Effect of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase on insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity.

To explain the insulin resistance induced by catecholamines, we studied the tyrosine kinase activity of insulin receptors in a state characterized by elevated noradrenaline concentrations in vivo, i.e. cold-acclimation. Insulin receptors were partially purified from brown adipose tissue of 3-week- or 48 h-cold-acclimated mice. Insulin-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation and tyrosine kinase activity of insulin receptors prepared from cold-acclimated mice were decreased. Since the effect of noradrenaline is mediated by cyclic AMP and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, we tested the effect of the purified catalytic subunit of this enzyme on insulin receptors purified by wheat-germ agglutinin chromatography. The catalytic subunit had no effect on basal phosphorylation, but completely inhibited the insulin-stimulated receptor phosphorylation. Similarly, receptor kinase activity towards exogenous substrates such as histone or a tyrosine-containing copolymer was abolished. This inhibitory effect was observed with receptors prepared from brown adipose tissue, isolated hepatocytes and skeletal muscle. The same results were obtained on epidermal-growth-factor receptors. Further, the catalytic subunit exerted a comparable effect on the phosphorylation of highly purified insulin receptors. To explain this inhibition, we were able to rule out the following phenomena: a change in insulin binding, a change in the Km of the enzyme for ATP, activation of a phosphatase activity present in the insulin-receptor preparation, depletion of ATP, and phosphorylation of a serine residue of the receptor. These results suggest that the alteration in the insulin-receptor tyrosine kinase activity induced by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase could contribute to the insulin resistance produced by catecholamines.     

Characterization of phosphatidylinositol kinase activity associated with the insulin receptor

Various lipids were tested as substrates for the insulin receptor kinase using either receptor partially purified from rat hepatoma cells by wheat-germ-agglutinin-Sepharose chromatography or receptor purified from human placenta by insulin-Sepharose affinity chromatography. Phosphatidylinositol was phosphorylated to phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate by the partially purified insulin receptor. In contrast, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and diacylglycerol were not phosphorylated. In some, but not all preparations of partially purified insulin receptor, the phosphatidylinositol kinase activity was stimulated by insulin (mean effect 33%). Phosphatidylinositol kinase activity was retained in insulin receptor purified to homogeneity. Insulin regulation of the phosphatidylinositol kinase was lost in the purified receptor; however, dithiothreitol stimulated both autophosphorylation of the purified receptor and phosphatidylinositol kinase activity in parallel about threefold. (Glu80Tyr20)n, a polymeric substrate specific to tyrosine kinases, inhibited the phosphatidylinositol kinase activity of the purified receptor by greater than 90% and inhibited receptor autophosphorylation by 67%. Immunoprecipitation by specific anti-receptor antibodies depleted by greater than 90% the phosphatidylinositol kinase activity in the supernatant of the purified receptor and the phosphatidylinositol kinase activity was recovered in the precipitate in parallel with receptor autophosphorylation activity. These characteristics of the phosphatidylinositol kinase activity of the purified insulin receptor and its metal ion preference paralleled those of the receptor tyrosine kinase activity and differed from bulk phosphatidylinositol kinase activity in cell extracts, which was not significantly inhibited by (Glu80Tyr20)n, stimulated by dithiothreitol or depleted by immunoprecipitation with anti-(insulin receptor) antibody. These results suggest that the insulin receptor is associated with a phosphatidylinositol kinase activity; however, this activity is not well regulated by insulin. This kinase appears to be distinct from the major phosphatidylinositol kinase(s) of cells. Its relationship to insulin action needs further study.     

