A mammalian protein kinase with potential for serine/threonine and tyrosine phosphorylation is related to cell cycle regulators.

In a screen of mouse erythroleukemia cDNA expression libraries with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, designed to isolate tyrosine kinase coding sequences, we identified several cDNAs encoding proteins identical or very similar to known protein-tyrosine kinases. However, two frequently isolated cDNAs, clk and nek, encode proteins which are most closely related to protein kinases involved in regulating progression through the cell cycle, and contain motifs generally considered diagnostic of protein-serine/threonine kinases. The clk gene product contains a C-terminal cdc2-like kinase domain, most similar to the FUS3 catalytic domain. The Clk protein, expressed in bacteria, becomes efficiently phosphorylated in vitro on tyrosine as well as serine/threonine, and phosphorylates the exogenous substrate poly(glu, tyr) on tyrosine. Direct biochemical evidence indicates that both protein-tyrosine and protein-serine/threonine kinase activities are intrinsic to the Clk catalytic domain. These results suggest the existence of a novel class of protein kinases, with an unusual substrate specificity, which may be involved in cell cycle control.     

Spk1, a new kinase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, phosphorylates proteins on serine, threonine, and tyrosine.

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae lambda gt11 library was screened with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies in an attempt to identify a gene encoding a tyrosine kinase. A subclone derived from one positive phage was sequenced and found to contain an 821-amino-acid open reading frame that encodes a protein with homology to protein kinases. We tested the activity of the putative kinase by constructing a vector encoding a glutathione-S-transferase fusion protein containing most of the predicted polypeptide. The fusion protein phosphorylated endogenous substrates and enolase primarily on serine and threonine. The gene was designated SPK1 for serine-protein kinase. Expression of the Spk1 fusion protein in bacteria stimulated serine, threonine, and tyrosine phosphorylation of bacterial proteins. These results, combined with the antiphosphotyrosine immunoreactivity induced by the kinase, indicate that Spk1 is capable of phosphorylating tyrosine as well as phosphorylating serine and threonine. In in vitro assays, the fusion protein kinase phosphorylated the synthetic substrate poly(Glu/Tyr) on tyrosine, but the activity was weak compared with serine and threonine phosphorylation of other substrates. To determine if other serine/threonine kinases would phosphorylate poly(Glu/Tyr), we tested calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The two kinases had similar tyrosine-phosphorylating activities. These results establish that the functional difference between serine/threonine- and tyrosine-protein kinases is not absolute and suggest that there may be physiological circumstances in which tyrosine phosphorylation is mediated by serine/threonine kinases.     

A mammalian dual specificity protein kinase, Nek1, is related to the NIMA cell cycle regulator and highly expressed in meiotic germ cells.

Screening of mouse cDNA expression libraries with antibodies to phosphotyrosine resulted in repeated isolation of cDNAs that encode a novel mammalian protein kinase of 774 amino acids, termed Nek1. Nek1 contains an N-terminal protein kinase domain which is most similar (42% identity) to the catalytic domain of NIMA, a protein kinase which controls initiation of mitosis in Aspergillus nidulans. In addition, both Nek1 and NIMA have a long, basic C-terminal extension, and are therefore similar in overall structure. Despite its identification with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, Nek1 contains sequence motifs characteristic of protein serine/threonine kinases. The Nek1 kinase domain, when expressed in bacteria, phosphorylated exogenous substrates primarily on serine/threonine, but also on tyrosine, indicating that Nek1 is a dual specificity kinase with the capacity to phosphorylate all three hydroxyamino acids. Like NIMA, Nek1 preferentially phosphorylated beta-casein in vitro. In situ RNA analysis of nek1 expression in mouse gonads revealed a high level of expression in both male and female germ cells, with a distribution consistent with a role in meiosis. These results suggest that Nek1 is a mammalian relative of the fungal NIMA cell cycle regulator.     

Multiple cDNAs encoding the esk kinase predict transmembrane and intracellular enzyme isoforms.

