Purification and characterization of a pp60c-src-related tyrosine kinase that effectively phosphorylates a synthetic peptide derived from p34cdc2.

A protein tyrosine kinase has been purified from the particulate fraction of bovine spleen to a specific activity of 0.217 mumol/min/mg at 100 microM ATP and 3 mM [Val5] angiotensin II. Both the angiotensin phosphorylation activity and immunoreactivity towards an antibody preparation raised against a synthetic peptide containing the autophosphorylation site of pp60c-src, Cys-src(403-421), were monitored during the purification. The purified sample displayed three closely spaced protein bands with molecular weights of 50-55 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All bands could be phosphorylated exclusively on tyrosine residues under autophosphorylation conditions. All reacted on immunoblots with an antibody raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the consensus autophosphorylation site of members of the pp60c-src family of tyrosine kinases. Tryptic phosphopeptide maps of the three proteins were essentially indistinguishable. The results suggest that the purified enzyme preparation contained mainly three closely related pp60c-src-family protein tyrosine kinases or a pp60src-family protein tyrosine kinase modified posttranslationally to give three closely spaced protein bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel. Neither of these proteins appears to be pp60c-src or p56lck. The spleen protein tyrosine kinase was found to phosphorylate a p34cdc2 kinase peptide, Cys-cdc2(8-20), which contained the regulatory tyrosine residue Tyr-15 about 20 times better than [Val5]angiotensin II or Cys-src(403-421) peptide at a peptide substrate concentration of 1 mM. In contrast, epidermal growth factor receptor kinase partially purified from A431 cells did not show preference for Cys-cdc2(8-20) as its substrate. Although Cys-cdc2(8-20) contained two tyrosine residues, only the tyrosine corresponding to Tyr-15 in p34cdc2 was phosphorylated by the spleen tyrosine kinase. The observation suggests that the primary structure surrounding Tyr-15 of p34cdc2 contains substrate structural determinants specific for the spleen tyrosine kinase.     

Purification and characterization of a novel proline-directed protein kinase from bovine brain.

A novel protein kinase which phosphorylates a synthetic peptide substrate (RRPDAHRTPNRAF) has been purified approximately 200,000-fold from bovine brain. This peptide contains the consensus sequence for phosphorylation by the p34cdc2 kinase. The purification procedure took advantage of the phenomenon that this novel brain kinase, in partially purified extracts, chromatographed on a gel filtration column as a high molecular weight complex which dissociated in buffer containing 1 M NaCl. The purified native enzyme was estimated to be approximately 63,000, and displayed two bands of M(r) = 33,000 and 25,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. On Western immunoblot, the M(r) = 33,000 peptide reacted strongly with antibodies specific for a conserved amino-terminal sequence, weakly with antibodies to the conserved PSTAIRE sequence, and not at all with antibodies to the carboxyl terminus, of HeLa cell p34cdc2. The brain kinase and p34cdc2 were similar in displaying good activity toward the parent peptide substrate, but no activity toward peptide analogues in which the -T-P- motif was substituted with either -T-G- or -T-A-. Both kinases showed marked preference in phosphorylating a peptide derived from H1 histone (KTPKKAKKPKTPKKAKKL), and both kinases could be phosphorylated by the src-family tyrosine kinase, p56lyn, purified from bovine spleen. However, the brain kinase did not co-purify with a subunit having a molecular weight corresponding to known cyclins, nor did it undergo specific interaction with p13suc1 beads, suggesting that this enzyme is distinct from p34cdc2.     

Association between B-lymphocyte membrane immunoglobulin and multiple members of the Src family of protein tyrosine kinases.

Treatment of B lymphocytes with antibodies to membrane immunoglobulin (Ig) stimulates protein tyrosine phosphorylation. We have examined the phosphorylation in vitro of proteins associated with membrane Ig. The Src family protein tyrosine kinases p53/56lyn, p59fyn, and p56lck are associated with membrane Ig in spleen B cells and B-cell lines and undergo phosphorylation in vitro. The pattern of expression of Src family protein tyrosine kinases in B cells varied. Our studies suggest that multiple kinases can potentially interact with membrane Ig and that within any one B-cell type, all of the Src family kinases expressed can be found in association with membrane Ig. We also observed that the Ig-associated Ig alpha protein, multiple forms of Ig beta, and proteins of 100 and 25 kDa were tyrosine phosphorylated in vitro. The 100- and 25-kDa proteins remain unidentified.     

