NtCPK5 was calcium-dependent. NtCPK5 had Vmax and Km of 526nmol/min/mg and 210μg/ml respectively with calf thymus histone （fraction Ⅲ, abbreviated to histone Ⅲs） as substrate. For substrate syntide-2, NtCPK5 showed a higher Vmax of 2008 nmol/min/mg and a lower Km of 30μM. The K0.5 of calcium activation was 0.04μM or 0.06μM for histone Ⅲs or syntide-2 respectively. The putative myristoylation and palmitoylation consensus sequence of NtCPK5 suggests that it could be a membrane-anchoring protein. Indeed, our transient expression experiments with wild type and mutant forms of NtCPK5/GFP fusion proteins showed that NtCPK5 was localized to the plasma membrane of onion epidermal cells and that the localization required the N-terminal acylation sites of NtCPK5/GFP. Taking together, our data have demonstrated the biochemical characteristics of a novel protein NtCPK5 and its subcellular localization as a membrane-anchoring protein.     

Purification and characterization of a novel calcium-dependent protein kinase from soybean

A novel calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) previously reported to be activated by the direct binding of Ca2+, and requiring neither calmodulin nor phospholipids for activity [Harmon, A.C., Putnam-Evans, C.L., & Cormier, M.J. (1987) Plant Physiol. 83, 830-837], was purified to greater than 95% homogeneity from suspension-cultured soybean cells (Glycine max, L. Wayne). Purification was achieved by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, phenyl-Sepharose, Sephadex G-100, and Blue Sepharose. The purified enzyme (native molecular mass = 52,200 Da) resolved into two immunologically related protein bands of 52 and 55 kDa on 10% SDS gels. Enzyme activity was stimulated 40-100-fold by micromolar amounts of free calcium (K0.5 = 1.5 microM free calcium) and was dependent upon millimolar Mg2+. CDPK phosphorylated lysine-rich histone III-S and chicken gizzard myosin light chains but did not phosphorylate arginine-rich histone, phosvitin, casein, protamine, or Kemptide. Phosphorylation of histone III-S, but not autophosphorylation, was inhibited by KCl. CDPK displayed a broad pH optimum (pH 7-9), and kinetic studies revealed a Km for Mg2(+)-ATP of 8 microM and a Vmax of 1.7 mumol min-1 mg-1 with histone III-S (Km = 0.13 mg/mL) as substrate. Unlike many other protein kinases, CDPK was able to utilize Mg2(+)-GTP, in addition to Mg2(+)-ATP, as phosphate donor. The enzyme phosphorylated histone III-S exclusively on serine; however, CDPK autophosphorylated on both serine and threonine residues. These properties demonstrate that CDPK belongs to a new class of protein kinase.     

Purification and characterization of a calcium-dependent protein kinase from beetroot plasma membranes

Several calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are located in plant plasma membranes where they phosphorylate enzymes and transporters, like the H⁺-ATPase and water channels, thereby regulating their activities. In order to determine which kinases phosphorylate the H⁺-ATPase, a calcium-dependent kinase was purified from beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) plasma membranes by anion-exchange chromatography, centrifugation in glycerol gradients and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The kinetic parameters of this kinase were determined (V _max: 3.5 μmol mg⁻¹ min⁻¹, K _m for ATP: 67 μM, K _m for syntide 2: 15 μM). The kinase showed an optimum pH of 6.8 and a marked dependence on low-micromolar Ca²⁺ concentrations (K _d : 0.77 μM). During the purification procedure, a 63-kDa protein with an isoelectric point of 4.7 was enriched. However, this protein was shown not to be a kinase by mass spectrometry. Kinase activity gels showed that a 50-kDa protein could be responsible for most of the activity in purified kinase preparations. This protein was confirmed to be a CDPK by mass spectrometry, possibly the red beet ortholog of rice CDPK2 and Arabidopsis thaliana CPK9, both found associated with membranes. This kinase was able to phosphorylate purified H⁺-ATPase in a Ca²⁺-dependent manner.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available to authorised users in the online version of this article at .     

