Effects of exogenous actin-binding casein kinase injected in oocytes and eggs ofXenopus laevis

The effects of microinjections of exogenous casein kinase 2 on the structural organization of the maturing oocytes and eggs were studied inXenopus laevis. Kinase inhibited the progesterone-stimulated oocyte maturation and induced dislocation of pigment granules. The morphological effect was shown to be dose-dependent. The results obtained are discussed in the light of the possible influence of casein kinase 2 on the organization of the cortical actin cytoskeleton through phosphorylation of actin-binding proteins.     

Effect of starvation, diabetes and insulin on the casein kinase 2 from rat liver cytosol.

Starvation, diabetes and insulin did not alter the concentration of casein kinases in rat liver cytosol. However, the Km for casein of casein kinase 2 from diabetic rats was about 2-fold lower than that from control animals. Administration of insulin to control rats did not alter this parameter, but increased the Km for casein of casein kinase 2 in diabetic rats. Starvation did not affect the kinetic constants of casein kinases. The effect of diabetes on casein kinase 2 persisted after partial purification of the enzyme by glycerol-density-gradient centrifugation and affected also its activity on other protein substrates such as phosvitin, high-mobility-group protein 14 and glycogen synthase. The results indicate that rat liver cytosol casein kinase 2 is under physiological control.     

Modulation of casein kinase II activity by the polar head group of an insulin-sensitive glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol

A phospho-oligosaccharide, whose production is stimulated by insulin, modulated the activity of partially purified casein kinase II. Whereas at 2 microM the phospho-oligosaccharide stimulated casein kinase II 1.3-fold, higher concentrations of this molecule were inhibitory. 50% inhibition of the enzyme was obtained at 15 microM phospho-oligosaccharide. This biphasic effect of the phospho-oligosaccharide on casein kinase II activity was observed using as substrate both casein or the specific peptide for casein kinase II, Arg-Arg-Arg-Glu-Glu-Glu-Thr-Glu-Glu-Glu. The effect of the phospho-oligosaccharide on casein kinase II was still observed after gel filtration. Deamination of the phospho-oligosaccharide with nitrous acid abolished both the activation and the inhibition of casein kinase II. The glycophospholipid precursor of the phospho-oligosaccharide did not affect casein kinase II activity. Moreover, modulation of casein kinase II activity was not observed with other compounds structurally related to the phospho-oligosaccharide, when used in the micro-molar range. In conclusion, the present results indicate that the phospho-oligosaccharide that mimics and might mediate some of the actions of insulin modulates casein kinase II activity in vitro.     

Modulators of rat liver cytosol casein kinases 1 and 2

Rat liver cytosol casein kinases 1 and 2 are similarly activated by spermine and inhibited by caffeine. On the contrary they are differently affected by heparin and basic proteins. Low concentrations of heparin inhibited selectively the phosphorylation of casein by casein kinase 2 whereas protamine and histones inhibited specifically casein kinase 1. On the contrary the basic proteins stimulated slightly the activity of casein kinase 2 and released its inhibition by heparin. Increasing the concentration of casein substrate reversed both the inhibition of casein kinase 1 by protamine as well as that of casein kinase 2 by heparin. The data suggest the existence of modulators having either similar or opposite effects on each type of casein kinase.     

Two physiological substrate-specific casein kinases are present in the bovine mammary gland

Two species of casein kinase from lactating bovine mammary gland have been identified; a Ca2+- and CM-independent casein kinase and a Ca2+- and CM-dependent casein kinase. The Ca2+- and CM-independent casein kinase phosphorylates previously dephosphorylated alpha s1-, beta- or kappa-casein while the Ca2+- and CM-dependent casein kinase prefers previously dephosphorylated beta- or kappa-casein as substrates. Two activities are indicated by their substrate specificity, sensitivity to Ca2+ and CM, pH maxima, and differential solubilization by anionic detergents. The presence of a regulated casein kinase in the lactating mammary gland suggests that casein phosphorylation may be a regulator of micelle formation or secretion.     

Cyclic AMP-independent casein/glycogen synthase kinases from pig polymorphonuclear leucocytes