A novel protein kinase, the Esk kinase, has been isolated from an embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell line by using an expression cloning strategy. Sequence analysis of two independent cDNA clones (2.97 and 2.85 kb) suggested the presence of two Esk isoforms in EC cells. The esk-1 cDNA sequence predicted an 857-amino-acid protein kinase with a putative membrane-spanning domain, while the esk-2 cDNA predicted an 831-amino-acid kinase which lacked this domain. In adult mouse cells, esk mRNA levels were highest in tissues possessing a high proliferation rate or a sizeable stem cell compartment, suggesting that the Esk kinase may play some role in the control of cell proliferation or differentiation. As anticipated from the screening procedure, bacterial expression of the Esk kinase reacted with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies on immunoblots. Furthermore, in in vitro kinase assays, the Esk kinase was shown to phosphorylate both itself and the exogenous substrate myelin basic protein on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues, confirming that the Esk kinase is a novel member of the serine/threonine/tyrosine family of protein kinases.     

Activation of a histone H1 kinase by tyrosine phosphorylation in v-src-transformed fibroblasts.

Using anti-phosphotyrosine immunoaffinity chromatography, we have searched for serine/threonine kinases that are directly regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation in v-src-transformed rat 3Y1 fibroblasts. Tyrosine phosphoprotein preparations from v-src-transformed cells contain a kinase activity that phosphorylates histone H1 in vitro on serine residues and this activity is present at a 20-fold greater level than that in parental cell preparations. This activity elutes from a MonoQ FPLC column as a single peak and gel filtration chromatography suggests that the kinase has a molecular mass of approximately 55 kDa. Tyrosine phosphatase treatment inactivates the histone H1 kinase and this result indicates that the specific activity of the kinase is regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Experiments with cells transformed with a temperature-sensitive mutant of the v-src oncogene demonstrate that the tyrosine phosphorylation of the histone H1 kinase is an early event in v-src transformation. The kinase is distinct from known cdc2 family members that contain the PSTAIR motif, because the kinase can be separated almost completely from these proteins by immunoprecipitation with an antibody against p34cdc2. The profile of antibody reactivity and sensitivity to modulators of protein kinases suggests that this activity is distinct from known second messenger-regulated kinases and from previously characterized MAP kinases.     

Budding and fission yeast casein kinase I isoforms have dual-specificity protein kinase activity.

We have examined the activity and substrate specificity of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hrr25p and the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Hhp1, Hhp2, and Cki1 protein kinase isoforms. These four gene products are isotypes of casein kinase I (CKI), and the sequence of these protein kinases predicts that they are protein serine/threonine kinases. However, each of these four protein kinases, when expressed in Escherichia coli in an active form, was recognized by anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. Phosphoamino acid analysis of 32P-labeled proteins showed phosphorylation on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues. The E. coli produced forms of Hhp1, Hhp2, and Cki1 were autophosphorylated on tyrosine, and both Hhp1 and Hhp2 were capable of phosphorylating the tyrosine-protein kinase synthetic peptide substrate polymer poly-E4Y1. Immune complex protein kinases assays from S. pombe cells showed that Hhp1-containing precipitates were associated with a protein-tyrosine kinase activity, and the Hhp1 present in these immunoprecipitates was phosphorylated on tyrosine residues. Although dephosphorylation of Hhp1 and Hhp2 by Ser/Thr phosphatase had little effect on the specific activity, tyrosine dephosphorylation of Hhp1 and Hhp2 caused a 1.8-to 3.1-fold increase in the Km for poly-E4Y1 and casein. These data demonstrate that four different CKI isoforms from two different yeasts are capable of protein-tyrosine kinase activity and encode dual-specificity protein kinases.     

Branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase. Molecular cloning, expression, and sequence similarity with histidine protein kinases.