Chemical and biological characterization of the galactose binding lectins from Trichosanthes kirilowii root tubers

Three galactose binding isolectins have been isolated from Trichosanthes kirilowii root tubers. Two of the isolectins, TK-I and TK-II, are similar in many aspects including molecular weight, amino acid composition, NH2-terminal amino acid residue, blood group and carbohydrate specificities, immunodiffusion and immunoelectrophoretic behavior, hemagglutinating and insulinomimetic activities, and in possessing subunits with different molecular weights. Compared to TK-I and TK-II, lectin TK-III has a larger molecular weight, subunits with the same molecular weight, a single and distinctive NH2-terminal amino acid residue, a different isoelectric point and lower hemagglutinating activity. The three lectins share common antigenic determinants in their structures. beta-Linked terminal oligosaccharides containing D-galactose inhibit hemagglutination induced by the lectins with a higher potency than alpha-linked oligosaccharides. The lectins are non-mitogenic and did not inhibit the concanavalin-A induced mitogenic response of lymphocytes.     

Multiple features of the p59fyn src homology 4 domain define a motif for immune-receptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) binding and for plasma membrane localization

The src family tyrosine kinase p59fyn binds to a signaling motif contained in subunits of the TCR known as the immune-receptor tyrosine- based activation motif (ITAM). This is a specific property of p59fyn because two related src family kinases, p60src and p56lck, do not bind to ITAMs. In this study, we identify the residues of p59fyn that are required for binding to ITAMs. We previously demonstrated that the first 10 residues of p59fyn direct its association with the ITAM. Because this region of src family kinases also directs their fatty acylation and membrane association (Resh, M.D. 1993, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1155:307-322; Resh, M.D. 1994. Cell. 76:411-413), we determined whether fatty acylation and membrane association of p59fyn correlates with its ability to bind ITAMs. Four residues (Gly2, Cys3, Lys7, and Lys9) were required for efficient binding of p59fyn to the TCR. Interestingly, the same four residues are present in p56lyn, the other src family tyrosine kinase known to bind to the ITAM, suggesting that this set of residues constitutes an ITAM recognition motif. These residues were also required for efficient fatty acylation (myristoylation at Gly2 and palmitoylation at Cys3), and plasma membrane targeting of p59fyn. Thus, the signals that direct p59fyn fatty acylation and plasma membrane targeting also direct its specific ability to bind to TCR proteins.     

Caspase-3: Its potential involvement in Cr(III)-induced apoptosis of lymphocytes

In this study, we have examined the role of caspase-3 in apoptosis of lymphocytes induced by the chromium(III) complexes viz. tris-(1,10-phenanthroline)chromium(III) chloride (Cr(III)-phen) and trans-diaqua[1,3-bis(salicylideneamino)propanechromium(III)] perchlorate (Cr(III)-salprn). Evidence for caspase-3 activation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage in lymphocytes exposed to Cr(III) complexes is revealed through Western blotting analysis. Blocking the activity of caspase-3 with z-DEVD-fmk, prevents apoptosis as evidenced through [3H]-thymidine incorporation, DNA fragmentation assay and measurement of sub-G1 cells by flow cytometry. Pretreatment of lymphocytes with free radical scavengers completely attenuates the activity of caspase-3 suggesting that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are upstream activators of caspase-3. Preincubation of lymphocytes with PP2, a selective Src-family tyrosine kinase inhibitor, abolishes the activation of caspase-3 indicating that Src-family tyrosine kinases viz. p56lck, p59fyn and p53/56lyn are mediators of caspase-3 activation during Cr(III) exposure. Collectively, our findings support a plausible mechanism in which Cr(III) mediates ROS generation that precedes the up-regulation of p56lck, p59fyn and p53/56lyn which eventually activates caspase-3 to promote apoptotic cell death of lymphocytes. To our knowledge, this is the first report suggesting the importance of Src-family tyrosine kinases for the activation of caspase-3 in metal-induced apoptotic cell death.     