1. Two cyclic AMP-independent casein/glycogen synthase kinases were purified from pig polymorphonuclear leucocytes by chromatography on phosphocellulose followed by affinity chromatography on casein-Sepharose 4B or gel filtration on Bio-Gel A-1.5m. When the affinity step was used, the specific activities were 86 and 43units/mg of protein for casein kinase 1 and 2, respectively, whereas these values were 94 and 90units/mg of protein when the gel-filtration step was used. 2. These kinases differ as follows: (a) the molecular weight of casein kinase 1 (38000) is very much lower than that of casein kinase 2 (185000); (b) the K(m) for casein (0.46mg/ml) and K(a) for Mg(2+) (0.3mm) of casein kinase 1 are lower than those of casein kinase 2 (0.90mg/ml and 1.7mm respectively); (c) KCl stimulates the phosphorylation of casein by casein kinase 1, whereas it inhibits phosvitin phosphorylation by this enzyme; on the contrary, the effect of KCl on casein kinase 2 is very similar with either casein or phosvitin as substrate; (d) although both kinases phosphorylate rabbit muscle glycogen synthase I, the ratio of glycogen synthase to casein phosphorylation by casein kinase 1 is about 4-fold greater than that by casein kinase 2. Furthermore, (32)P incorporation into glycogen synthase promoted by casein kinase 1 (3.6mol of (32)P/mol of 85000-dalton subunit) is twice that observed with casein kinase 2 (1.8mol of (32)P/mol of 85000-dalton subunit). Such a phosphorylation results in a decrease in the glucose 6-phosphate-independence ratio of glycogen synthase to 10-15 with casein kinase 1 and to 35-45 with casein kinase 2. 3. The activity of both kinases is neither stimulated by cyclic AMP, Ca(2+) and calmodulin nor inhibited by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor protein. 4. No phosphorylation kinase activity was observed with casein kinase 1 and 2 at either pH6.8 or 8.2 in the presence of Ca(2+). 5. Activities of both kinases on casein and glycogen synthase decreased in parallel when incubated at 50 degrees C.     

Acute effects of insulin and glucagon on hepatic casein kinase 2 in adult fed rats: correlation of the effects on casein kinase 2 with the changes in glycogen synthase activity

Administration of insulin to adult fed rats caused an inactivation of hepatic casein kinase 2 as determined by the decrease in the activity ratio measured at a low (0.1 mg/ml) and a high (1.0 mg/ml) concentration of beta-casein. Maximal inactivation occurred 45 min after injection and the dose for half-maximal effect was 44 micrograms/kg. The effect of insulin was due to an increase in the apparent Km value for the protein substrate but the magnitude of the effect depended on the substrate used, decreasing in the order beta-casein greater than glycogen synthase much greater than whole casein. The activation of casein kinase 2 by glucagon (M. Pérez, J. Grande, and E. Itarte (1988) FEBS Lett. 238, 273-276) was also more marked with beta-casein and glycogen synthase than with whole casein. A good correlation was observed between the time- and dose-dependent activation of glycogen synthase and inactivation of casein kinase 2 promoted by insulin. Similarly, the inactivation of glycogen synthase by glucagon correlated with the activation of casein kinase 2 caused by this hormone. The possible involvement of casein kinase 2 on the mechanism(s) through which these hormones control hepatic glycogen synthase is discussed.     

Casein kinase 2 activity increases in the prereplicative phase of liver regeneration

Cytosolic casein kinase activity increased up to 2-fold in the first 6 h after partial hepatectomy and then decreased to control values. This increase was due mainly to casein kinase 2, which reached maximal values at 6-8 h of liver regeneration. In contrast, casein kinase 1 showed a smaller increase at 4 h and then started to decrease reaching values of about 70% of control at 16 h. The increase in total casein kinase 2 was accompanied with an activation of the enzyme, as determined by the low/high beta-casein activity ratio assay. Administration of an acute dose of glucagon to control rats also increased the activity ratio but failed to cause any rise in total casein kinase 2 activity.     

Phosphorylation of the insulin receptor by casein kinase I

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

Structure and phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2. Casein kinase 2 and protein kinase C phosphorylate distinct but adjacent sites in the beta-subunit

Eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF-2) from rabbit reticulocytes can be phosphorylated on its beta-subunit by two different protein kinases, protein kinase C and casein kinase 2. Phosphorylation by these kinases is additive, suggesting that they phosphorylate different sites (serine residues) in eIF-2 beta. Two-dimensional peptide mapping of the phosphopeptides generated from labelled eIF-2 beta by digestion with trypsin, cyanogen bromide or Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase showed that protein kinase C and casein kinase 2 phosphorylated distinct and different sites in this protein. This conclusion was supported by the results of analysis of the phosphopeptides on reverse-phase chromatography. Analysis of the phosphopeptides derived from eIF-2 beta labelled by both kinases together strongly suggested that the sites labelled by protein kinase C and casein kinase 2 are adjacent in the primary sequence. These data are discussed in the light of the present understanding of the sequence specificity of the kinases. Rat liver eIF-2 beta was also found to be a substrate for protein kinase C and casein kinase 2, which were again shown to label different serine residues.     

Casein kinase in cytosol of rat and mouse mammary epithelial cells isolated from histone kinase by MgCl2 treatment and influence of pregnancy and lactation on the enzyme activity

Rat mammary glands contain cyclic AMP-independent casein kinase and cyclic AMP-dependent histone kinase. The former was easily isolated from cyclic AMP-dependent histone kinase by MgCl2 treatment. Mammary casein kinase was not activated by cyclic nucleotides, and Mg++ and ATP were required for activation. The specific activity of casein kinase in cytosol of rat mammary epithelial cells increased 2 to 3-fold during pregnancy and lactation. Cytosol of mouse mammary epithelial cells also contained cyclic AMP-independent casein kinase, and the activity of this enzyme was about three times that of the Golgi fraction.     

