Pyridoxal phosphate-dependent conformational states of glycogen phosphorylase as probed by interconverting enzymes.

The interaction between pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and the convertible serine of glycogen phosphorylase has been investigated by using: specific interconverting enzymes, phosphorylase kinase and phosphorylase phosphatase; effectors, glucose and glucose 6-phosphate; and a protein kinase and trypsin. Both phosphorylase kinase and phosphorylase phosphatase utilized the native protein while having little influence on the apoprotein. Removal of a peptide containing the critical serine residue gave phosphorylase b' from which the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate in phosphorylase has an important effect on enzymic interconversion.     

Characterization of an autophosphorylation-dependent multifunctional protein kinase from liver

A cyclic nucleotide- and Ca2+-independent protein kinase has been identified and purified from pig liver to apparent homogeneity. This independent protein kinase is basically inactive but can be activated by a 4-min incubation with 0.25 mM ATP and 2 mM Mg2+. This ATP X Mg-mediated activation appears to involve an intramolecular autophosphorylation as it is independent of kinase concentration. Phosphoamino acid analysis further indicates that this intramolecular autophosphorylation/activation process is predominantly on a serine residue. The nonphosphorylated, inactive form of the kinase is extremely trypsin-labile, whereas the phosphorylated, active kinase is more resistant to trypsin, suggesting a conformational change during the activation process. Autophosphorylation/activation of the kinase is enhanced 2-fold by heparin (0.4 unit/ml) and blocked by phosphatidylserine (0.4 mg/ml). Partial dephosphorylation of the phosphorylated kinase is associated with a time-dependent decrease in the enzyme activity. This autophosphorylation-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates glycogen synthase (Km = 8 microM) at sites 2 and 3, resulting in inactivation of glycogen synthase. The results indicate that this independent kinase may represent a previously undiscovered liver multifunctional protein kinase which can be regulated by reversible phosphorylation.     

In vitro phosphorylation of human complement factor C3 by protein kinase A and protein kinase C. Effects on the classical and alternative pathways

Complement factor C3, recently found to contain covalently bound phosphate, was phosphorylated in vitro by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A) and Ca2(+)-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C). Both protein kinases phosphorylated the same serine residue(s) located in the C3a portion of the alpha-chain. In addition, protein kinase C phosphorylated the beta-chain to a lesser extent. Protein kinase A gave a maximal incorporation of 1 mol of phosphate/mol of C3 while that value with protein kinase C was 1.5 mol of phosphate/mol of C3. The velocity in pmol of [32P]phosphate/(min x unit kinase) was 20 times higher for protein kinase C than for protein kinase A although a 10 times lower ratio of protein kinase to C3 was used in the former case. The apparent Km for C3 was 2.6 microM when protein kinase C was used. The phosphorylated C3 was found to be more resistant to partial degradation by trypsin than unphosphorylated C3. It was also found that phosphorylation of C3 in the C3a portion of the alpha-chain inhibited both the classical and alternative complement activation pathways on an approximately stoichiometric basis.     

Sequence analysis of phospholamban. Identification of phosphorylation sites and two major structural domains