Molecular cloning of Plasmodium vivax calcium-dependent protein kinase 4

A family of calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) is a unique enzyme which plays crucial roles in intracellular calcium signaling in plants, algae, and protozoa. CDPKs of malaria parasites are known to be key regulators for stage-specific cellular responses to calcium, a widespread secondary messenger that controls the progression of the parasite. In our study, we identified a gene encoding Plasmodium vivax CDPK4 (PvCDPK4) and characterized its molecular property and cellular localization. PvCDPK4 was a typical CDPK which had well-conserved N-terminal kinase domain and C-terminal calmodulin-like structure with 4 EF hand motifs for calcium-binding. The recombinant protein of EF hand domain of PvCDPK4 was expressed in E. coli and a 34 kDa product was obtained. Immunofluorescence assay by confocal laser microscopy revealed that the protein was expressed at the mature schizont of P. vivax. The expression of PvCDPK4-EF in schizont suggests that it may participate in the proliferation or egress process in the life cycle of this parasite.     

LeCPK1, a calcium-dependent protein kinase from tomato. Plasma membrane targeting and biochemical characterization

The cDNA of LeCPK1, a calcium-dependent protein kinase, was cloned from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). LeCPK1 was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified from bacterial extracts. The recombinant protein was shown to be a functional protein kinase using a synthetic peptide as the substrate (syntide-2, Km = 85 microM). Autophosphorylation of LeCPK1 was observed on threonine and serine residues, one of which was identified as serine-439. Kinase activity was shown to be Ca2+ dependent and required the C-terminal, calmodulin-like domain of LeCPK1. Two classes of high- and low-affinity Ca2+-binding sites were observed, exhibiting dissociation constants of 0.6 and 55 microM, respectively. LeCPK1 was found to phosphorylate the regulatory C-terminal domain of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase in vitro. A potential role in the regulation of proton pump activity is corroborated by the apparent colocalization of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase and LeCPK1 in vivo. Upon transient expression in suspension-cultured cells, a C-terminal fusion of LeCPK1 with the green fluorescent protein was targeted to the plasma membrane. Myristoylation of the LeCPK1 N terminus was found to be required for plasma membrane targeting.     

Cloning and characterization of MST4, a novel Ste20-like kinase

MST4, a novel member of the germinal center kinase subfamily of human Ste20-like kinases, was cloned and characterized. Composed of a C-terminal regulatory domain and an N-terminal kinase domain, MST4 is most closely related to mammalian Ste20 kinase family member MST3. Both the kinase and C-terminal regulatory domains of MST4 are required for full activation of the kinase. Northern blot analysis indicates that MST4 is ubiquitously distributed, and the MST4 gene is localized to chromosome Xq26, a disease-rich region, by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Although some members of the MST4 family function as upstream regulators of mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, expression of MST4 in 293 cells was not sufficient to activate or potentiate extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, or p38 kinase. An alternatively spliced isoform of MST4 (MST4a) was isolated by yeast two-hybrid interaction with the catalytic domain of Raf from a human fetal brain cDNA library and also found in a variety of human fetal and adult tissues. MST4a lacks an exon encoding kinase subdomains IX-XI that stabilizes substrate binding. The existence of both MST4 isoforms suggests that the MST4 kinase activity is highly regulated, and MST4a may function as a dominant-negative regulator of the MST4 kinase.     

Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum calcium-dependent protein kinase 4

In Plasmodium berghei, the orthologous gene of P. falciparum calcium-dependent protein kinase 4 (PfCDPK4) was reported to be essential for the exflagellation of male gametocytes. To elucidate the role of PfCDPK4 in P. falciparum gametogenesis, we characterized the biological function of PfCDPK4 in vitro. PfCDPK4 was purified as a fusion protein that was labeled with [γ-³²P]ATP; this labeling was then eliminated by phosphatase. Phosphorylation activity of PfCDPK4 was eliminated when its putative catalytic lysine residue was replaced with alanine. In biochemical analyses, PfCDPK4 was found to have characteristics that were similar to those of homologous proteins from plants. PfCDPK4 phosphorylation was activated when experimental conditions were changed from those characteristic of human blood (37 °C, pH 7.4) to those of the mosquito bloodmeal (at least 5 °C below 37 °C, pH 7.6, with xanthurenic acid (XA)). PfCDPK4 was overexpressed in day 15 gametocytes exposed to XA or human serum. Thus, PfCDPK4 phosphorylation is activated by an increase in Ca²⁺ concentration or pH and by a decrease in temperature, and is associated with the Ca²⁺ signals that facilitate P. falciparum gametogenesis.     