Palmitylation of an amino-terminal cysteine motif of protein tyrosine kinases p56lck and p59fyn mediates interaction with glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins.

Cross-linking of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane proteins on T cells can trigger cell activation. We and others have shown an association between GPI-anchored proteins and the protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) p56lck and p59fyn, suggesting a pathway for signaling through GPI-anchored proteins. Studies of decay-accelerating factor (DAF) or CD59 in either the C32 cell line or the HeLa cell line transfected with PTK cDNA demonstrated that the GPI-anchored proteins associated noncovalently with p56lck and p59fyn but not with p60src. Nonmyristylated versions of p56lck and p59fyn also failed to associate with the GPI-anchored proteins. Mutational analysis of the PTK demonstrated that the association with the GPI-anchored proteins mapped to the unique amino-terminal domains of the PTK. A chimeric PTK consisting of the 10 amino-terminal residues of p56lck or p59fyn replacing the corresponding amino acids in p60src was sufficient for association with DAF, but the converse constructs containing the first 10 amino acids of p60src plus the remainder of p56lck or p59fyn did not associate with DAF. Mutation of cysteine to serine at positions 3 and 6 in p59fyn or positions 3 and 5 in p56lck abolished the association of these kinases with DAF. Mutation of serine to cysteine at positions 3 and 6 in p60src conferred on p60src the ability to associate with DAF. Direct labeling with [3H]palmitate demonstrated palmitylation of this amino-terminal cysteine motif in p56lck. Thus, palmitylation of the amino-terminal cysteine residue(s) together with myristylation of the amino-terminal glycine residue defines important motifs for the association of PTKs with GPI-anchored proteins.     

Transient tyrosine phosphorylation of human ryanodine receptor upon T cell stimulation

The ryanodine receptor of Jurkat T lymphocytes was phosphorylated on tyrosine residues upon stimulation of the cells via the T cell receptor/CD3 complex. The tyrosine phosphorylation was transient, reaching a maximum at 2 min, and rapidly declined thereafter. In co-immunoprecipitates of the ryanodine receptor, the tyrosine kinases p56(lck) and p59(fyn) were detected. However, only p59(fyn) associated with the ryanodine receptor in a stimulation-dependent fashion. Both tyrosine kinases, recombinantly expressed as glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins, phosphorylated the immunoprecipitated ryanodine receptor in vitro. In permeabilized Jurkat T cells, GST-p59(fyn), but not GST-p56(lck), GST-Grb2, or GST alone, significantly and concentration-dependently enhanced Ca(2+) release by cyclic ADP-ribose. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor PP2 specifically blocked the effect of GST-p59(fyn). This indicates that intracellular Ca(2+) release via ryanodine receptors may be modulated by tyrosine phosphorylation during T cell activation.     

Mapping of sites on the Src family protein tyrosine kinases p55blk, p59fyn, and p56lyn which interact with the effector molecules phospholipase C-gamma 2, microtubule-associated protein kinase, GTPase-activating protein, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

Engagement of the B-cell antigen receptor complex induces immediate activation of receptor-associated Src family tyrosine kinases including p55blk, p59fyn, p53/56lyn, and perhaps p56lck, and this response is accompanied by tyrosine phosphorylation of distinct cellular substrates. These kinases act directly or indirectly to phosphorylate and/or activate effector proteins including p42 (microtubule-associated protein kinase) (MAPK), phospholipases C-gamma 1 (PLC gamma 1) and C-gamma 2 (PLC gamma 2), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K), and p21ras-GTPase-activating protein (GAP). Although coimmunoprecipitation results indicate that the Src family protein tyrosine kinases interact physically with some of these effector molecules, the molecular basis of this interaction has not been established. Here, we show that three distinct sites mediate the interaction of these kinases with effectors. The amino-terminal 27 residues of the unique domain of p56lyn mediate association with PLC gamma 2, MAPK, and GAP. Binding to PI 3-K is mediated through the Src homology 3 (SH3) domains of the Src family kinases. Relatively small proportions of cellular PI 3-K, PLC gamma 2, MAPK, and GAP, presumably those which are tyrosine phosphorylated, bind to the SH2 domains of these kinases. Comparative analysis of binding activities of Blk, Lyn, and Fyn shows that these kinases differ in their abilities to associate with MAPK and PI 3-K, suggesting that they may preferentially bind and subsequently phosphorylate distinct sets of downstream effector molecules in vivo. Fast protein liquid chromatography Mono Q column-fractionated MAPK maintains the ability to bind bacterially expressed Lyn, suggesting that the two kinases may interact directly.     