Phospholamban is a regulatory protein in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum that is phosphorylated by cAMP- and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activities. In this report, we present the partial amino acid sequence of canine cardiac phospholamban and the identification of the sites phosphorylated by these two protein kinases. Gas-phase protein sequencing was used to identify 20 NH2-terminal residues. Overlap peptides produced by trypsin or papain digestion extended the sequence 16 residues to give the following primary structure: Ser-Ala-Ile-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser-Thr-Ile-Glu-Met-Pro-Gln-Gln-Ala- Arg-Gln-Asn-Leu-Gln-Asn-Leu-Phe-Ile-Asn-Phe-(Cys)-Leu-Ile-Leu-Ile-(Cys)- Leu-Leu-Leu-Ile-. Phospholamban phosphorylated by either cAMP-dependent or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase was cleaved with trypsin, and the major phosphorylated peptide (comprising greater than 70% of the incorporated 32P label) was purified by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The identical sequence was revealed for the radioactive peptide obtained from phospholamban phosphorylated by either kinase: Arg-Ala-Ser-Thr-Ile-Glu-Met-Pro-Gln-Gln-. The adjacent residues Ser7 and Thr8 of phospholamban were identified as the unique sites phosphorylated by cAMP- and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases, respectively. These results establish that phospholamban is an oligomer of small, identical polypeptide chains. A hydrophilic, cytoplasmically oriented NH2-terminal domain on each monomer contains the unique, adjacent residues phosphorylated by cAMP- and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activities. Analysis by hydropathic profiling and secondary structure prediction suggests that phospholamban monomers also contain a hydrophobic domain, which could form amphipathic helices sufficiently long to traverse the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. A model of phospholamban as a pentamer is presented in which the amphipathic alpha-helix of each monomer is a subunit of the pentameric membrane-anchored domain, which is comprised of an exterior hydrophobic surface and an interior hydrophilic region containing polar side chains.     

Studies on the phosphorylation of muscle phosphofructokinase

Phosphorylation of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase occurs with a Km of about 230 microM and Vmax approaching that seen with histone as a substrate. The rate of phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase by protein kinase is increased by allosteric activators of phosphofructokinase, whereas inhibitors of phosphofructokinase inhibit the phosphorylation. Inhibitors and activators change Vmax but not Km. The site of phosphorylation is a serine residue that is the sixth amino acid from the carboxyl terminus. Limited proteolysis by trypsin releases an octapeptide from the carboxyl terminus and a brief exposure to subtilisin releases a dodecapeptide from the carboxyl end. The sequence of the dodecapeptide is His-Ile-Ser-Arg-Lys-Arg-Ser(P)-Gly-Glu-Ala-Thr-Val. Phosphofructokinase isolated from a rabbit injected 18 h prior to killing with [32P]PO4 contained covalently bound radioactive phosphate. Approximately 80% of the phosphate was released in a trichloroacetic acid-soluble form following limited proteolysis by trypsin, under which conditions the enzyme remained with a monomer size of about 80,000 daltons. The position of elution from Sephadex G-25 of the phosphopeptide was identical with that found following limited trypsin proteolysis of in vitro labeled enzyme. Migration of the phosphopeptides on thin layer cellulose chromatography was also identical. We conclude that at least 80% of the radioactive phosphate introduced within 18 h of an intravenous injection of [32P]PO4 is found at the same site as that introduced by phosphorylation with the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Phosphorylation of the glucose transporter in rat adipocytes. Identification of the intracellular domain at the carboxyl terminus as a target for phosphorylation in intact-cells and in vitro

Phosphorylation of the insulin-regulatable glucose transporter (IRGT) is increased by incubating rat adipocytes with isoproterenol or by incubating microsomal membranes with cAMP-dependent protein kinase. To attempt to locate the sites of phosphorylation, the IRGT (apparent Mr = 46,000) was immunoprecipitated from 32P-labeled adipocytes and cleaved with CNBr or trypsin. Essentially all of the 32P could be recovered in a single CNBr fragment, denoted CB-T (Mr = 8,000), which bound a polyclonal antibody (R820) against a peptide having the sequence of the last 12 amino acids in the COOH terminus of the IRGT. 32P-Labeling of the IRGT was also confined to CB-T when membranes were incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Isoproterenol increased phosphorylation of CB-T, but insulin was without effect. To resolve phosphorylation sites further, IRGT from 32P-labeled cells was subjected to exhaustive proteolysis with trypsin. Samples were applied to a C-18 column, and 32P-labeled fragments were resolved into three peak fractions by elution with an increasing gradient of acetonitrile. [32P]Phosphoserine was the only phosphoamino acid detected in any of the peaks. Peak III contained approximately 80% of the 32P and was increased by isoproterenol. Almost all of the 32P introduced by cAMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro eluted in Peak III. In all cases, the 32P-labeled species in Peak III were quantitatively immunoprecipitated by R820. Digesting the peptide(s) in Peak III with V8 protease generated a single peak of 32P which eluted at lower acetonitrile than Peak III and contained 32P-labeled species that did not interact with R820. Automated Edman degradation indicated that the serine residue in Peak III phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase was the 3rd or 4th residue from the NH2 terminus of the peptide. These findings indicate that phosphorylation of the IRGT is restricted to the presumed intracellular domain at the COOH terminus and that Ser488 is a major site phosphorylated both by cAMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro and in response to isoproterenol in vivo.     