Cloning and characterization of a new intestinal inflammation-associated colonic epithelial Ste20-related protein kinase isoform

Intestinal epithelial cells respond to inflammatory extracellular stimuli by activating mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, which mediates numerous pathophysiological effects, including intestinal inflammation. Here, we show that a novel isoform of SPS1-related proline alanine-rich kinase (SPAK/STE20) is involved in this inflammatory signaling cascade. We cloned and characterized a SPAK isoform from inflamed colon tissue, and found that this SPAK isoform lacked the characteristic PAPA box and alphaF loop found in SPAK. Based on genomic sequence analysis the lack of PAPA box and alphaF loop in colonic SPAK isoform was the result of specific splicing that affect exon 1 and exon 7 of the SPAK gene. The SPAK isoform was found in inflamed and non-inflamed colon tissues as well as Caco2-BBE cells, but not in other tissues, such as liver, spleen, brain, prostate and kidney. In vitro analyses demonstrated that the SPAK isoform possessed serine/threonine kinase activity, which could be abolished by a substitution of isoleucine for the lysine at position 34 in the ATP-binding site of the catalytic domain. Treatment of Caco2-BBE cells with the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interferon gamma, induced expression of the SPAK isoform. Over-expression of the SPAK isoform in Caco2-BBE cells led to nuclear translocation of an N-terminal fragment of the SPAK isoform, as well as activation of p38 MAP kinase signaling cascades and increased intestinal barrier permeability. These findings collectively suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokine signaling may induce expression of this novel SPAK isoform in intestinal epithelia, triggering the signaling cascades that govern intestinal inflammation.     

Cloning and characterization of a novel CBL-interacting protein kinase from maize

A novel CBL-interacting protein kinase (CIPK) gene, ZmCIPK16, was isolated from maize (Zea mays), which has been certified to have two copies in the genome. The ZmCIPK16 is strongly induced in maize seedlings by PEG, NaCl, ABA, dehydration, heat and drought, but not by cold. A yeast two-hybrid assay demonstrated that ZmCIPK16 interacted with ZmCBL3, ZmCBL4, ZmCBL5, and ZmCBL8. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays prove that ZmCIPK16 can interact with ZmCBL3, ZmCBL4, ZmCBL5, and ZmCBL8 in vivo. Subcellular localization showed that ZmCIPK16 is distributed in the nucleus, plasma membrane and cytoplasm; this is different from the specific localization of ZmCBL3, ZmCBL4, and ZmCBL5, which are found in the plasma membrane. The results also showed that overexpression of ZmCIPK16 in the Arabidopsis sos2 mutant induced the expression of the SOS1 gene and enhanced salt tolerance. These findings indicate that ZmCIPK16 may be involved in the CBL-CIPK signaling network in maize responses to salt stress. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Jinfeng Zhao and Zhenfei Sun are contributed equally to this work.     

Cloning and characterization of a new intestinal inflammation-associated colonic epithelial Ste20-related protein kinase isoform

Intestinal epithelial cells respond to inflammatory extracellular stimuli by activating mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, which mediates numerous pathophysiological effects, including intestinal inflammation. Here, we show that a novel isoform of SPS1-related proline alanine-rich kinase (SPAK/STE20) is involved in this inflammatory signaling cascade. We cloned and characterized a SPAK isoform from inflamed colon tissue, and found that this SPAK isoform lacked the characteristic PAPA box and alphaF loop found in SPAK. Based on genomic sequence analysis the lack of PAPA box and alphaF loop in colonic SPAK isoform was the result of specific splicing that affect exon 1 and exon 7 of the SPAK gene. The SPAK isoform was found in inflamed and non-inflamed colon tissues as well as Caco2-BBE cells, but not in other tissues, such as liver, spleen, brain, prostate and kidney. In vitro analyses demonstrated that the SPAK isoform possessed serine/threonine kinase activity, which could be abolished by a substitution of isoleucine for the lysine at position 34 in the ATP-binding site of the catalytic domain. Treatment of Caco2-BBE cells with the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interferon γ, induced expression of the SPAK isoform. Over-expression of the SPAK isoform in Caco2-BBE cells led to nuclear translocation of an N-terminal fragment of the SPAK isoform, as well as activation of p38 MAP kinase signaling cascades and increased intestinal barrier permeability. These findings collectively suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokine signaling may induce expression of this novel SPAK isoform in intestinal epithelia, triggering the signaling cascades that govern intestinal inflammation.     