The CD45 tyrosine phosphatase regulates specific pools of antigen receptor-associated p59fyn and CD4-associated p56lck tyrosine in human T-cells.

A newly isolated T-cell line (CB1) derived from a T-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) patient contained cells (40% of total) which did not express the CD45 phosphotyrosine phosphatase. The cells were sorted into CD45- and CD45+ populations and shown to be clonal in origin. T-cell receptor (TCR) cross-linking or coligation of the TCR with its CD4/CD8 co-receptors induced tyrosine phosphorylation and calcium signals in CD45+ but not in CD45- cells. Unexpectedly, whole cell p56lck and p59fyn tyrosine kinase activities were not reduced in CD45- compared to CD45+ cells. A novel technique was therefore developed to isolated specific pools of aggregated receptors expressed at the cell surface, together with their associated tyrosine kinases. Using this technique it was shown that cell surface CD4-p56lck kinase activity was 78% lower in CD45- than in CD45+ cells. Phosphorylation of TCR zeta- and gamma-chains occurred in TCR immunocomplexes from CD45+ but not CD45- cells, despite comparable levels of p59fyn and TCR proteins. Furthermore, TCR-associated tyrosine kinase activity towards an exogenous substrate was 84% lower in CD45- than in CD45+ cells. Addition of recombinant p59fyn to TCR immunocomplexes isolated from CD45-cells restored the phosphorylation of the TCR zeta- and gamma-chains. Our results demonstrate that CD45 selectively regulates the pools of p59fyn and p56lck kinases which are associated with the TCR and CD4 at the cell surface. Activation by CD45 of these receptor-associated kinase pools correlates with the ability of the TCR and its coreceptors to couple to intracellular signalling pathways.     

Reduced NMDA receptor tyrosine phosphorylation in PTPalpha-deficient mouse synaptosomes is accompanied by inhibition of four src family kinases and Pyk2: an upstream role for PTPalpha in NMDA receptor regulation

Mice lacking protein tyrosine phosphatase alpha (PTPalpha) exhibited defects in NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-associated processes such as learning and memory, hippocampal neuron migration, and CA1 hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). In vivo molecular effectors linking PTPalpha and the NMDAR have not been reported. Thus the involvement of PTPalpha as an upstream regulator of NMDAR tyrosine phosphorylation was investigated in synaptosomes of wild-type and PTPalpha-null mice. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the NMDAR NR2A and NR2B subunits was reduced upon PTPalpha ablation, indicating a positive effect of this phosphatase on NMDAR phosphorylation via intermediate molecules. The NMDAR is a substrate of src family tyrosine kinases, and reduced activity of src, fyn, yes and lck, but not lyn, was apparent in the absence of PTPalpha. In addition, autophosphorylation of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2), a tyrosine kinase linked to NMDAR signaling, was also reduced in PTPalpha-deficient synaptosomes. Altered protein tyrosine phosphorylation was not accompanied by altered expression of the NMDAR or the above tyrosine kinases at any stage of PTPalpha-null mouse development examined. In a human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cell expression system, PTPalpha enhanced fyn-mediated NR2A and NR2B tyrosine phosphorylation by several-fold. Together, these findings provide evidence that aberrant NMDAR-associated functions in PTPalpha-null mice are due to impaired NMDAR tyrosine phosphorylation resulting from the reduced activity of probably more than one of the src family kinases src, fyn, yes and lck. Defective NMDAR activity in these mice may also be linked to the loss of PTPalpha as an upstream regulator of Pyk2.     

Association of Src-like protein tyrosine kinases with the CD2 cell surface molecule in rat T lymphocytes and natural killer cells.