Regulation of insulin receptor kinase by multisite phosphorylation

The regulation of the insulin receptor kinase by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation has been examined. Under in vitro conditions, the tyrosine kinase activity of the insulin receptor toward histone is markedly activated when the receptor either undergoes autophosphorylation or is phosphorylated by a purified preparation of src tyrosine kinase on tyrosine residues of its beta subunit. The elevated kinase activity of the phosphorylated insulin receptor is readily reversed when the receptor is dephosphorylated with alkaline phosphatase. Analysis of tryptic digests of phosphorylated insulin receptor using reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography suggests that phosphorylation of a specific tyrosine site on the receptor beta subunit may be involved in the mechanism of the receptor kinase activation. Further studies indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation-mediated increase in insulin receptor activity also occurs in intact cells. Thus, when the histone kinase activities of insulin receptor from control and insulin-treated H-35 hepatoma cells are assayed in vitro following the purification of the receptors under conditions which preserve the phosphorylation state of the receptors, the insulin receptors extracted from insulin-treated cells exhibit histone kinase activities 100% higher than those from control cells. The elevated receptor kinase activity from insulin-treated cells appears to result from the increase in phosphotyrosine content of the receptor. Taken together, these results indicate that tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta subunit exerts a major stimulatory effect on the kinase activity of the receptor. Insulin receptor partially purified by specific immunoprecipitation from detergent extracts of control and isoproterenol-treated cells have similar basal but diminished insulin-stimulated beta subunit autophosphorylation activities when incubated with [gamma-32 P]ATP. Similarly, the ability of insulin to stimulate the receptor beta subunit phosphorylation in intact isoproterenol-treated adipocytes is greatly attenuated, whereas, the basal phosphorylation of the insulin receptor is slightly increased by the beta-catecholamine. These data indicate that in rat adipocytes, a cyclic AMP-mediated mechanism, possibly through serine and threonine phosphorylation of the receptor or its regulatory components, may uncouple the receptor tyrosine kinase activity from activation by insulin. Treatment of 32P-labeled H-35 hepatoma cells with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) results in a marked increase in serine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Characterization of the insulin receptor kinase purified from human placental membranes

The insulin receptor purified from human placenta by sequential affinity chromatography on wheat germ agglutinin- and insulin-Sepharose to near homogeneity retained tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity. This purified insulin receptor kinase specifically catalyzed the incorporation of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into not only the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor but also histone H2B, a synthetic peptide which is sequentially similar to the site of tyrosine phosphorylation in pp60src (a gene product of the Rous sarcoma virus) and antibodies to pp60src present in the sera obtained from three rabbits bearing tumors induced by the Rous sarcoma virus. In each case, phosphorylation occurred exclusively on tyrosine residues. Insulin stimulated phosphorylation of these substrates 3- to 5-fold. Kinetic analysis using the synthetic peptide indicated that insulin acted by increasing the Vmax of peptide phosphorylation from about 3.1 to 9.5 nmol X mg-1 of protein X min-1, whereas the value of the Km for the peptide, about 1.5 mM, was not significantly changed. This kinase acted weakly on casein, alpha-S-casein, actin, and a tyrosine-containing peptide analogue of a serine-containing peptide used commonly as a substrate for the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases. These data show that the insulin receptor kinase displays specificity toward exogenous substrates similar to the substrate specificity observed for pp60src and the protein kinase activity associated with the receptor for epidermal growth factor. The data suggest that the catalytic sites of these three tyrosine kinases are similar and that insulin activates its receptor kinase by increasing the Vmax.     

Polylysine specifically activates the insulin-dependent insulin receptor protein kinase

