Molecular identification of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase as a substrate of a specific constitutively active Arabidopsis CDPK expressed in maize protoplasts

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) is a key enzyme in pathogen defence, stress response and secondary metabolism and is subject to post-translational phosphorylation. In order to address the significance of this phenomenon it is necessary to identify the protein kinase (PK) responsible and place it in its regulatory circuit. Using protoplast transient expression of Arabidopsis kinase genes coupled to immunocomplex kinase assay, it has been possible to screen for specific PAL kinase. We show here that AtCPK1 (calcium dependent PK), but not other closely related PKs could phosphorylate both a recombinant PAL protein and a peptide (SRVAKTRTLTTA) that is a site phosphorylated in vivo. Identification of the specific CDPK as a PAL kinase now opens up the possibility of exploring the calcium link in biotic stress signalling, salicylate and phytoalexin production as well as the significance of PAL phosphorylation. The protoplast transient expression system is a potentially powerful method to determine and screen for plant gene functions utilising genomic and proteomic data.     

Phosphorylation of bovine hormone-sensitive lipase by the AMP-activated protein kinase. A possible antilipolytic mechanism

Hormone-sensitive lipase is phosphorylated at a single site (site 2) in vitro by the AMP-activated protein kinase, without any direct effect on the activity of the enzyme. The amino acid sequence around this site has been determined. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II also phosphorylates hormone-sensitive lipase predominantly at this site, whilst cyclic-GMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates exclusively the regulatory site (site 1) which is also phosphorylated by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. Phosphorylation of site 2 has been found to inhibit subsequent phosphorylation and activation of hormone-sensitive lipase by the cyclic-AMP-dependent and cyclic-GMP-dependent protein kinases, indicating that site-2 phosphorylation may have an antilipolytic role in vivo.     

Multi-site phosphorylation of the protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTP1B: identification of cell cycle regulated and phorbol ester stimulated sites of phosphorylation.

The non-transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTP1B, comprises 435 amino acids, of which the C-terminal 114 residues have been implicated in controlling both localization and function of this enzyme. Inspection of the sequence of the C-terminal segment reveals a number of potential sites of phosphorylation. We show that PTP1B is phosphorylated on seryl residues in vivo. Increased phosphorylation of PTP1B is seen to accompany the transition from G2 to M phase of the cell cycle. Two major tryptic phosphopeptides appear in two-dimensional maps of PTP1B from mitotic cells. One of these comigrates with the peptide generated following phosphorylation of PTP1B in vitro at Ser386 by the mitotic protein Ser/Thr kinase p34cdc2:cyclin B. The site of phosphorylation that is responsible for the pronounced retardation in the electrophoretic mobility of PTP1B from mitotic cells has been identified by site directed mutagenesis as Ser352. The identify of the kinase responsible for this modification is presently unknown. We also show that stimulation of HeLa cells with the phorbol ester TPA enhances phosphorylation of PTP1B. Two dimensional phosphopeptide mapping reveals that the bulk of the phosphate is in a single tryptic peptide. The site, identified as Ser378, is also the site of phosphorylation by protein kinase C (PKC) in vitro. Thus the TPA-stimulated phosphorylation of PTP1B in vivo appears to result directly from phosphorylation by PKC. The effect of phosphorylation on the activity of PTP1B has been examined in immunoprecipitates from TPA-treated and nocodazole-arrested cells. TPA treatment does not appear to affect activity directly, whereas the activity of PTP1B from nocodazole-arrested cells is only 70% of that from asynchronous populations.     

Identification and role of the basal phosphorylation site on hormone-sensitive lipase

Phosphorylation site 2 on bovine hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), which is phosphorylated in vitro by the AMP-activated protein kinase, has been found also to be phosphorylated in vitro by glycogen synthase kinase-4. Peptide mapping of HSL phosphorylated in vitro and in isolated adipocytes demonstrates that this site corresponds to the basal phosphorylation site on HSL, which is phosphorylated in intact adipocytes in the absence of lipolytic stimuli. Site 2 has been proposed to have an antilipolytic role in that phosphorylation at this site greatly reduces subsequent phosphorylation (at site 1) and activation of HSL by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. Further evidence for an antilipolytic role of site 2 has been obtained using a synthetic peptide based on the sequence around sites 1 and 2. Phosphorylation of the peptide at site 2 totally prevents the subsequent phosphorylation of site 1 and vice versa.     

Phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 and a peptide analogue of S6 by a protease-activated kinase isolated from rat liver

A trypsin-activated protein kinase has been isolated from rat liver using a peptide analogue of ribosomal protein S6 as a substrate in kinase assays. The structure of the peptide, Arg-Arg-Leu-Ser-Ser-Leu-Arg-Ala, was based on a region of S6 containing both an insulin- and cyclic AMP-regulated phosphorylation site. The trypsin-activated protein kinase phosphorylated a corresponding site in the peptide analogue and ribosomal protein S6 that was distinct from the preferred site for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Ribosomal S6 contained at least one other major site for the trypsin-activated protein kinase.     

Regulation of calcineurin by phosphorylation. Identification of the regulatory site phosphorylated by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and protein kinase C

The site in calcineurin, the Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein phosphatase, which is phosphorylated by Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) has been identified. Analyses of 32P release from tryptic and cyanogen bromide peptides derived from [32P]calcineurin plus direct sequence determination established the site as -Arg-Val-Phe-Ser(PO4)-Val-Leu-Arg-, which conformed to the consensus phosphorylation sequence for CaM-kinase II (Arg-X-X-Ser/Thr-). This phosphorylation site is located at the C-terminal boundary of the putative CaM-binding domain in calcinerin (Kincaid, R. L., Nightingale, M. S., and Martin, B. M. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 85, 8983-8987), thereby accounting for the observed inhibition of this phosphorylation when Ca2+/CaM is bound to calcineurin. Since the phosphorylation site sequence also contains elements of the specificity determinants for Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) (basic residues both N-terminal and C-terminal to Ser/Thr), we tested calcineurin as a substrate for protein kinase C. Protein kinase C catalyzed rapid stoichiometric phosphorylation, and the characteristics of the reaction were the same as with CaM-kinase II: 1) the phosphorylation was blocked by binding of Ca2+/CaM to calcineurin; 2) phosphorylation partially inactivated calcineurin by increasing the Km (from 9.9 +/- 1.1 to 17.5 +/- 1.1 microM 32P-labeled myosin light chain); and 3) [32P]calcineurin exhibited very slow autodephosphorylation but was rapidly dephosphorylated by protein phosphatase IIA. Tryptic and thermolytic 32P-peptide mapping and sequential phosphoamino acid sequence analysis confirmed that protein kinase C and CaM-kinase II phosphorylated the same site.     

Rapamycin-sensitive phosphorylation of PKC on a carboxy-terminal site by an atypical PKC complex.

BACKGROUND: The protein kinase C (PKC) family has been implicated in the control of many cellular functions. Although PKC isotypes are characterized by their allosteric activation, phosphorylation also plays a key role in controlling activity. In classical PKC isotypes, one of the three critical sites is a carboxy-terminal hydrophobic site also conserved in other AGC kinase subfamily members. Although this site is crucial to the control of this class of enzymes, the upstream kinase(s) has not been identified. RESULTS: A membrane-associated kinase activity that phosphorylates the hydrophobic site in PKCalpha was detected. This activity was suppressed when cells were pretreated with the immunosuppresant drug rapamycin or the phosphoinositide (Pl) 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002. These pretreatments also blocked specifically the serum-induced phosphorylation of the hydrophobic site in PKCdelta in vivo. The most highly purified hydrophobic site kinase preparations ( approximately 10,000-fold) reacted with antibodies to PKCzeta/iota. Consistent with this, rapamycin and LY294002 reduced the recovery of PKCzeta from the membrane fraction of transfected cells. An activated mutant of PKCzeta, but not wild-type PKCzeta, induced phosphorylation of the PKCdelta hydrophobic site in a rapamycin-independent manner, whereas a kinase-dead PKCzeta mutant suppressed this serum-induced phosphorylation. The immunopurified, activated mutant of PKCzeta could phosphorylate the PKCdelta hydrophobic site in vitro, whereas wild-type PKCzeta could not. CONCLUSIONS: PKCzeta is identified as a component of the upstream kinase responsible for the phosphorylation of the PKCdelta hydrophobic site in vitro and in vivo. PKCzeta can therefore control the phosphorylation of this PKCdelta site, antagonizing a rapamycin-sensitive pathway.     