Cloning and characterization of Hunk, a novel mammalian SNF1-related protein kinase

We previously identified a novel protein kinase, Hunk, by means of a degenerate PCR screen designed to isolate kinases expressed in the murine mammary gland. We now describe the molecular cloning, chromosomal localization, and activity of this kinase and characterize its spatial and temporal pattern of expression in the mouse. We have isolated a 5.0-kb full-length cDNA clone that contains the 714-amino-acid open reading frame encoding Hunk. Analysis of this cDNA reveals that Hunk is most closely related to the SNF1 family of serine/threonine kinases and contains a newly described SNF1 homology domain. Accordingly, antisera specific for Hunk detect an 80-kDa polypeptide with associated phosphotransferase activity. Hunk is located on distal mouse chromosome 16 in a region of conserved synteny with human chromosome 21q22. During fetal development and in the adult mouse, Hunk mRNA expression is developmentally regulated and tissue-specific. Moreover, in situ hybridization analysis reveals that Hunk expression is restricted to subsets of cells within a variety of organs in the adult mouse. These findings suggest a role for Hunk in murine development.     

Cloning and characterization of a new functional human aldehyde dehydrogenase gene

We cloned a new functional ALDH gene (ALDHx) from a human genomic library in cosmid pWE-15 by screening with a 29-nucleotide probe partially matched to a conserved region of the ALDH1 and ALDH2 genes. The new ALDHx gene does not contain introns in the coding sequence for 517 amino acid residues. The degree of resemblance between the deduced amino acid sequences of the new ALDHx gene and the ALDH2 gene is 72.5% (alignment of 517 amino acid residues), while that between the ALDHx and the ALDH1 gene is 64.6% (alignment of 500 amino acid residues). The amino acid residues (Cys-162, Cys-302, Glu-268, Glu-487, Gly-223, Gly-225, Gly-229, Gly-245 and Gly-250), which exist in both ALDH1 and ALDH2 isozymes and have been implicated in functional and structural importance, are also preserved in the deduced sequence of the new ALDHx gene. Northern blot hybridization with ALDHx probe revealed the existence of a unique mRNA band (3.0 kilobases) in the human liver and testis tissues. Using the new ALDHx probe, we cloned the cDNA of the gene from a human testis cDNA library in lambda gt11 vector. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA differs from that of the genomic sequence at three nucleotide positions resulting in the exchange of 2 deduced amino acid residues. These positions are polymorphic as further demonstrated by the PCR amplification of the targeted region followed by nucleotide sequence analysis of the genomic DNA from eight unrelated individuals. Alignment of the genomic and cDNA sequence indicates that although the ALDHx gene appears to have no intron in its coding sequence, an intron of 2.6 kilobases is found to interrupt the 5'-untranslated (5'-UT) sequence. Primary extension and S1 mapping analysis indicate the existence of at least two 5'-UT exons. The new ALDHx gene was assigned to chromosome 9 by Southern blot hybridization of DNA samples from a panel of rodent-human hybrid cell lines.     

Identification and characterization of a new mammalian mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, MKK2.

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are serine/threonine protein kinases activated by dual phosphorylation on threonine and tyrosine residues. A MAP kinase kinase (MKK1 or MEK1) has been identified as a dual-specificity protein kinase that is sufficient to phosphorylate MAP kinases p42mapk and p44mapk on the regulatory threonine and tyrosine residues. Because of the multiplicity of MAP kinase isoforms and the diverse circumstances and agonists leading to their activation, we thought it unlikely that a single MKK could accommodate this complexity. Indeed, two protein bands with MKK activity have previously been identified after renaturation following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We now report the molecular cloning and characterization of a second rat MAP kinase kinase cDNA, MKK2. MKK2 cDNA contains an open reading frame encoding a protein of 400 amino acids, 7 residues longer than MKK1 (MEK1). The amino acid sequence of MKK2 is 81% identical to that of MKK1, but nucleotide sequence differences occur throughout the aligned MKK2 and MKK1 cDNAs, indicating that MKK2 is the product of a distinct gene. MKK1 and MKK2 mRNAs are expressed differently in rat tissues. Both cDNAs when expressed in COS cells displayed the ability to phosphorylate and activate p42mapk and p44mapk, both MKK1 and MKK2 were activated in vivo in response to serum, and both could be phosphorylated and activated by the v-Raf protein in vitro. However, differences between MKK1 and MKK2 in sites of phosphorylation by proline-directed protein kinases predict differences in feedback regulation.