We have extended these observations to examine the role of polylysine on the divalent metal ion requirement for ligand-stimulated protein kinase activity and the transmembrane signaling mechanism of both the human placenta insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptors. Polylysine (0.2-1 microM) was found to activate maximally the alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric insulin receptor autophosphorylation and exogenous substrate protein kinase activity 25-50-fold in the presence of insulin without significantly affecting the basal protein kinase activity in the absence of insulin. The polylysine-dependent insulin stimulation of protein kinase activity required the presence of both magnesium and manganese but at relatively low divalent metal ion concentrations (0.1 mM) compared to the typical 2-10 mM Mg/Mn used in the standard in vitro kinase assays. The stimulation of the insulin receptor kinase by insulin in the presence of polylysine occurred primarily due to an increase in Vmax with no significant effect on the Km for ATP. In addition, autophosphorylated insulin receptors which are protein kinase-active and insulin-independent at high metal ion concentrations still displayed the polylysine-dependent insulin stimulation of protein kinase activity to the same extent as nonphosphorylated insulin receptors at low Mg/Mn (0.1 mM) concentrations. Surprisingly, polylysine was completely unable to stimulate the IGF-1-dependent protein kinase activity of the homologous human placenta IGF-1 receptor. These data suggest that the insulin receptor tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity may be regulated by unique endogenous basic proteins that are distinct from those which modify the IGF-1 receptor.     

Insulin receptor autophosphorylation and kinase activity in streptozotocin diabetic rats. Effect of a short fast

Insulin receptor associated kinase activity and its relationships with the insulin resistance of streptozotocin-induced diabetes were investigated in rats, using solubilized, partially purified insulin receptors from liver membranes. Insulin receptor kinase activity was measured by means of both autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of the exogenous substrate Glu4:Tyr1. Diabetes was associated with a 45% reduction in kinase activity, in the same number of insulin receptors, with no change in insulin binding affinity. To investigate the independent roles of hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia on the observed impairment of receptor kinase activity, diabetic rats were fasted for 24 h in order to normalize blood glucose levels only. After this short fast, no change in kinase activity, from the values measured in fed diabetic animals, was observed. Our findings suggest that streptozotocin diabetes is associated with a reduction of insulin receptor kinase activity, which a short fast is not able to reverse.     

Similar control mechanisms regulate the insulin and type I insulin-like growth factor receptor kinases. Affinity-purified insulin-like growth factor I receptor kinase is activated by tyrosine phosphorylation of its beta subunit

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptors are partially purified from human placenta by sequential affinity chromatography with wheat germ agglutinin-agarose and agarose derivatized with an IGF-I analog. Adsorption specificity to this affinity matrix demonstrates that low coupling ratios of IGF-I analog to agarose yield preparations that are highly selective in purifying IGF-I receptor with minimal cross-contamination by the insulin receptor present in the same placental extracts. Incubation of the immobilized IGF-I receptor preparation with [gamma-32P]ATP results in a marked phosphorylation of the receptor beta subunits, which appear as a doublet of Mr = 93,000 and 95,000 upon electrophoresis on dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. The 32P-labeled receptor beta subunit doublet contains predominantly phosphotyrosine and to a much lesser extent phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues. The immobilized IGF-I receptor preparation exhibits tyrosine kinase activity toward exogenous histone. The characteristics of the IGF-I receptor-associated tyrosine kinase are remarkably similar to those of the insulin receptor kinase. Thus, prior phosphorylation of the immobilized IGF-I receptor preparation with increasing concentrations of unlabeled ATP followed by washing to remove the unreacted ATP results in a progressive activation of the receptor-associated histone kinase activity. A maximal (10-fold) activation is achieved between 0.25 and 1 mM ATP. The concentration of ATP required for half-maximal (30 microM) activation of the IGF-I receptor kinase is similar to that of the insulin receptor kinase. Like the insulin receptor kinase, the elevated kinase activity of the phosphorylated IGF-I receptor is reversed following dephosphorylation of the receptor beta subunit with alkaline phosphatase. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of the IGF-I receptor beta subunit doublet is enhanced by 7-8-fold when reductant is included in the reaction medium, as is observed for the insulin receptor kinase. Significantly, the dose responses of both receptor types to reductant are identical. Both of the 32P-labeled IGF-I receptor beta subunit bands are resolved into six matching phosphopeptide fractions when the corresponding tryptic hydrolysates are resolved by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography. Significantly, four out of the six phosphopeptide fractions derived from the trypsinized IGF-I receptor beta subunits are chromatographically identical to those from the tryptic hydrolysates of 32P-labeled insulin receptor beta subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Guanosine cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from foetal calf heart. Purification, general properties and catalytic subunit.

Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase was purified from foetal calf hearts, and its general properties and subunit structure were studied. The enzyme was purified over 900-fold from the heart extract by pH 5.3-isoelectric precipitation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, Sephadex G-200 filtration and hydroxyapatite treatment. The purified myocardial enzyme, free from cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase contamination, exhibited an absolute requirement of stimulatory modulator (or crude modulator containing the stimulatory modulator component) for its cyclic GMP-stimulated activity. Inhibitory modulator (protein inhibitor) of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase could not stimulate nor inhibit the cyclic GMP target enzyme. The enzyme had Ka values of 0.013, 0.033 and 3.0 micronM for 8-bromo cyclic GMP, cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP respectively. The cyclic GMP-dependent enzyme required Mg2+ and Co2+ for its activity, with optimal concentrations of about 30 and 0.5 mM respectively. The pH optimum for the enzyme activity ranged from 6 to 9. Histones were generally effective substrate proteins. The enzyme exhibited a greater affinity for histones than did the cyclic AMP-dependent class of protein kinase. The holoenzyme (apparent mol.wt. 150 000) of the myocardial cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase was dissociated into a cyclic GMP-independent catalytic subunit (apparent mol.wt. 60 000) by cyclic GMP and histone. The catalytic subunit required the stimulatory modulator for its activity, as in the case of the holoenzyme in the presence of cyclic GMP.     

Studies on insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, ATP citrate lyase and other proteins in rat epididymal adipose tissue. Evidence for activation of a cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase.

Protein kinase activity in high-speed supernatant fractions prepared from rat epididymal adipose tissue previously incubated in the absence or presence of insulin was investigated by following the incorporation of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into phosphoproteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electro-phoresis. Incorporation of 32P into several endogenous proteins in the supernatant fractions from insulin-treated tissue was significantly increased. These included acetyl-CoA carboxylase and ATP citrate lyase (which exhibit increased phosphorylation within fat-cells exposed to insulin), together with two unknown proteins of subunit Mr 78000 and 43000. The protein kinase activity increased by insulin was distinct from cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, was not dependent on Ca2+ and was not appreciably affected by dialysis or gel filtration. The rate of phosphorylation of added purified fat-cell acetyl-CoA carboxylase and ATP citrate lyase was also increased by 60-90% in high-speed-supernatant fractions prepared from insulin-treated tissue. No evidence for any persistent changes in phosphoprotein phosphatase activity was found. It is concluded that insulin action on acetyl-CoA carboxylase, ATP citrate lyase and other intracellular proteins exhibiting increased phosphorylation involves an increase in cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase activity in the cytoplasm. The possibility that the increase reflects translocation from the plasma membrane, perhaps after phosphorylation by the protein tyrosine kinase associated with insulin receptors, is discussed.     

The beta subunit of the insulin receptor is an insulin-activated protein kinase

In the presence of adenosine 5'-[gamma-32P]triphosphate ([gamma-32P]ATP) and a partially purified human placental insulin receptor preparation, insulin stimulates the phosphorylation of an Mr 94000 protein in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Half-maximal stimulation of 32P incorporation occurs at (2-3) X 10(-9) M insulin, a concentration identical with the Kd for insulin binding in this preparation. Immunoprecipitations with monoclonal anti-insulin receptor antibody demonstrate that the Mr 94000 protein kinase substrate is a component of the insulin receptor, the beta subunit. If the partially purified, soluble placental receptor preparation is immunoprecipitated and then exposed to [gamma-32P]ATP and insulin, phosphorylation of the Mr 94000 protein is maintained. The photoincorporation of 8-azido[alpha-32P]ATP into placental insulin receptor preparations was carried out to identify the ATP binding site responsible for the protein kinase activity. Photoincorporation into numerous proteins was observed, including both subunits of the insulin receptor. However, when photolabeling was performed in the presence of excess adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imidotriphosphate), a nonhydrolyzable ATP derivative, the beta subunit of the insulin receptor was the only species protected from label incorporation. These data indicate that the beta subunit of the insulin receptor has insulin-dependent protein kinase activity. Phosphotyrosine formation is the primary result of this activity in placental insulin receptor preparations.     