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MKK1) is negatively regulated by threonine phosphorylation.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MKK1), a dual-specificity tyrosine/threonine protein kinase, has been shown to be phosphorylated and activated by the raf oncogene product as part of the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. Here we report the phosphorylation and inactivation of MKK1 by phosphorylation on threonine 286 and threonine 292. MKK1 contains a consensus phosphorylation site for p34cdc2, a serine/threonine protein kinase that regulates the cell division cycle, at Thr-286 and a related site at Thr-292. p34cdc2 catalyzes the in vitro phosphorylation of MKK1 on both of these threonine residues and inactivates MKK1 enzymatic activity. Both sites are phosphorylated in vivo as well. The data presented in this report provide evidence that MKK1 is negatively regulated by threonine phosphorylation.     

The serine 814 of TRPC6 is phosphorylated under unstimulated conditions

TRPC are nonselective cation channels involved in calcium entry. Their regulation by phosphorylation has been shown to modulate their routing and activity. TRPC6 activity increases following phosphorylation by Fyn, and is inhibited by protein kinase G and protein kinase C. A previous study by our group showed that TRPC6 is phosphorylated under unstimulated conditions in a human embryonic kidney cells line (HEK293). To investigate the mechanism responsible for this phosphorylation, we used a MS/MS approach combined with metabolic labeling and showed that the serine at position 814 is phosphorylated in unstimulated cells. The mutation of Ser(814) into Ala decreased basal phosphorylation but did not modify TRPC6 activity. Even though Ser(814) is within a consensus site for casein kinase II (CK2), we showed that CK2 is not involved in the phosphorylation of TRPC6 and does not modify its activity. In summary, we identified a new basal phosphorylation site (Ser(814)) on TRPC6 and showed that CK2 is not responsible for the phosphorylation of this site.     

Amino acid sequence around a "hinge" region and its "autophosphorylation" site in bovine Lung cGMP-dependent protein kinase

An exposed "hinge" region of cGMP-dependent protein kinase is known to be susceptible to both limited proteolysis and autophosphorylation. A 91-residue fragment has been isolated from this region and its amino acid sequence has been compared with the analogous regions of the cAMP-dependent protein kinases. Although a resemblance among these sequences is not striking, the phosphorylation sites are in corresponding regions toward the NH2 termini, and there are indications of homology in the vicinity of their autophosphorylation sites. As in the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, the site of autophosphorylation and the site of susceptibility to limited proteolysis are very near each other in the primary structure. The actual site of autophosphorylation (the underlined threonine residue in Pro-Arg-Thr-Thr-Arg) is quite different from those in the regulatory subunit of Type II cAMP-dependent kinase or the site in Type I regulatory subunit that can be phosphorylated by the cGMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Differential phosphorylation of multiple sites in purified protein I by cyclic AMP-dependent and calcium-dependent protein kinases

Protein I, a specific neuronal phosphoprotein, has previously been shown, using rat brain synaptosome preparations, to contain multiple sites of phosphorylation which were differentially regulated by cAMP and calcium. In the present study, Protein I was purified to homogeneity from rat brain and its phosphorylation was investigated using homogeneous cAMP-dependent protein kinase and a partially purified calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase from rat brain. Employing various peptide mapping techniques, a minimum of three phosphorylation sites could be distinguished in Protein I; the phosphorylated amino acid of each site was serine. One phosphorylation site was located in the collagenase-resistant portion of Protein I and was the principal target for phosphorylation by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. This site was also phosphorylated by calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. The other two phosphorylation sites were located in the collagenase-sensitive portion of Protein I. These latter sites were markedly phosphorylated by calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, but not by cAMP-dependent protein kinase in concentrations sufficient to phosphorylate maximally the site in the collagenase-resistant portion. Thus, the phosphorylation of purified Protein I by purified cAMP-dependent and calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinases provides an enzymological explanation for the regulation of phosphorylation of endogenous Protein I in synaptosome preparations by cAMP and by calcium observed previously. The studies suggest that certain of the synaptic actions of two distinct second messengers, cAMP and calcium, are expressed through the distinct specificities of cAMP- and calcium-dependent protein kinases for the multiple phosphorylation sites in one neuron-specific protein, Protein I.     