Identification of the regulatory phosphorylation sites in pp42/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase).

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) is a 42 kd serine/threonine protein kinase whose enzymatic activity requires phosphorylation of both tyrosyl and threonyl residues. As a step in elucidating the mechanism(s) for activation of this enzyme, we have determined the sites of regulatory phosphorylation. Following proteolytic digestion of 32P-labeled pp42/MAP kinase with trypsin, only a single phosphopeptide was detected by two-dimensional peptide mapping, and this peptide contained both phosphotyrosine and phosphothreonine. The amino acid sequence of the peptide, including the phosphorylation sites, was determined using a combination of Fourier transform mass spectrometry and collision-activated dissociation tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. The sequence for the pp42/MAP kinase tryptic phosphopeptide is similar (but not identical) to a sequence present in the ERK1- and KSS1-encoded kinases. The two phosphorylation sites are separated by only a single residue. The regulation of activity by dual phosphorylations at closely spaced threonyl and tyrosyl residues has a functional correlate in p34cdc2, and may be characteristic of a family of protein kinases regulating cell cycle transitions.     

Relationship of phosphorylation and ADP-ribosylation using a synthetic peptide as a model substrate

Kemptide (Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser-Leu-Gly) is a good substrate for cholera toxin in comparison with the angiotensin peptides. Because kemptide contains two potential ADP-ribosylation sites and, is also a good substrate for cAMP-dependent protein kinase, it was possible to gain some insight into factors influencing the specificity of cholera toxin and to study the relationship between phosphorylation and ADP-ribosylation. The ADP-ribosylated products of kemptide were purified by high-performance liquid chromatography and characterized by peptide sequence analysis, trypsin digestion, and fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The major product is mono(ADP-ribosyl)ated preferentially on the first arginyl residue and some mono(ADP-ribosyl)ation was observed to occur on the second arginine. The minor product is di(ADP-ribosyl)ated. The Km and Vmax for mono(ADP-ribosyl)ation of kemptide are approximately 4.3 +/- 1.2 mM and 38.1 +/- 5.5 nmol min-1 mg-1, respectively. Phosphorylated seryl residue of kemptide suppresses ADP-ribosylation of the arginyl residues by cholera toxin. Mono(ADP-ribosyl)ated kemptide is a poor substrate for the cAMP-dependent protein kinase in comparison with kemptide. Di(ADP-ribosyl)ated kemptide is not phosphorylated at all. These results suggest that a mere exposure of an arginyl residue in peptides is not a sufficient condition for effective ADP-ribosylation and that a relationship exists between ADP-ribosylation and phosphorylation.     

Structural organization of the lens fiber cell plasma membrane protein MP18

The 18,000-dalton bovine lens fiber cell intrinsic membrane protein MP18 was phosphorylated on a serine residue by both cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C. In addition, this protein bound calmodulin and was recognized by a monoclonal antibody (2D10). These different regions were localized using enzymatic and chemical fragmentation of electrophoretically purified MP18 that had been phosphorylated with either cAMP-dependent protein kinase or protein kinase C. Partial digestion of 32P-labeled MP18 with protease V8 resulted in a Mr = 17,000 peptide that bound calmodulin, but neither contained 32P or was recognized by the monoclonal antibody 2D10. Furthermore, the 17-kDa peptide had the same N-terminal amino acid sequence as MP18. Thus, the monoclonal antibody 2D10 recognition site and the protein kinase phosphorylation site(s) are close together and confined to a small region in the C terminus of MP18. This conclusion was confirmed in experiments where MP18 was fragmented with trypsin, endoproteinase Lys-C, or CNBr. The location of the phosphorylation site was confirmed by sequencing the small 32P-labeled, C-terminal peptide that resulted from protease V8 digestion of 32P-labeled MP18. This peptide contained a consensus sequence for cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Phosphoserine as a recognition determinant for glycogen synthase kinase-3: phosphorylation of a synthetic peptide based on the G-component of protein phosphatase-1