The effects of triethyltin bromide on red cell and brain cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases

Triethyltin bromide activates the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases of human red cell membranes and of bovine brain. Additions of 25-500 microM triethyltin to red cell ghosts resulted in enhanced phosphorylation of ghost proteins. When added to partially purified cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases from red cell ghosts or bovine brain, stimulation of the phosphorylation of calf thymus histone was observed. The enhancement of kinase activity was due to release of catalytic subunits from the intact protein kinase. Brief exposure of the partially purified enzymes to triethyltin, followed by DE52 chromatography, resulted in elution profiles for regulatory and catalytic subunits that were similar to the profile resulting after cyclic AMP activation. Triethyltin interacts with both regulatory and catalytic subunits. When it was added to the partially purified cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases from human red cell ghosts or bovine brain, noncompetitive inhibition of cyclic AMP binding to the regulatory subunit of the enzyme was observed. It interacted with the catalytic subunit to produce slow inhibition of catalytic activity. The inhibition was non-competitive with respect to both histone and ATP. When intact red cells were subjected to brief exposure with triethyltin, enhanced phosphorylation of certain membrane proteins occurred, suggesting that the activation of the cyclic AMP protein kinases by triethyltin may be physiologically significant.     

Threonine 1336 of the human insulin receptor is a major target for phosphorylation by protein kinase C

The ability of tumor-promoting phorbol diesters to inhibit both insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity and its intracellular signaling correlates with the phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta subunit on serine and threonine residues. In the present studies, mouse 3T3 fibroblasts transfected with a human insulin receptor cDNA and expressing greater than one million of these receptors per cell were labeled with [32P]phosphate and treated with or without 100 nM 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA). Phosphorylated insulin receptors were immunoprecipitated and digested with trypsin. Alternatively, insulin receptors affinity purified from human term placenta were phosphorylated by protein kinase C prior to trypsin digestion of the 32P-labeled beta subunit. Analysis of the tryptic phosphopeptides from both the in vivo and in vitro labeled receptors by reversed-phase HPLC and two-dimensional thin-layer separation revealed that PMA and protein kinase C enhanced the phosphorylation of a peptide with identical chromatographic properties. Partial hydrolysis and radiosequence analysis of the phosphopeptide derived from insulin receptor phosphorylated by protein kinase C indicated that the phosphorylation of this tryptic peptide occurred specifically on a threonine, three amino acids from the amino terminus of the tryptic fragment. Comparison of these data with the known, deduced receptor sequence suggested that the receptor-derived tryptic phosphopeptide might be Ile-Leu-Thr(P)-Leu-Pro-Arg. Comigration of a phosphorylated synthetic peptide containing this sequence with the receptor-derived phosphopeptide confirmed the identity of the tryptic fragment. The phosphorylation site corresponds to threonine 1336 in the human insulin receptor beta subunit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Inhibition of the activation and catalytic activity of insulin receptor kinase by zinc and other divalent metal ions