A cDNA for branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase was cloned from a rat heart cDNA library. The cDNA had an open reading frame encoding a protein of 382 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 43,280. The clone codes for the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase based on the following: 1) the deduced amino acid sequence contained the partial sequence of the kinase determined by direct sequencing; 2) expression of the cDNA in Escherichia coli resulted in synthesis of a 43,000-Da protein that was recognized specifically by kinase antibodies; and 3) enzyme activity that phosphorylated and inactivated the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex was found in extracts of E. coli expressing the protein. Northern blot analysis indicated the mRNA for the branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase was more abundant in rat heart than in rat liver, as expected from the relative amounts of kinase activity expressed in these tissues. The deduced sequence of the kinase aligned with a high degree of similarity within subdomains characteristic of procaryotic histidine protein kinases. This first mitochondrial protein kinase to be cloned appears more closely related in sequence to procaryotic histidine protein kinases than to eucaryotic serine/threonine protein kinases.     

Dual specificity protein kinase activity of testis-specific protein kinase 1 and its regulation by autophosphorylation of serine-215 within the activation loop

TESK1 (testis-specific protein kinase 1) is a protein kinase with a structure composed of an N-terminal protein kinase domain and a C-terminal proline-rich domain. Whereas the 3.6-kilobase TESK1 mRNA is expressed predominantly in the testis, a faint 2.5-kilobase TESK1 mRNA is expressed ubiquitously. The kinase domain of TESK1 contains in the catalytic loop in subdomain VIB an unusual DLTSKN sequence, which is not related to the consensus sequence of either serine/threonine kinases or tyrosine kinases. In this study, we show that TESK1 has kinase activity with dual specificity on both serine/threonine and tyrosine residues. In an in vitro kinase reaction, the kinase domain of TESK1 underwent autophosphorylation on serine and tyrosine residues and catalyzed phosphorylation of histone H3 and myelin basic protein on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues. Site-directed mutagenesis analyses revealed that Ser-215 within the "activation loop" of the kinase domain is the site of serine autophosphorylation of TESK1. Replacement of Ser-215 by alanine almost completely abolished serine autophosphorylation and histone H3 kinase activities. In contrast, replacement of Ser-215 by glutamic acid abolished serine autophosphorylation activity but retained histone H3 kinase activity. These results suggest that autophosphorylation of Ser-215 is an important step to positively regulate the kinase activity of TESK1.     

Identification of chicken embryo kinase 5, a developmentally regulated receptor-type tyrosine kinase of the Eph family.

Chicken embryo kinase 5 (Cek5) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase of the Eph family that was identified by screening a 10-d chicken embryo cDNA expression library with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. The extracellular region of Cek5 contains a cysteine rich N-terminal subdomain and a C-terminal subdomain mostly devoid of cysteines and comprising two repeats similar to fibronectin type III repeats. Immunoblotting experiments with anti-Cek5 polyclonal antibodies indicated that Cek5 is a membrane-associated 120-kDa protein containing intramolecular (but not intermolecular) disulfide bonds. Cek5 is already expressed in 2-d-old chicken embryos and is also expressed, at higher levels, later in development. In 10-d-old chicken embryos, Cek5 is expressed at substantial levels in nearly all the tissues examined, whereas in adult it is expressed predominantly in the brain. The expression of Cek5 in the brain gradually diminishes during embryonic development, whereas in the skeletal muscle of the thigh a sharp decrease in Cek5 expression was detected at the time of terminal muscle differentiation. Its wide tissue distribution throughout development and its sustained expression in adult brain suggest that Cek5 is an important component of signal transduction pathways, likely to interact with a widely distributed and important ligand, which is as yet unknown.     

Cell-cycle-dependent expression of the STK-1 gene encoding a novel murine putative protein kinase

We have cloned a novel putative serine/threonine kinase-encoding gene, designated STK-1, from murine embryonic stem (ES) cell and testis cDNA libraries. The kinase most closely related to STK-1 is Xenopus laevis XLP46 protein kinase which shows 71% amino-acid identity to STK-1 between their kinase domains. Nevertheless, STK-1 is conserved throughout phylogeny with hybridizing sequences being detected in DNA from mammals, amphibians, insects and yeast. STK-1 mRNA is detected in testis, intestine and spleen, tissues that contain a large number of proliferating cells, but not in other tissues. All cell lines tested expressed STK-1 mRNA with levels being dependent upon proliferation rates. In NIH 3T3 cells, STK-1 is expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent fashion. These findings suggest a role for STK-1 in cell growth     

