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.     

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.     

Purification and characterization of the catalytic subunit of adenosine 3'':5''-cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from bovine liver.

1. The catalytic subunit of bovine liver cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (EC2.7.1.37) was purified essentially by the method of Reimann & Corbin [(1976) Fed. Proc. Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol. 35, 1384]. 2. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, sedimentation-velocity centrifugation and sedimentation-equilibrium centrifugation showed that the catalytic subunit was monodisperse. Polyacrylamide-gel isoelectric-focusing electrophoresis revealed the presence of at least three isoenzyme forms of catalytic subunit activity with slightly different pI values (6.72, 7.04 and 7.35). 3. Physical properties of the catalytic subunit were determined by several different methods. It had mol.wt. 39000-42000, Stokes radium 2.73-3.08 nm, so20.w 3.14S, f/fo 1.19-1.23 and, assuming a prolate ellipsoid, axial ration 4-5. 4. Amino acid analysis was performed on the catalytic subunit. It had one cysteine residue/molecule which was essential for activity. Inhibition by thiol-specific reagents was partially prevented by the presence of ATP-Mg2+. 5. The circular-dichroic spectrum showed the catalytic subunit contained 29% alpha-helical form, 18% beta-form and 53% aperiodic form. Near-u.v. circular dichroism showed the presence of aromatic residues whose equivalent molar ellipticity was greatly altered by the addition of ATP-Mg2+. 6. Kinetic experiments showed that the catalytic subunit had an apparent Km for ATP of 7 muM. 5'-Adenylyl imidodiphosphate inhibitied competitively with ATP with a Ki of 60 muM. The kinetic plot for histone (Sigma, type II-A) was biphasic showing 'high'-and 'low'-Km segments. Under assay conditions the specific activity of the catalytic subunit was 3 X 10(6) units/mg of protein. Of various metal ions tested, the catalytic subunit was most active with Mg2+.7. When assayed with histone (Sigma, type II-A) as substrate, the activity of the catalytic subunit was increased by non-ionic detergents or urea. No such activation was observed with casein as substrate.     

Balanol analogues probe specificity determinants and the conformational malleability of the cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit

The protein kinase family is a prime target for therapeutic agents, since unregulated protein kinase activities are linked to myriad diseases. Balanol, a fungal metabolite consisting of four rings, potently inhibits Ser/Thr protein kinases and can be modified to yield potent inhibitors that are selective-characteristics of a desirable pharmaceutical compound. Here, we characterize three balanol analogues that inhibit cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (PKA) more specifically and potently than calcium- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PKC). Correlation of thermostability and inhibition potency suggests that better inhibitors confer enhanced protection against thermal denaturation. Crystal structures of the PKA catalytic (C) subunit complexed to each analogue show the Gly-rich loop stabilized in an "intermediate" conformation, disengaged from important phosphoryl transfer residues. An analogue that perturbs the PKA C-terminal tail has slightly weaker inhibition potency. The malleability of the PKA C subunit is illustrated by active site residues that adopt alternate rotamers depending on the ligand bound. On the basis of sequence homology to PKA, a preliminary model of the PKC active site is described. The balanol analogues serve to test the model and to highlight differences in the active site local environment of PKA and PKC. The PKA C subunit appears to tolerate balanol analogues with D-ring modifications; PKC does not. We attribute this difference in preference to the variable B helix and C-terminal tail. By understanding the details of ligand binding, more specific and potent inhibitors may be designed that differentiate among closely related AGC protein kinase family members.     

Single step purification of the catalytic subunit(s) of cyclic 3', 5'-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase(s) from rat muscle.

The catalytic subunit(s) of the cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) dependent protein kinase(s) from rat muscle has been purified from crude extract in a single step several thousand fold and with high yield. This was achieved by selective release and elution of the cationic catalytic part(s) from the anionic holoenzyme adsorbed to anion exchange cellulose by low amounts of cAMP. Evidence is presented for the existence of differently charged cationic catalytic subunits.     

Microheterogeneity of adenosine cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinases from mouse brain and heart.