Prior phosphorylation of its substrate has been shown to be important for substrate recognition by the protein kinase glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3). Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase by GSK-3 is known to be enhanced by the previous action of casein kinase II and the sequence -SXXXS(P)- was proposed as the minimal recognition determinant for GSK-3. The glycogen binding subunit of type 1 phosphoprotein phosphatase has been shown to be phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase at serine-13 in the sequence KPGFS(5)PQPS(9)RRGS(13)ESSEEVYV (F.B. Caudwell, A. Hiraga, and P. Cohen (1986) FEBS Lett. 194, 85-89). Inspection of the sequence revealed potential GSK-3 sites at residues 5 and 9. Using a synthetic peptide with the above sequence, we found that phosphorylation of serine-13 by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase permitted the recognition of serine-9 and serine-5 by GSK-3. The work provides another example of a substrate for GSK-3 and demonstrates that the action of GSK-3 is linked to the presence of phosphate in the substrate and not the action of any particular protein kinase. In the course of the analyses, a novel feature of trypsin cleavage of phosphopeptides was noted. In the sequence -SRRGS(P)- trypsin acted uniquely after the first arginine whereas in the sequence -S(P)RRGS(P)- it cleaved randomly at either arginine residue. The fact that GSK-3 could phosphorylate a peptide derived from a phosphatase subunit also raises the possibility that GSK-3 might be involved in controlling glycogen-associated type 1 phosphatase and, more generally, in mediating cyclic AMP control of protein phosphorylation in cells.     

Phosphorylation of intracellular precursors of human IL-1

The human IL-1 molecules (IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta) are post-translationally cleaved from 31-kDa precursor to 18-kDa biologically active molecules. During the course of studies of post-translational modifications of human IL-1, we have observed that although LPS induced the production of both intracellular IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta in human monocytes, [32P]orthophosphate labeling of these cells revealed that intracellular precursor of IL-1 alpha (pre-IL-1 alpha) to be phosphorylated at least 10-fold more than intracellular pre-IL-1 beta. However, no 32P-incorporation could be detected in the 18-kDa processed IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta. Analysis by TLC revealed that the major phosphorylation site occurred at serine residue(s). The 32P was incorporated into multiply cleaved precursors of IL-1 alpha, which appeared in the absence of protease inhibitors. Since the smallest Mr pre-IL-1 alpha that was labeled with 32P was 22 kDa, the phosphorylated serine residue is presumably located adjacent to a sequence of four basic amino acids located in the 4-kDa region at the amino terminus of the 22-kDa precursor of IL-1 alpha. This serine residue might also be a major phosphorylation site for a cAMP-dependent protein kinase. This hypothesis was substantiated by the demonstration that a synthetic peptide analogue of this region (residue 84 to 112) could be similarly phosphorylated in vitro by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Furthermore, a truncated pre-IL-1 alpha (residue 64 to 271) and a "fusion" protein containing staphylococcal protein A and an amino-terminal half-portion of pre-IL-1 alpha (residue 1 to 112), but not mature IL-1 alpha (residue 113 to 271), could also be phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. There is no comparable amino acid sequence in IL-1 beta which could be expected to be phosphorylated by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The physiologic relevance of phosphorylation of pre-IL-1 alpha was investigated. The data showed that phosphorylation of truncated pre-IL-1 alpha greatly enhanced its susceptibility to digestion by trypsin and promoted the conversion of pre-IL-1 alpha to the more biologically active IL-1. Although the precise role of the rather selective phosphorylation of pre-IL-1 alpha is not known, our findings do suggest that the phosphorylation of serine close to dibasic/tetrabasic amino acid sequence functions to facilitate the processing and/or release of IL-1 alpha.     