The phosphorylation site for casein kinase II on 20,000-Da light chain of gizzard myosin

The 20-kDa light chain isolated from gizzard myosin has recently been reported to be phosphorylated by casein kinase II at a site distinct from that phosphorylated by Ca²⁺- and calmodulin-dependent myosin light-chain kinase. In the present study, the site phosphorylated by casein kinase II has been analyzed through procedures including tryptic digestion of the radioactively phosphorylated light chain and CNBr cleavage of the purified tryptic phosphopeptide, followed by amino acid analysis of these phosphopeptides. Comparison of the amino acid compositions of these peptides with the previously reported sequence has indicated that the phosphorylation site is threonine-134 of the light chain. The significance of the phosphorylation of the light chain by casein kinase II, as well as the substrate specificity of the protein kinase, is discussed on the basis of the result.     

A theoretical treatment of the turnover of protein-bound phosphate in the presence of both protein kinase and phosphatase activities

Preparations of membrane fragments from brain have previously been shown to contain tightly bound protein kinase and phophatase enzymes which, together, are responsible for the turnover of protein-bound phosphate in the membrane.An equation has now been derived which describes the time-course of the phophorylation of the membrane-bound proteins in terms of the activities of the kinase and phosphatase enzymes and the initial state of phosphorylation of the membrane proteins. The use of this equation makes it possible to define the effects of substances or treatments which alter the overall rate of protein phosphorylation and to show whether kinase activity, phosphotase activity, or initial state of protein phosphorylation is being changed.Treatment of membrane fragmetns with NaI is found to decrease both protein kinase and phosphatase activities. Na⁺ decreases overall protein phosphorylation solely by decreasing phosphotase activity and cyclic AMP stimulates protein phosphorylation by an action on kinase activity alone.It has been deduced that if there is more than one type of site for protein phosphorylation in cerebral membrane fragments these should react with the kinase at equal rates and with the phosphatase at equal rates.It is hoped that the treatment given in this paper may prove generally applicable to situatiions where the rate of enzymic reaction is controlled by the concentration of substrate.     

Identification of the protein kinase C phosphorylation site in neuromodulin

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

Structure-function relationships in cardiac troponin T

Regions of rabbit and bovine cardiac troponin T that are involved in binding tropomyosin, troponin C and troponin I have been identified. Two sites of contact for tropomyosin have been located, situated between residues 92-178 and 180-284 of troponin T. A cardiac-specific binding site for troponin I has been identified between residues 1-68 of cardiac troponin T, within a region of the protein that has previously been shown to be encoded by a series of exons that are expressed in a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated manner. The binding site for troponin C is located between residues 180-284 of cardiac troponin T. When isolated from fresh bovine hearts, cardiac troponin T contained 0.21 +/- 0.11 mol phosphate per mol; incubation with phosphorylase kinase increased the phosphate content to approx. 1 mol phosphate per mol. One site of phosphorylation was identified as serine-1; a second site of phosphorylation was located within peptide CB3 (residues 93-178) and has been tentatively identified as serine-176. Addition of troponin C to cardiac troponin T does not inhibit the phosphorylation of this latter protein that is catalysed by phosphorylase b kinase.     

cAMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphoproteins in mammalian mitochondria. An extension of the cAMP-mediated intracellular signal transduction

Evidence has been obtained for the occurrence of a cAMP-dependent serine protein kinase associated with the inner membrane/matrix of mammalian mitochondria. The catalytic site of this kinase is localized at the inner side of the inner membrane, where it phosphorylates a number of mitochondrial proteins. One of these has been identified as the AQDQ subunit of complex I. cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of this protein promotes the activity of complex I and mitochondrial respiration. A 5 bp duplication in the nuclear gene encoding this protein has been found in a human patient, which eliminates the phosphorylation site. PKA anchoring proteins have recently been identified in the outer membrane of mammalian mitochondria, which could direct phosphorylation of proteins at contact sites with other cell structures.     

Predicted location and limited accessibility of protein kinase A phosphorylation site on Na-K-ATPase

Regulation of Na-K-ATPase by cAMP-dependent protein kinase occurs in a variety of tissues. Phosphorylation of the enzyme's catalytic subunit at a classical phosphorylation consensus motif has been observed with purified enzyme. Demonstration of phosphorylation at the same site in normal living cells or tissues has been more difficult, however, making it uncertain that the Na-K-ATPase is a direct physiological substrate of the kinase. Recently, the structure of the homologous sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA1a) has been determined at 2.6 A resolution (Toyoshima C, Nakasako M, Nomura H, and Ogawa H. Nature 405: 647-655, 2000.), and the Na-K- ATPase should have the same fold. Here, the Na-K-ATPase sequence has been aligned with the Ca-ATPase structure to examine the predicted disposition of the phosphorylation site. The location is close to the membrane and partially buried by adjacent loops, and the site is unlikely to be accessible to the kinase in this conformation. Conditions that may expose the site or further bury it are discussed to highlight the issues facing future research on regulation of Na-K-ATPase by cAMP-dependent pathways.     