1. DEAE-cellulose chromatography of mouse brain cytosol indicated the presence of only the type II isoenzyme of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Mouse heart cytosol contained approximately equal amounts of the type I and type II isoenzymes. 2. Both brain and heart type II isoenzymes reassociated after a transient exposure to cyclic AMP, but the heart type I isoenzyme remained dissociated. 3. Elution of brain cytosol continuously exposed to cyclic AMP resolved multiple peaks of protein kinase and cyclic AMP-binding activities. A single peak of kinase and multiple peaks of cyclic AMP-binding activities were found under the same conditions with heart cytosol. Various control experiments suggested that the heterogeneity within the brain type II isoenzymic class had not been caused by proteolysis. 4. Kinetic experiments with unfractionated brain cytosol showed that the binding of cyclic AMP, the dissociation of cyclic AMP from protein and the rate of heat denaturation of the cyclic AMP-binding activity gave results consistent with the presence of multiple binding species. 5. It concluded that the type II isoenzymic peak obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography of mouse brain cytosol represents a class of enzymes containing multiple regulatory and catalytic subunits. The two heart cytosol isoenzymes contain a common catalytic subunit. The degree of protein kinase 'microheterogeneity", defined as the presence of multiple regulatory and/or catalytic subunits within a single isoenzymic class, appears to be tissue-specific.     

Phosphorylation of the carotenoid droplet protein p57 by the catalytic subunit of cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase and the effect of fluoride

We have previously shown that the dispersion and aggregation of carotenoid droplets in goldfish xanthophores are regulated, respectively, by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of a carotenoid droplet protein p57. There is a basal level of p57 phosphorylation of p57 in unstimulated cells, which is greatly stimulated by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) acting via cAMP-dependent protein kinase. We have also observed that, in permeabilized xanthophores, pigment dispersion can be induced when cAMP is replaced by fluoride. Since p57 has multiple phosphorylation sites, there is the question of whether all p57 phosphorylation is by cAMP-dependent protein kinase or whether phosphorylation by cAMP-independent protein kinase coupled with inhibition of phosphatase activity by fluoride can replace cAMP-dependent protein kinase and that the ability of fluoride to replace cAMP for pigment dispersion in permeabilized cells is probably due to activation of adenylcyclase. We also show that ACTH causes an approximately threefold increase in the level of cAMP in these cells.     

Affinity labeling of catalytic subunit of bovine heart muscle cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine.

Incubation of 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine with the catalytic subunit of bovine cardiac muscle cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase led to the formation of an inactive enzyme irreversibly modified with approximately one mol of reagent per mol of subunit. The inactivation reaction followed pseudofirst order kinetics. The rate of inactivation at various reagent concentrations exhibited saturation kinetics implying that the reagent reversibly binds to the enzyme prior to inactivation. The addition of MgATP, MgADP, or MgAMP-PNP to the reaction mixture fully protected the enzyme from inactivation by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine. The reagent was demonstrated to be a competitive inhibitor of MgATP with a Ki of 0.235 mM. Metal-free nucleotides were without effect upon the reaction rate while metal ions alone accelerated the inactivation rate up to 7-fold. The inclusion of casein or synthetic peptide substrate in the incubation mixture did not affect the reaction kinetics. Reaction of 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine with the kinase subunit exhibits all of the characteristics of affinity labeling of the MgATP-binding site.     

Purification and properties of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase from rat epididymis

Two protein kinases (I and II: EC 2.7.1.37) that show a high degree of substrate specificity for protamine rather than histones, phosvitin and casein were partly purified from rat epididymal tissue. The enzymes were present in the cytosol because greater than 80% of the enzymic activity was recovered in the soluble fraction. The kinases required Mg2+ for activity although Co2+ and Mn2+ were partial substitutes. Zn2+ (1 mM) inhibited nearly completely the activity of the enzymes. Both the kinases showed high affinity for activation with cyclic AMP compared to other cyclic nucleotides. Amino acid analysis of 32P-labelled protamine product revealed that the kinases transfer the terminal phosphate of ATP to serine residues of the protein. The isoenzymes I and II showed certain differences in relation to their hydroxyapatite-chromatography profiles, pH activation profiles, heat sensitivity and Km for ATP and cyclic AMP.     

Purification and characterization of an adenosine cyclic 3':5' monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from human erythrocyte membrane.

A cAMP dependent protein kinase was extracted from human erythrocyte membrane with hydrosoluble fraction and partially purified by ammonium sulfate-precipitation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The pH of optimal activity is 6.5; the enzyme has an absolute requirement of Mg²⁺ ions at the concentration of 10 mM and is strongly inhibited by Ca²⁺. It uses ATP as phosphate donor with a Km of 3.7 × 10^?6 M. Cyclic AMP stimulates the activity with an apparent Ka of 5 × 10^?8 M; cIMP and cGMP also acts as activators. Enzyme activity is thermolabile and not protected by Mg ATP complex. The enzyme purified from erythrocyte membrane is a type I protein-kinase as proven by DEAE cellulose chromatography and dissociation of the subunits in presence of NaCl 0.5 M and histone.     

Autophosphorylation of rabbit skeletal muscle cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase I catalytic subunit.