The cell surface molecule CD2 has a signaling role in the activation of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Because perturbation of CD2 leads to the appearance of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, we investigated the possibility that CD2 associates with cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinases. As determined by in vitro kinase assays and phosphoamino acid analysis, protein tyrosine kinase activity coprecipitated with CD2 from rat T lymphocytes, T lymphoblasts, thymocytes, interleukin-2-activated natural killer cells, and RNK-16 cells (a rat natural killer cell line). In each case, both p56lck and p59fyn were identified in the CD2 immunoprecipitate. In the thymus, the association between CD2 and these kinases occurred predominately in a small subset of thymocytes that had the cell surface phenotype of mature T cells, indicating that the association is a regulated event and occurs late in T-cell ontogeny. The finding that CD2 is associated with p56lck and p59fyn in detergent lysates suggests that interactions with these Src-like protein kinases play a critical role in CD2-mediated signal transduction.     

Activation of p56lck by p72syk through physical association and N-terminal tyrosine phosphorylation.

The p56lck and p59fyn protein tyrosine kinases are important signal transmission elements in the activation of mature T lymphocytes by ligands to the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex. The lack of either kinase results in deficient early signaling events, and pharmacological agents that block tyrosine phosphorylation prevent T-cell activation altogether. After triggering of the TCR/CD3 complex, both kinases are moderately activated and begin to phosphorylate cellular substrates, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for these changes have remained unclear. We recently found that the p72syk protein tyrosine kinase is physically associated with the TCR/CD3 complex and is rapidly tyrosine phosphorylated and activated by receptor triggering also in T cells lacking p56lck. Here we examine the regulation of p72syk and its interaction with p56lck in transfected COS-1 cells. p72syk was catalytically active and heavily phosphorylated on its putative autophosphorylation site, Tyr-518/519. Mutation of these residues to phenylalanines abolished its activity in vitro and toward cellular substrates in vivo and reduced its tyrosine phosphorylation in intact cells by approximately 90%. Coexpression of lck did not alter the catalytic activity of p72syk, but the expressed p56lck was much more active in the presence of p72syk than when expressed alone. This activation was also seen as increased phosphorylation of cellular proteins. Concomitantly, p56lck was phosphorylated at Tyr-192 in its SH2 domain, and a Phe-192 mutant p56lck was no longer phosphorylated by p72syk. Phosphate was also detected in p56lck at Tyr-192 in lymphoid cells. These findings suggest that p56lck is positively regulated by the p72syk kinase.     

Identification of tyrosine 67 in bovine brain myelin basic protein as a specific phosphorylation site for thymus p56lck.

The protein-tyrosine kinase p56lck exhibits a restricted substrate specificity in vitro but can efficiently phosphorylate bovine myelin basic protein (MBP). Results obtained from both peptide mapping and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry indicate that tyrosine 67 in the sequence -Thr-Thr-His-Tyr67-Gly-Ser-Leu-Pro-Gln-Lys- in bovine MBP is the specific phosphorylation site. p56lck does not phosphorylate the acidic, cytoplasmic domain of erythrocyte band 3. In contrast, p40, another protein-tyrosine kinase purified from bovine thymus that readily phosphorylates band 3, does not phosphorylate MBP. Therefore, MBP and band 3 may prove to be useful substrates for distinguishing between various tyrosine kinases on the basis of substrate specificity. In addition, identification of the recognition sequence in MBP for p56lck may contribute to an understanding of the structural features of physiological substrates for this kinase.     

p59fyn tyrosine kinase associates with multiple T-cell receptor subunits through its unique amino-terminal domain.

Several lines of evidence link the protein tyrosine kinase p59fyn to the T-cell receptor. The molecular basis of this interaction has not been established. Here we show that the tyrosine kinase p59fyn can associate with chimeric proteins that contain the cytoplasmic domains of CD3 epsilon, gamma, zeta (zeta), and eta. Mutational analysis of the zeta cytoplasmic domain demonstrated that the membrane-proximal 41 residues of zeta are sufficient for p59fyn binding and that at least two p59fyn binding domains are present. The association of p59fyn with the zeta chain was specific, as two closely related Src family protein tyrosine kinases, p60src and p56lck, did not associate with a chimeric protein that contained the cytoplasmic domain of zeta. Mutational analysis of p59fyn revealed that a 10-amino-acid sequence in the unique amino-terminal domain of p59fyn was responsible for the association with zeta. These findings support evidence that p59fyn is functionally and structurally linked to the T-cell receptor. More importantly, these studies support a critical role for the unique amino-terminal domains of Src family kinases in the coupling of tyrosine kinases to the signalling pathways of cell surface receptors.     