The autophosphorylation reaction responsible for conversion of insulin receptor (from human placenta) to an active tyrosyl-protein kinase was shown to be inhibited by Zn2+ and other divalent metal ions. The order of inhibitory potency was found to be Cu2+ greater than Zn2+, Cd2+ greater than Co2+, Ni2+. Autophosphorylation of insulin receptor was almost completely blocked by 10 microM Zn2+. Zn2+, however, did not appear to affect the binding of insulin to its receptor. Histidine, a chelator of Zn2+, protected against the inhibitory effects of Zn2+. The failure of histidine to regenerate the competence of the Zn2+-inhibited receptor to undergo autophosphorylation suggested that the inhibition by Zn2+ was irreversible. In addition to inhibiting autophosphorylation, Zn2+ inhibited the tyrosyl-protein kinase activity of highly purified phosphorylated receptor. Zn2+ was also observed to inhibit phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase activity present in preparations of partially purified insulin receptor. These inhibitory effects of Zn2+ should be considered in the design of protocols for the isolation and handling of insulin receptor and possibly other tyrosine kinases. Additionally, the possible physiological significance of the inhibition of insulin receptor kinase by Zn2+ is discussed in light of the fact that Zn2+ is accumulated in and secreted from pancreatic islet cells together with insulin.     

Kinetic properties of the insulin receptor tyrosine protein kinase: activation through an insulin-stimulated tyrosine-specific, intramolecular autophosphorylation

The insulin receptor is an insulin-activated, tyrosine-specific protein kinase. Previous studies have shown that autophosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the Mr 95,000 is associated with an activation of the protein kinase activity toward exogenous protein substrates. We have employed the highly purified insulin receptor, immobilized on insulin-Sepharose or eluted in an active form, to define the metal/ATP requirements for kinase activation, the relationship of receptor autophosphorylation to activation, and the kinetic properties of the autophosphorylated, activated receptor kinase. Prior incubation of the immobilized receptor with 2 mM ATP, 10 mM Mg (or 10 mM Mn), followed by removal of these reactants, served to abolish the upward curvilinearity in the rate of histone 2b (tyrosine) phosphorylation measured subsequently. This treatment also markedly increased the rate of histone 2b phosphorylation as compared to that observed with the unmodified, immobilized receptor, as estimated under conditions that per se minimized further activation. The extents of maximal activation of receptor histone 2b (tyrosine) kinase obtained on preincubation with MgATP or MnATP are identical; however, the affinity of the receptor for MnATP is approximately 10-fold higher than that for MgATP. The higher affinity of the receptor for MnATP is observed for both autophosphorylation/autoactivation and histone 2b tyrosine kinase activity (Km MnATP approximately 0.01 mM; Km MgATP approximately 0.1 mM). Autophosphorylation/autoactivation per se does not significantly alter the apparent affinity for MeATP (or protein substrate, as previously reported) but increases Vmax. Activation of receptor histone 2b (tyrosine) kinase is due to tyrosine-specific autophosphorylation of the Mr 95,000 (beta) subunit; thus the extent of total 32P incorporation into the beta subunit correlates precisely with the extent of kinase activation, both over time and at a wide variety of Me2+ ATP concentrations. Sequential treatment of the autophosphorylated receptor with elastase and trypsin yields a single, basically charged 32P-peptide, Mr less than 2000. The functional properties of the unphosphorylated and fully phosphorylated receptor were compared after elution from insulin-Sepharose. The insulin binding characteristics of the two forms of the receptor were indistinguishable; the kinase properties differed greatly; whereas the histone 2b activity of the unphosphorylated receptor was low in the basal state, and activated 10-fold by insulin, the fully autophosphorylated receptor exhibits maximal histone 2b kinase in the basal state and is unaffected by insulin addition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Identification and characterization of glucose transport proteins in plasma membrane- and Golgi vesicle-enriched fractions prepared from lactating rat mammary gland.