Protein kinase CK2: a new view of an old molecular complex

Protein kinase CK2 (formerly known as casein kinase II) has been viewed traditionally as a stable heterotetrameric complex, but new analytical techniques are bringing a different picture into focus. The transient nature of this complex has been highlighted by the elucidation of its structure. Furthermore, analysis of the spatiotemporal organization of individual CK2 subunits in living cells has shown that they are dynamic and that they integrate into different multimolecular assemblies. These new studies give an additional dimension to the challenge of determining the cellular regulation of this protein kinase.     

Protein phosphatases active on acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylated by casein kinase I, casein kinase II and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase

The protein phosphatases in rat liver cytosol, active on rat liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylated by casein kinase I, casein kinase II and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, have been partially purified by anion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The major phosphatase activities against all three substrates copurify through fractionation and appear to be identical to protein phosphatases 2A1 and 2A2. No unique protein phosphatase active on 32P-ACC phosphorylated by the casein kinases was identified.     

Casein kinase II-catalysed phosphorylation of calmodulin is altered by amino acid deletions in the central helix of calmodulin.

Calmodulin is phosphorylated by casein kinase II on Thr-79, Ser-81, Ser-101 and Thr-117. To determine the consensus sequences for casein kinase II in intact calmodulin, we examined casein kinase II-mediated phosphorylation of engineered calmodulins with 1-4 deletions in the central helical region (positions 81-84). Total casein kinase II-catalyzed phosphate incorporation into all deleted calmodulins was similar to control calmodulin. Neither CaM delta 84 (Glu-84 deleted) nor CaM delta 81-84 (Ser-81 to Glu-84 deleted) has phosphate incorporated into Thr-79 or Ser-81, but both exhibit increased phosphorylation of residues Ser-101 and Thr-117. These data suggest that phosphoserine in the +2 position may be a specificity determinant for casein kinase II in intact proteins and/or secondary structures are important in substrate recognition by casein kinase II.     

The resistance to alkali treatment of the phosphorylation of beta casein versus alpha casein is specific for casein kinase II

The phosphorylation of mixed casein by casein kinase II shows resistance on beta casein after partial alkali hydrolysis of the proteins separated by gel electrophoresis. This property is specific for casein kinase II among the protein kinases tested and can be used for casein kinase II detection in biological extracts and for characterization of purified casein kinase II.     

Inhibition of casein kinase type 2 activity by formation of complexes with mRNA in vivo

It is known that casein kinase 2 possesses, besides the protein kinase, an RNA-binding activity. Using ligand blotting it has been demonstrated that the both activities are localized on the alpha- and alpha'-subunits of the enzyme. Casein kinase 2 is suppressed in vitro by polyuridylic acid. A part of the intracellular pool of casein kinase 2 is found in the informosomes. The informosomes and free proteins were separated by centrifugation in a sucrose density gradient, and each fraction was incubated with casein and [gamma-32P]ATP. The informosome-bound protein kinase is completely inhibited, while the free protein kinases heavily phosphorylate casein. It is concluded that the activity of casein kinase 2 can be regulated by the reversible formation of complexes with RNA.     

Beryllium toxicity. The selective inhibition of casein kinase 1.

1. Cyclic AMP-independent casein kinase 1 in liver cytoplasm and nuclei was inhibited by Be2+ in vitro (Ki 2.5 microM and 29 microM respectively). Casein kinase 2 (phosvitin kinase) and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase were unaffected. 2. The inhibition of casein kinase 1 by Be2+ was competitive with respect to the protein substrate; at non-saturating concentrations of casein, inhibition was non-competitive with respect to ATP. 3. In rats given LD50 doses of Be2+ 24 h before death, the activities of cytoplasmic and nuclear casein kinase 1 in livers from partially hepatectomized animals were diminished approx. 50%; with intact rats, nuclear casein kinase 1 was inhibited at concentrations of casein less than the Km.     

Expression and regulation of casein kinase 2 during heat shock in Verticillium dahliae.

A homogeneous preparation of casein kinase 2 has been isolated from the phytopathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae (the parasite of cotton). The enzyme consists of three subunits with molecular masses of 53, 41, and 38 kDa. Highly specific immune serum against casein kinase 2 has been obtained. By means of immunoblotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunochemical isolation on protein A-Sepharose, it is shown that the amount of casein kinase 2 increases under heat shock conditions (at least in part due to the synthesis de novo), while the synthesis of the majority of other proteins falls. The activity of casein kinase 2 is supressed during heat shock and so does not correlate with its content. The results give an evidence for the two-step model of casein kinase 2 regulation during heat shock.