The catalytic subunit of rabbit skeletal muscle cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase I can catalyze self-phosphorylation. The autophosphorylation reaction uses ATP as the phosphoryl donor, requires Mg2+, and is inhibited by polyarginine. Prior treatment of the catalytic subunit with Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase in the presence of bovine serum albumin greatly enhances the autophosphorylation of the subunit. The protein-bound phosphate is stable in acid but labile in base. Incubation of the 32P-labeled phosphoenzyme with histones led neither to the phosphorylation of histones nor to a loss of radioactivity from the phosphoenzyme. The results suggest that the phosphoenzyme does not represent an intermediate of the phosphotransferase reaction.     

Antiserum against the catalytic subunit of adenosine 3'':5''-cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase. Reactivity towards various protein kinases.

An antiserum against the catalytic subunit C of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, isolated from bovine heart type II protein kinase, was produced in rabbits. Reaction of the catalytic subunit with antiserum and separation of the immunoglobulin G fraction by Protein A-Sepharose quantitatively removed the enzyme from solutions. Comparative immunotitration of protein kinases showed that the amount of antiserum required to eliminate 50% of the enzymic activity was identical for pure catalytic subunit, and for holoenzymes type I and type II. The reactivity of the holoenzymes with the antiserum was identical in the absence or the presence of dissociating concentrations of cyclic AMP. Most of the holoenzyme (type II) remains intact when bound to the antibodies as shown by quantification of the regulatory subunit in the supernatant of the immunoprecipitate. Titration with the antibodies also revealed the presence of a cyclic AMP-independent histone kinase in bovine heart protein kinase I preparations obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase purified from the particulate fraction of bovine heart reacted with the antiserum to the same degree as the soluble enzyme, whereas two cyclic AMP-independent kinases separated from the particle fraction neither reacted with the antiserum nor influenced the reaction of the antibodies with the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Immunotitration of the protein kinase catalytic subunit C from rat liver revealed that the antibodies had rather similar reactivities towards the rat liver and the bovine heart enzyme. This points to a relatively high degree of homology of the catalytic subunit in mammalian tissues and species. Broad applicability of the antiserum to problems related to cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases is thus indicated.     

Phosphorylation of muscle phosphofructokinase by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

The catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase. The reaction is inhibited by the specific inhibitor of protein kinase and proceeds at about 2% the rate observed with phosphorylase kinase but more rapidly than with rat liver fructose bisphosphatase as substrate. Maximum extent of incorporation (0.43 to 0.85 moles per mole of protomer) plus the covalently-bound phosphate present in the isolated enzyme (0.20 to 0.34 moles per mole) approaches one mole per mole.     

Guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from bovine cerebellum. Purification and characterization.

Guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP)-dependent protein kinase was assayed with calf thymus histone as substrate and partially purified from the soluble fraction of bovine cerebellum. The enzyme was selectively activated by cyclic GMP at lower concentrations; the Ka value for cyclic GMP was 1.7 times 10- minus 8 M whereas that for adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) was 1.0 times 10- minus 6 M. The Km value for ATP was 1.0 times 10- minus 5 M. A high concentration of Mg-2+ (100 mM) was needed for maximum stimulation by cyclic GMP and maximum reaction rate. The pH optimum was 7.5 to 8.0. The isoelectric point was pH 5.7. The molecular weight was about 140,000 as estimated by gel filtration. The enzyme was unable to activate muscle glycogen phosphorylase kinase, and was clearly distinguishable from cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in kinetic and catalytic properties. Comparative data on cyclic GMP-dependent and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases in this tissue are presented.     

Guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from silkworm, properties of a catalytic fragment obtained by limited proteolysis.

Although guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP)-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase G) which was partially purified from silkworm pupae was not dissociated by cyclic GMP into catalytic and regulatory subunits as described for adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A) (Takai, Y., Nakaya, S., Inoue, M., Kishimoto, A., Nishiyama, K., Yamamura, H., and Nishizuka, Y. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 1481-1487), limited proteolysis with trypsin resulted in the formation of catalytic and cyclic GMP-binding fragments which showed molecular weights of approximately 3.4 X 10(4) and 3.6 X 10(4), respectively (the molecular weight of native protein kinase G was 1.4 X 10(5)). The catalytic fragment did not bind cyclic GMP and was fully active in the absence of the cyclic nucleotide. The fragment did not show an absolute requirement for a sulfhydryl compound and high concentrations of Mg2+ (50 to 100 mM), both of which were necessary for the maximal activation of native protein kinase G. The catalytic fragment was not inhibited by the cyclic GMP-binding fragment nor by the regulatory subunit of protein kinase A. Inversely, the cyclic GMP-binding fragment was unable to inhibit the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A. Protein inhibitor, which was described for protein kinase A, was inert for the catalytic fragment.