Previous studies have indicated that turkey erythrocyte and rat liver membranes contain endogenous alpha beta heterodimeric insulin receptors in addition to the disulphide-linked alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric complexes characteristic of most cell types. We utilized 125I-insulin affinity cross-linking to examine the structural properties of insulin receptors from rat liver and turkey erythrocyte membranes prepared in the absence and presence of sulphydryl alkylating agents. Rat liver membranes prepared in the absence of sulphydryl alkylating agents displayed specific labelling of Mr 400,000 and 200,000 bands, corresponding to the alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric and alpha beta heterodimeric insulin receptor complexes respectively. In contrast, affinity cross-linking of membranes prepared with iodoacetamide (IAN) or N-ethylmaleimide identified predominantly the alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric insulin receptor complex. Similarly, affinity cross-linking and solubilization of intact turkey erythrocytes in the presence of IAN resulted in exclusive labelling of the alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric insulin receptor complex, whereas in the absence of IAN both alpha 2 beta 2 and alpha beta species were observed. Turkey erythrocyte alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric insulin receptors from IAN-protected membranes displayed a 3-4-fold stimulation of beta subunit autophosphorylation and substrate phosphorylation by insulin, equivalent to that observed in intact human placenta insulin receptors. Turkey erythrocyte alpha beta heterodimeric insulin receptors, prepared by defined pH/dithiothreitol treatment of IAN-protected membranes, were also fully competent in insulin-stimulated protein kinase activity compared with alpha beta heterodimeric human placenta receptors. In contrast, endogenous turkey erythrocyte alpha beta heterodimeric insulin receptors displayed basal protein kinase activity which was insulin-insensitive. These data indicate that native turkey erythrocyte and rat liver insulin receptors are structurally and functionally similar to alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric human placenta insulin receptors. The alpha beta heterodimeric insulin receptors previously identified in these tissues most likely resulted from disulphide bond reduction and denaturation of the alpha 2 beta 2 holoreceptor complexes during membrane preparation.     

Kinetics of insulin binding and kinase activity of the partially purified insulin receptor from human skeletal muscle

The kinetics of insulin binding and kinase activity of soluble, partially purified insulin receptors from human skeletal muscle are considered. An equilibrium for insulin binding was obtained within 2 h at 37 degrees C. At lower temperatures the equilibrium for insulin binding was less clearly defined. Dissociation of 125I-labelled insulin was incomplete unless an excess amount of unlabelled insulin was added. Insulin-stimulatable autophosphorylation of the 95 kDa subunit was verified by gel electrophoresis. The kinase activity was measured with the synthetic polypeptide poly(Glu-Tyr(4:1] as a phosphoacceptor. The insulin receptor kinase activity correlated significantly (r = 0.92, P less than 0.0001) to the concentration of high-affinity insulin binding sites in the eluate. Autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor was necessary for the activation of the receptor kinase. When activated the receptor kinase activity was stable for at least 60 min at 21 degrees C with a pH optimum of approx. 7.8, similar to the pH optimum for insulin binding. The non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 inhibited the sensitivity of the receptor kinase to insulin. Insulin stimulated the Vmax of the kinase reaction about 3-fold, decreased the Km for ATP from 35 +/- 5 microM (mean +/- S.E.) to 8 +/- 1 microM (P less than 0.02) and induced a positive cooperativity to ATP with an increase in the Hill coefficient from 1.00 +/- 0.02 to 1.37 +/- 0.07 (P less than 0.05). According to the Hill plots, insulin itself showed no cooperativity with respect to receptor binding or kinase activation.     

Phosphorylation of the insulin receptor by casein kinase I

Insulin receptor was examined as a substrate for the multipotential protein kinase casein kinase I. Casein kinase I phosphorylated partially purified insulin receptor from human placenta as shown by immunoprecipitation of the complex with antiserum to the insulin receptor. Analysis of the phosphorylated complex by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions showed a major phosphorylated band at the position of the alpha 2 beta 2 complex. When the phosphorylated receptor was analyzed on polyacrylamide gels under reducing conditions, two phosphorylated bands, Mr 95,000 and Mr 135,000, were observed which corresponded to the alpha and beta subunits. The majority of the phosphate was associated with the beta subunit with minor phosphorylation of the alpha subunit. Phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that casein kinase I phosphorylated only seryl residues. The autophosphorylated alpha 2 beta 2 receptor purified by affinity chromatography on immobilized O-phosphotyrosyl binding antibody was also a substrate for casein kinase I. Reduction of the phosphorylated alpha 2 beta 2 receptor indicated that casein kinase I incorporated phosphate into seryl residues only in the beta subunit.     