A peptide, ALTTE, within the fimbrial subunit protein from Porphyromonas gingivalis, induces production of interleukin 6, gene expression and protein phosphorylation in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Abstract Porphyromonas gingivalis 381 fimbriae and a synthetic peptide composed of residues 69–73 (ALTTE) of the fimbrial subunit protein, FP381(69–73), function in the induction of interleukin 6 (IL-6) production, IL-6 mRNA expression, and tyrosine and serine/threonine phosphorylation of several proteins in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Herbimycin A and H-7, inhibitors of tyrosine kinases and protein kinase C (PKC), markedly inhibited IL-6 production, gene expression, and tyrosine and serine/threonine phosphorylation of proteins. An inactive analog of synthetic peptide replaced alanine to glycine at position 69 in FP381(69–73), GLTTE, exhibited an antagonistic effect on the IL-6 production induced by the fimbriae. These results suggest that the peptide ALTTE functions as an agent in inflammatory reactions and immune responses in the inflamed gingival and periodontal tissues, in which the participation of protein phosphorylation by tyrosine kinases and PKC in signal transduction may be considered.     

Nerve growth factor stimulates the tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP2 kinase in PC12 cells.

NGF treatment of PC12 cells results in the rapid activation of MAP2 kinase. We report here that the induction of enzyme activity was correlated with the phosphorylation of MAP2 kinase, detected by metabolic labeling of the enzyme and with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. NGF stimulated the phosphorylation of MAP2 kinase on tyrosine, as well as serine and threonine residues. Western blot analysis using a polyclonal anti-phosphotyrosine antibody demonstrated that the tyrosine phosphorylation of MAP2 kinase was maximal within 2 min following NGF exposure and preceded the induction of MAP2 kinase activity. The NGF-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of an identified substrate provides direct evidence for the participation of a tyrosine kinase in the mechanism of action of NGF.     

Specific phosphorylation of threonine by the Dictyostelium myosin II heavy chain kinase family

Dictyostelium myosin II heavy chain kinase A (MHCK A), MHCK B, and MHCK C contain a novel type of protein kinase catalytic domain that displays no sequence identity to the catalytic domain present in conventional serine, threonine, and/or tyrosine protein kinases. Several proteins, including myelin basic protein, myosin regulatory light chain, caldesmon, and casein were phosphorylated by the bacterially expressed MHCK A, MHCK B, and MHCK C catalytic domains. Phosphoamino acid analyses of the proteins showed that 91 to 99% of the phosphate was incorporated into threonine with the remainder into serine. Acceptor amino acid specificity was further examined using a synthetic peptide library (MAXXXX(S/T)XXXXAKKK; where X is any amino acid except cysteine, tryptophan, serine, and threonine and position 7 contains serine and threonine in a 1.7:1 ratio). Phosphorylation of the peptide library with the three MHCK catalytic domains resulted in 97 to 99% of the phosphate being incorporated into threonine, while phosphorylation with a conventional serine/threonine protein kinase, the p21-activated kinase, resulted in 80% of the phosphate being incorporated into serine. The acceptor amino acid specificity of MHCK A was tested directly by substituting serine for threonine in a synthetic peptide and a glutathione S-transferase fusion peptide substrate. The serine-containing substrates were phosphorylated at a 25-fold lower rate than the threonine-containing substrates. The results indicate that the MHCKs are specific for the phosphorylation of threonine.     