Synergistic phosphorylation of rabbit muscle glycogen synthase by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and casein kinase I. Implications for hormonal regulation of glycogen synthase

The phosphorylation of rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen synthase by casein kinase I is markedly enhanced if the enzyme has previously been phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The presence of phosphate in the primary cAMP-dependent protein kinase sites, sites 1a, 1b, and 2 (serine 7), increases the activity of casein kinase I toward residues in the vicinity of these sites. This synergistic phosphorylation correlates with potent inactivation of the glycogen synthase. Analysis of the NH2 terminus of the enzyme subunit indicated that phosphorylation at serine 7 caused serine 10 to become a preferred casein kinase I site and that phosphoserine can be an important recognition determinant for casein kinase I. This finding can also explain how epinephrine stimulation of skeletal muscle provokes significant increases in the phosphorylation state of serine residues, in particular serine 10, not recognized by cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Modulation of protein 4.1 binding to inside-out membrane vesicles by phosphorylation

The effect of phosphorylation on the binding of protein 4.1 to erythrocyte inside-out vesicles was investigated. Protein 4.1 was phosphorylated with casein kinase A, protein kinase C, and cAMP-dependent protein kinase. An analysis of the phosphopeptides generated by alpha-chymotryptic and tryptic digestion indicates these kinases phosphorylate similar as well as distinct domains within protein 4.1. All three enzymes catalyze the phosphorylation to varying degrees of the 46-, 16-, and 8-10-kDa fragments derived from limited chymotryptic cleavage. In addition, casein kinase A phosphorylates a 24-kDa domain, whereas protein kinase C phosphorylates a 30-kDa domain. Protein 4.1 phosphorylated by casein kinase A and protein kinase C, but not cAMP-dependent protein kinase, exhibits a reduced binding to KI-extracted inside-out vesicles. On the other hand, phosphorylation of inside-out vesicles by casein kinase A does not affect their ability to bind protein 4.1. The inside-out vesicles, however, inhibit the phosphorylation of protein 4.1 by casein kinase A and protein kinase C, but not by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. These results suggest that casein kinase A and protein kinase C may modulate the binding of protein 4.1 to the membrane by phosphorylation of specific domains of the cytoskeletal protein. Since the 30-kDa domain has been suggested as a membrane-binding site, that phosphorylation by protein kinase C reduces the binding of protein 4.1 to inside-out vesicles is perhaps not surprising. On the other hand, the role of the casein kinase A substrate 24-kDa domain in membrane binding has not been established and needs to be examined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

PDK2: the missing piece in the receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway puzzle

Activation of members of the protein kinase AGC (cAMP dependent, cGMP dependent, and protein kinase C) family is regulated primarily by phosphorylation at two sites: a conserved threonine residue in the activation loop and a serine/threonine residue in a hydrophobic motif (HM) near the COOH terminus. Although phosphorylation of these kinases in the activation loop has been found to be mediated by phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1), the kinase(s) that catalyzes AGC kinase phosphorylation in the HM remains uncharacterized. So far, at least 10 kinases have been suggested to function as an HM kinase or the so-called "PDK2," including mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase-activated protein kinase-2 (MK2), integrin-linked kinase (ILK), p38 MAP kinase, protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha), PKCbeta, the NIMA-related kinase-6 (NEK6), the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), the double-stranded DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNK-PK), and the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene product. However, whether any or all of these kinases act as a physiological HM kinase remains to be established. Nonetheless, available data suggest that multiple systems may be used in cells to regulate the activation of the AGC family kinases. It is possible that, unlike activation loop phosphorylation, phosphorylation of the HM site in the different AGC family kinases is mediated by distinct kinases. In addition, phosphorylation of the AGC family kinase at the HM site could be cell type, signaling pathway, and substrate specific. Identification and characterization of the bonafide HM kinase(s) will be essential to verify these hypotheses.