Characterization of affinity-purified insulin receptor/kinase. Effects of dithiothreitol on receptor/kinase function

The insulin receptor/kinase was purified to near homogeneity from human placenta. The purified kinase exhibited a specific activity of 300 nmol/min/mg of protein at 30 degrees C using the synthetic peptide, Arg-Arg-Leu-Ile-Glu-Asp-Ala-Glu-Tyr-Ala-Ala-Arg-Gly, as substrate in the presence of insulin. Treatment of the receptor/kinase with dithiothreitol (DTT) reduced insulin binding by 40-50% and also inhibited tyrosine kinase activity. Phosphorylation and activation of the receptor/kinase did not prevent the DTT-induced loss of binding but completely protected it from the deleterious effects of reducing agent on enzymic activity. Analyses of the structure of the receptor/kinase following phosphorylation and treatment with DTT indicated that the class I disulfide bonds were reduced under the conditions employed, but the tetrameric structure of the receptor/kinase was essentially unaltered. These findings indicate that intact class I disulfides are required for insulin binding but are not necessary for maintenance of the preactivated kinase. DTT was also found to enhance the autoactivation of the insulin receptor/kinase and to promote the reversal of the autophosphorylation reaction. Thus disulfide bonds appear to have multiple roles in the function of the insulin receptor/kinase.     

Purification and properties of a cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase from calf thymus nuclei.

A phosphoprotein kinase (ATP : protein phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.37) from calf thymus nuclei was purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, hydroxyapatite, and Sepharose 6B gel filtration. The enzyme is a cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase by the following criteria: (a) the protein kinase did not bind cyclic AMP; (b) no inhibition of activity was obtained with the heat-stable protein kinase inhibitor from rabbit skeletal muscle; (c) the regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase had no effect on activity; and (d) no inhibition was obtained with antibody to cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The nuclear cyclic AMP-independent protein kinase readily phosphorylated protamine on serine and to a lesser extent on threonine. Homologous nucleoplasmic RNA polymerase (EC 2.7.7.6) is a better substrate than arginine-rich histone, phosvitin or casein. Physical characteristics of the enzyme are described.     

A thiol-sensitive degradative process of liver uncouples autophosphorylation of the insulin receptor from insulin binding.

Insulin receptors derived from highly purified rat liver plasma membranes and Golgi membranes showed differences in insulin-mediated receptor autophosphorylation, even though their insulin-binding characteristics were similar. This difference was related to the generation of a Mr-84,000 fragment of the Mr-90,000 beta subunit of the plasma-membrane receptor, a fragment that was not present in the receptor from Golgi membranes, in the absence of a change in the insulin-binding alpha subunit. When autophosphorylation activity was based on insulin binding, the activity of the plasma-membrane-derived insulin receptor was decreased to 25-30% that of the Golgi-derived receptor. Endoglycosidase F digestion produced changes in the Mr values for both species, but they were not converted into a single subunit, thereby suggesting differences in the protein component of the two subunits. Although the proteinase inhibitors phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride, ovomucoid and aprotinin failed to block the formation of the Mr-84,000 fragment, the presence of iodoacetamide or EDTA during liver homogenization markedly inhibited fragment generation and allowed the plasma-membrane insulin receptor to retain an autophosphorylation activity comparable with that present in insulin receptors from Golgi membranes. Thus a thiol-sensitive, cation-dependent, degrading activity has been identified that can uncouple the insulin-binding activity of the plasma-membrane insulin receptor from its tyrosine kinase activity.