一种新型丝氨酸苏氨酸激酶CPK的初步克隆及功能

从人胎肝cDNA文库中分离到一种cDNA ,推测的蛋白氨基酸序列具有明显的丝氨酸苏氨酸激酶结构域,可能编码一种新的丝氨酸苏氨酸激酶(命名为CPK ,cellproliferationassociationkinase) .CPKmRNA全长约3 0kb .RT PCR检测表明CPKmRNA在增殖活跃组织或细胞如人胚胎组织、肿瘤细胞株中呈高丰度表达,在成人组织则呈低丰度或不表达.利用PCR技术扩增大鼠同源cDNA ,以此为探针,Northern杂交发现CPK表达于多种成年小鼠组织,以脑组织丰度最高.小鼠2 3肝部分切除可迅速诱导CPKmRNA的表达,在术后2 4～4 8h达高峰,与2 3肝部分切除后细胞增殖期吻合.以小鼠同源cDNA片段为模板,合成RNA探针,原位杂交显示在胚胎发育期CPK低丰度表达在大多数组织,以神经系统组织变化最大,在第8d胚胎神经管内皮细胞中即出现表达,11～13d在端脑、脑膜、间脑、脊神经节表皮细胞、海马、小脑神经胶质细胞等多种神经细胞中表达且丰度较高,16d后这些组织的表达迅速下降到较低水平,表明CPK可能与神经系统的生长发育有一定关联.利用信号通路检测技术,观察到CPK的表达对MAPK ,p38MAPK途径的激活有明显的影响,并可显著增强表皮生长因子对这两条途径的激活,提示该激酶可能参与细胞因子的信号转导.     

Expression cloning of a variety of novel protein kinases in Lotus japonicus

To investigate protein kinases expressed in Lotus japonicus, a cDNA expression library of the root-nodule of L. japonicus was immunologically screened with monoclonal antibodies directed to a highly conserved region in protein serine/threonine kinases (Ser/Thr kinases). Among 178 positive clones obtained from the lambdaZAPII cDNA library, 164 clones were found to encode novel proteins possessing the subdomain VIB sequences characteristic of Ser/Thr kinases. By phylogenetic analysis on the basis of deduced amino acid sequences, the isolated clones could be classified into five different families of Ser/Thr kinases : the SnRK family, GSK-3 family, Ndr kinase family, Ark family, and receptor kinase family. These results suggest that this expression cloning using the kinase-specific antibodies will provide new clues for investigations of a wide variety of known and novel protein kinases in higher plants.     

Antibody-free peptide substrate screening of serine/threonine kinase (protein kinase A) with a biotinylated detection probe

Being different from anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, anti-phosphoserine- or anti-phosphothreonine-specific antibodies with high affinity for the detection of serine/threonine kinase substrates are not readily available. Therefore, chemical modification methods were developed for the detection of phosphoserine or threonine in the screening of protein kinase substrates based on β-elimination and Michael addition. We have developed a biotin-based detection probe for identification of the phosphorylated serine or threonine residue. A biotin derivative induced a color reaction using alkaline phosphate-conjugated streptavidin that amplified the signal. It was effective for the detection and separation of the target peptide on the resin. The detection probe was successfully used in identifying PKA substrates from peptide libraries on resin beads. The peptide library was prepared as a ladder-type, such that the active peptides on the colored resin beads were readily sequenced with the truncated peptide fragments by MALDI-TOF/MS analysis after releasing the peptides from the resin bead through photolysis.     

Identification of a high-affinity anti-phosphoserine antibody for the development of a homogeneous fluorescence polarization assay of protein kinase C

In the last few years, fluorescence polarization (FP) has been applied to the development of robust, homogeneous, high throughput assays in molecular recognition research, such as ligand-protein interactions. Recently, this technology has been applied to the development of homogeneous tyrosine kinase assays, since there are high-affinity anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies available. Unlike tyrosine kinases, application of FP to assay development for serine/threonine kinases has been impeded because of lack of high-affinity anti-phosphoserine/threonine antibodies. In the present study, we report the discovery of a high-affinity, monoclonal anti-phosphoserine antibody, 2B9, with a Kd of 250 +/- 34 pM for a phosphoserine-containing peptide tracer, fluorescein-RFARKGS(PO(4))LRQKNV. Our data suggest that 2B9 is selective for fluorescein-RFARKGS(PO(4))LRQKNV. The antibody and tracer have been used for the development of a competitive FP assay for protein kinase C (PKC) in 384-well plates. Phosphatidylserine, which enhances the kinase activity of PKC in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner and has a structure similar to that of phosphoserine, did not interfere with binding of the peptide tracer to the antibody in the FP assay. The data indicate that the FP assay is more sensitive and robust than the scintillation proximity assay for PKC. The FP assay developed here can be used for rapid screening of hundreds of thousands of compounds for discovery of therapeutic leads for PKC-related diseases.