Activation of src tyrosine kinases by peroxynitrite.

In this study, we demonstrate that the phosphorylation activity of five tyrosine kinases of the src family from both human erythrocytes (lyn, hck and c-fgr) and bovine synaptosomes (lyn and fyn) was stimulated by treatment with 30-250 microM peroxynitrite. This effect was not observed with syk, a non-src family tyrosine kinase. Treatment of kinase immunoprecipitates with 0.01-10 microM peroxynitrite showed that the interaction of these enzymes with the oxidant also activated the src kinases. Higher concentrations of peroxynitrite inhibited the activity of all kinases, indicating enzyme inactivation. The addition of bicarbonate (1.3 mM CO2) did not modify the upregulation of src kinases but significantly protected the kinases against peroxynitrite-mediated inhibition. Upregulation of src kinase activity by 1 microM peroxynitrite was 3.5-5-fold in erythrocytes and 1.2-2-fold in synaptosomes, but this could be the result, at least in part, of the higher basal level of src kinase activity in synaptosomes. Our results indicate that peroxynitrite can upregulate the tyrosine phosphorylation signal through the activation of src kinases.     

The human p50csk tyrosine kinase phosphorylates p56lck at Tyr-505 and down regulates its catalytic activity.

Protein tyrosine kinases participate in the transduction and modulation of signals that regulate proliferation and differentiation of cells. Excessive or deregulated protein tyrosine kinase activity can cause malignant transformation. The catalytic activity of the T cell protein tyrosine kinase p56lck is normally suppressed by phosphorylation of a carboxyl-terminal tyrosine, Tyr-505, by another cellular protein tyrosine kinase. Here we characterize a human cytosolic 50 kDa protein tyrosine kinase, p50csk, which specifically phosphorylates Tyr-505 of p56lck and a synthetic peptide containing this site. Phosphorylation of Tyr-505 suppressed the catalytic activity of p56lck. We suggest that p50csk negatively regulates p56lck, and perhaps other cellular src family kinases.     

CSK: a protein-tyrosine kinase involved in regulation of src family kinases.

The functions of src family protein-tyrosine kinases are thought to be regulated negatively by the phosphorylation of highly conserved tyrosine residues close to their carboxyl termini. Recently we have purified and cloned a protein-tyrosine kinase (designated as CSK) that can specifically phosphorylate the negative regulatory site of p60c-src. To elucidate the relationship between CSK and other types of src family kinases, we investigated the tissue distribution of CSK and examined whether CSK could phosphorylate the negative regulatory sites of src family kinases other than p60c-src. Western blot analysis indicated that CSK was enriched at the highest level in lymphoid tissues in which the expression of p60c-src is considerably lower than those of other types of src family kinases. CSK phosphorylated p56lyn and p59fyn, which are known to be expressed in lymphoid tissues at a relatively high level. The putative regulatory site, tyrosine 508, was found to be essential for phosphorylation in p56lyn, and the kinase activities of these src family kinases were repressed by phosphorylation with CSK. These findings raise the possibility that CSK might act as a universal regulator for src family kinases.     

Multimolecular associations of the T-cell antigen receptor

T cells are activated when the T-cell receptor for antigen (TCR) interacts with an antigenic peptide bound to a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule on the surface of another cell. It is often assumed that T-cell activation is induced by the crosslinking of TCRs. In this article, Albertus Beyers, Louise Spruyt and Alan Williams argue that this mechanism is not generally applicable. They hypothesize that the key event in T-cell activation is the formation of multimolecular complexes consisting of the TCR and several other polypeptides, including CD4 or CD8, CD2, CD5 and the associated tyrosine kinases p59(fyn) and p56(lck).