Amino acid sequence at the ATP-binding site of cGMP-dependent protein kinase

The amino acid sequence at the ATP-binding site on the cGMP-dependent protein kinase has been determined. For this determination the enzyme was labeled covalently by 5'-p-fluorosulfonyl[14C]benzoyladenosine and fragmented using cyanogen bromide or digested by trypsin after succinylation. The 14C-labeled peptides were purified by gel filtration and high performance liquid chromatography. The amino acid sequence around the site was found to be: -Val-Glu-Leu-Val-Gln-Leu-Lys-Ser-Glu-Glu-Ser-Lys-Thr-Phe-Ala-Met-*Lys-Ile-Leu-Lys--Lys-Arg-His-Ile-Val-Asp-Thr-Arg-Gln-Gln-Glu-His-Ile-Arg-Ser-Glu-Lys-, in which *Lys is the lysine residue that was modified by the affinity reagent. When this sequence was compared with that of the ATP-binding site of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, a high degree of structural homology was observed for this site in the two proteins.     

Amino acid sequence of histone H1 at the ADP-ribose-accepting site and ADP-ribose X histone-H1 adduct as an inhibitor of cyclic-AMP-dependent phosphorylation

The ADP-ribosylation site of histone H1 from calf thymus by purified hen liver nuclear ADP-ribosyltransferase was determined and effects of the ADP-ribose X histone-H1 adduct on cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of the histone H1 were investigated. ADP-ribosylated histone H1 was prepared by incubation of histone H1, 1 mM [adenylate-32P]NAD and the purified ADP-ribosyltransferase. N-Bromosuccinimide-directed bisection of ADP-ribosylated histone H1 showed that the NH2-terminal fragment (Mr = 6000) was modified and contained serine residue 38, the site of phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Digestion of the NH2-terminal fragment with cathepsin D and trypsin, and purification of this fragment, using high-performance liquid chromatography, yielded a radiolabelled single peptide corresponding to residues 29-34 of histone H1, containing the arginine residue as the ADP-ribosylation site. These results indicate that ADP-ribosylation of histone H1 occurs at the arginine residue 34, sequenced at the NH2-terminal side of the phosphate-accepting serine residue 38. Phosphorylation of histone H1 from calf thymus by cAMP-dependent protein kinase was markedly reduced when histone H1 was ADP-ribosylated. Kinetic studies of phosphorylation revealed that ADP-ribosylated histone H1 was a linear competitive inhibitor of histone H1 and a linear non-competitive inhibitor of ATP.     

The hormonal control of activity of skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase. Amino-acid sequences at the two sites of action of adenosine-3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase.

Two tryptic phosphopeptides containing the sites on the alpha and beta subunits of phosphorylase kinase which are phosphorylated by protein kinase, dependent on adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP), have been isolated and their amino acid sequences have been determined. 32P-labelled phosphorylase kinase, containing 1.9 mol phosphate per mol enzyme, was digested with an equimolar quantity of trypsin for 2.5 min at pH 7.0, 20 degrees C. This treatment released nearly all the 32P radioactivity associated with the beta subunit as trichloroacetic-acid-soluble material. Only a small proportion of the 32P radioactivity associated with the alpha subunit was solubilised, the remainder being removed in the trichloroacetic acid pellet. The beta-subunit tryptic phosphopeptide was completely resolved from traces of the alpha-subunit phosphopeptide by gel filtration on Sephadex G-25. Further purification by peptide mapping separated the phosphopeptide into four components, each derived from the same nine-amino-acid segment of the betachain, which was found to possess the sequence: Gln-Ser-Gly-Ser(P)-Val-Ile-Tyr-Pro-Leu-Lys. The four components were produced by the partial cyclisation of the N-terminal glutaminyl residue, and by the presence of two alleles for the beta subunit in the rabbit population, which led to a valine-isoleucine ambiguity. The alpha-subunit phosphopeptide was liberated from the trichloroacetic acid pellet by redigestion with trypsin. It was the largest component in the digest which remained soluble in 5% trichloroacetic acid, and obtained in a highly purified form by a single filtration on Sephadex G-50. The peptide comprised 39 amino acids of which nine were serine and three were threonine residues. Only one residue, the serine at position three from the amino terminus, was phosphorylated. The amino-terminal sequence of the peptide was shown to be: Arg-Leu-Ser(P)-Ile-Ser-Thr-Glu-Ser-Glx-Pro-Asx-Gly. The sequences confirm the stoichiometry of the reaction and the absolute specificity of cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase for just two of the 200 serine residues in the enzyme. These results and an inspection of the rate of phosphorylation of a number of skeletal muscle proteins, including each enzyme of the glycolytic pathway, lead to the conclusion that cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase is an extremely specific enzyme. The molecular basis of this specificity is discussed.     

Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase by a bovine thymus protein-tyrosine kinase, p40

Glycogen synthase from rabbit skeletal muscle was found to be phosphorylated by a protein-tyrosine kinase, p40, purified from bovine thymus. The phosphorylation, to a stoichiometry of 0.4-0.5 mol/mol subunit, was specific for a single tyrosine residue in the sequence EEDGERYDEDEE. This acidic sequence has considerable similarity to the site recognized by p40 in erythrocyte band 3 protein. In the analysis of the phosphorylated peptide, it was noted that the sequence -RY(P)- impeded cleavage by either trypsin or automatic Edman degradation.     

Proteolytic activation of the canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump

Mild trypsin treatment of canine cardiac microsomes consisting largely of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles produced a severalfold activation of oxalate-facilitated calcium uptake. The increase in calcium uptake was associated with an increase in ATP hydrolysis. Proteases other than trypsin were also effective although to a lesser degree. Trypsin produced a shift of the Ca2+ concentration dependency curve for calcium uptake toward lower Ca2+ concentrations, which was almost identical with that produced by phosphorylation of microsomes by cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase when the trypsin and the protein kinase were present at maximally activating concentrations. The Hill numbers (+/- SD) of the Ca2+ dependency after treatment of microsomes with trypsin (1.5 +/- 0.1) or protein kinase (1.7 +/- 0.1) were similar and were not significantly different from those for untreated control microsomes (1.6 +/- 0.1 and 1.8 +/- 0.1, respectively). Autoradiograms of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoretic gels indicate that 32P incorporation into phospholamban (Mr 27.3K) or its presumed monomeric subunit (Mr 5.5K) was markedly reduced when trypsin-treated microsomes were incubated in the presence of cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase and [gamma-32P]ATP compared to control microsomes incubated similarly but pretreated with trypsin inhibitor inactivated trypsin. The activation of calcium uptake by increasing concentrations of trypsin was paralleled by the reduction of phosphorylation of phospholamban. Trypsin treatment of microsomes previously thiophosphorylated in the presence of cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase and [gamma-35S]thio-ATP did not result in a loss of 35S label from phospholamban, which suggests that phosphorylation of phospholamban protects against trypsin attack.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Structural differences between repressed and derepressed forms of p60c-src.

The kinase activity of p60c-src is derepressed by removal of phosphate from Tyr-527, mutation of this residue to Phe, or binding of a carboxy-terminal antibody. We have compared the structures of repressed and active p60c-src, using proteases. All forms of p60c-src are susceptible to proteolysis at the boundary between the amino-terminal region and the kinase domain, but there are several sites elsewhere that are more sensitive to trypsin digestion in repressed than in derepressed forms of p60c-src. The carboxy-terminal tail (containing Tyr-527) is more sensitive to digestion by pronase E and thermolysin when Tyr-527 is not phosphorylated. The kinase domain fragment released with trypsin has kinase activity. Relative to intact p60c-src, the kinase domain fragment shows altered substrate specificity, diminished regulation by the phosphorylated carboxy terminus, and novel phosphorylation sites. The results identify parts of p60c-src that change conformation upon kinase activation and suggest functions for the amino-terminal region.     

Identification of the protein kinase C phosphorylation site in neuromodulin

Neuromodulin (P-57, GAP-43, B-50, F-1) is a neurospecific calmodulin binding protein that is phosphorylated by protein kinase C. Phosphorylation by protein kinase C has been shown to abolish the affinity of neuromodulin for calmodulin [Alexander, K. A., Cimler, B. M., Meier, K. E., & Storm, D. R. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 6108-6113], and we have proposed that the concentration of free CaM in neurons may be regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of neuromodulin. The purpose of this study was to identify the protein kinase C phosphorylation site(s) in neuromodulin using recombinant neuromodulin as a substrate. Toward this end, it was demonstrated that recombinant neuromodulin purified from Escherichia coli and bovine neuromodulin were phosphorylated with similar Km values and stoichiometries and that protein kinase C mediated phosphorylation of both proteins abolished binding to calmodulin-Sepharose. Recombinant neuromodulin was phosphorylated by using protein kinase C and [gamma-32P]ATP and digested with trypsin, and the resulting peptides were separated by HPLC. Only one 32P-labeled tryptic peptide was generated from phosphorylated neuromodulin. The sequence of this peptide was IQASFR. The serine in this peptide corresponds to position 41 of the entire protein, which is adjacent to or contained within the calmodulin binding domain of neuromodulin. A synthetic peptide, QASFRGHITRKKLKGEK, corresponding to the calmodulin binding domain with a few flanking residues, including serine-41, was also phosphorylated by protein kinase C. We conclude that serine-41 is the protein kinase C phosphorylation site of neuromodulin and that phosphorylation of this amino acid residue blocks binding of calmodulin to neuromodulin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Mesocestoides lineatus: trypsin induced development to adult mediated by Ca2+ and protein kinase C

A mode of action of the inducible treatment with trypsin for the development of Mesocestoides lineatus tetrathyridium to adult was analyzed by administering various agents effective on Ca2+-dependent metabolic pathways in the cells: protein kinase C activators such as a synthetic diacylglycerol, 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol, and a tumor promoting phorbol, 12-O-tetra-decanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate, enhanced the trypsin induced developmental processes. On the contrary, a calmodulin inhibitor, N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalene sulfonamide, cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate, and adenylate cyclase activators such as forskolin and cholera toxin, inhibited the triggering action of trypsin. Furthermore, a combined administration of Ca2+ ionophore (A23187) and the phorbol showed a similar effect with trypsin treatment, and sodium taurocholate acted as a potent enhancer like the activators of protein kinase C. These results strongly suggest that the initiation of development to adult in this cestode may be regulated synergistically by Ca2+ and protein kinase C, and that a bile acid may be involved in an activation mechanism of protein kinase C.     

Purification,properties and substrate specificity of a digestive trypsin from Periplaneta americana (Dictyoptera) adults

A digestive trypsin from the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana, Dictyoptera) males was purified by a combination of anionic chromatographies in low and high pressure systems. The yield was 70% with a final specific activity of 2,000 units per mg protein (substrate: benzoyl-Arg-p-nitroanilide, BRpNA). Chemical modification with TLCK (k(obs)=3.3 M(-1) s(-1); stoichiometry 1:1) and PMSF (k(obs)=0.18 M(-1) s(-1); stoichiometry 1:1) confirmed that this peptidase is a trypsin. This enzyme has a molecular weight of 29 kDa (SDS-PAGE), a pI of 6.0 and a pH optimum of 8.9. Kinetic parameters using different colorimetric, fluorimetric and internally-quenched substrates indicated that P. americana trypsin prefers to hydrolyze synthetic substrates containing more than one amino acid residue and with an arginine residue at P1 position and a hydrophobic residue at P2. This enzyme presented a Km of 120 microM for BRpNA and is competitively inhibited by benzamidine (Ki=0.25 microM). Soybean trypsin inhibitor is a tight-binding inhibitor presenting a K(D) of 0.4 nM. Differences in substrate specificity and in the reactivity of the trypsin active site groups can be related to adaptation of insects to different hosts. P. americana trypsin is an excellent model for comparison as a basal group on evolutionary studies of insect trypsins.