Synthetic peptide substrates for a tyrosine protein kinase

Immunoprecipitates containing the transforming protein of the avian sarcoma virus, Y73, together with its associated tyrosine-specific protein kinase, have an activity which will phosphorylate the synthetic peptide Lys-Leu-Ile-Glu-Asp-Asn-Glu-Tyr-Thr-Ala-Arg at the tyrosine residue. This peptide corresponds to 10 out of 11 amino acids surrounding the phosphorylated tyrosine in both pp60src and P90, the transforming proteins of Rous sarcoma virus and Y73 virus, respectively. The apparent Km for phosphorylation of the peptide was about 5 mM. A second peptide with the sequence Lys-Leu-Ile-Asp-Asn-Glu-Tyr-Thr-ala-Arg differing from the first peptide only by the absence of the glutamic acid 4 residues from the tyrosine was also phosphorylated, but the apparent Km for the reaction was 40 mM. Several sites of tyrosine phosphorylation in viral transforming proteins have been found to have one or more glutamic acids close to the phosphorylated tyrosine on the NH2-terminal side. Taken together with our in vitro phosphorylation studies, this suggests that the primary sequence surrounding target tyrosines may play a role in recognition of substrates by tyrosine protein kinases, and in particular, that glutamic acid residues on the NH2-terminal side may be important.     

Use of tyrosine-containing polymers to characterize the substrate specificity of insulin and other hormone-stimulated tyrosine kinases

Synthetic copolymers containing tyrosine residues were used to characterize the substrate specificity of the insulin receptor kinase and compare it to tyrosine kinases stimulated by epidermal growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1 and phorbol ester. In partially purified receptor preparations from eight different tissues insulin best stimulated (highest V) phosphorylation of a random copolymer composed of glutamic and tyrosine residues at a 4:1 ratio (Glu/Tyr, 4:1). The insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of this polymer was highly significant also in receptor preparations from fresh human monocytes, where insulin binding and autophosphorylation were difficult to detect. Other tyrosine-containing polymers Ala/Glu/Lys/Tyr (6:2:5:1) and Glu/Ala/Tyr (6:3:1) were also phosphorylated by the insulin-stimulated kinase but to a lower extent. A tyrosine kinase stimulated by insulin-like growth factor-1, and one stimulated by phorbol ester also best phosphorylated the polymer Glu/Tyr (4:1). The three kinases differed only in their capability to phosphorylate Glu/Ala/Tyr (6:3:1) or Ala/Glu/Lys/Tyr (6:2:5:1). Glu/Tyr (4:1) was a poor substrate for the epidermal growth factor receptor kinase which best phosphorylated the polymer Glu/Ala/Tyr (6:3:1). Three additional polymers: Glu/Tyr (1:1), Glu/Ala/Tyr (1:1:1), and Lys/Tyr (1:1) failed to serve as substrates for all four tyrosine kinases tested. Taken together these findings suggest that. Hormone-sensitive tyrosine kinases have similar yet distinct substrate specificity and are likely to phosphorylate their native substrates on tyrosines adjacent to acidic (glutamic) residues. Tyrosine-containing polymer substrates are highly sensitive and convenient tools to study (hormone-sensitive) tyrosine kinases whose native substrates are unknown or present at low concentrations.     

Phosphorylation by guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase of synthetic peptide analogs of a site phosphorylated in histone H2B

Analogs of a synthetic heptapeptide substrate corresponding to the sequence around a phosphorylation site in histone H2B were used to assess the substrate specificity of cGMP-dependent protein kinase. cGMP-dependent kinase phosphorylated the oligopeptide Arg-Lys-Arg-Ser32-Arg-Lys-Glu with favorable kinetic parameters as compared to those for cAMP-dependent kinase (Glass, D. B., and Krebs, E. G. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 9728-9738). The contribution of each amino acid to the ability of the peptide to be phosphorylated by cGMP-dependent or cAMP-dependent kinase was studied by replacement of individual residues and evaluation of the kinetic constants of the substituted peptides. Peptides containing acetylated lysine residues or nitroarginine residues were poor substrates for both kinases. Substitution of either arginine 29 or lysine 30 with alanine increased the Km values and decreased the Vmax values for both kinases. Substitution of lysine 34 with alanine increased the Vmax values for both kinases but did not affect the Km values for either enzyme. Substitution of the phosphorylatable serine with a threonine residue greatly depressed the Vmax for both kinases. Peptides in which arginine 31 or arginine 33 were replaced by an alanine residue revealed several apparent differences in the specificity requirements between cGMP-dependent and cAMP-dependent kinases.     

Characterization of the insulin receptor kinase purified from human placental membranes

The insulin receptor purified from human placenta by sequential affinity chromatography on wheat germ agglutinin- and insulin-Sepharose to near homogeneity retained tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity. This purified insulin receptor kinase specifically catalyzed the incorporation of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into not only the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor but also histone H2B, a synthetic peptide which is sequentially similar to the site of tyrosine phosphorylation in pp60src (a gene product of the Rous sarcoma virus) and antibodies to pp60src present in the sera obtained from three rabbits bearing tumors induced by the Rous sarcoma virus. In each case, phosphorylation occurred exclusively on tyrosine residues. Insulin stimulated phosphorylation of these substrates 3- to 5-fold. Kinetic analysis using the synthetic peptide indicated that insulin acted by increasing the Vmax of peptide phosphorylation from about 3.1 to 9.5 nmol X mg-1 of protein X min-1, whereas the value of the Km for the peptide, about 1.5 mM, was not significantly changed. This kinase acted weakly on casein, alpha-S-casein, actin, and a tyrosine-containing peptide analogue of a serine-containing peptide used commonly as a substrate for the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases. These data show that the insulin receptor kinase displays specificity toward exogenous substrates similar to the substrate specificity observed for pp60src and the protein kinase activity associated with the receptor for epidermal growth factor. The data suggest that the catalytic sites of these three tyrosine kinases are similar and that insulin activates its receptor kinase by increasing the Vmax.     

Characterization of distinct tyrosine-specific protein kinases in B and T lymphocytes

Lymphocyte membrane fractions from both normal and neoplastic sources exhibit tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity. The molecular weights of the endogenous substrates phosphorylated on tyrosine residues differ in B and T cells. To further characterize membrane tyrosine phosphorylation in the two major classes of lymphocytes, the tryptic phosphopeptides of their endogenous substrates were compared and the sensitivity of the kinases to inhibition by N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) was determined. The two major B cell substrates (61,000 and 55,000 daltons, p61 and p55) were gel purified after phosphorylation and exhaustively digested with trypsin. Separation by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography demonstrated that these two substrates had two identical phosphotyrosine containing tryptic phosphopeptides. p61 had an additional phosphotyrosine site. Parallel analysis of the two T cell substrates (64,000 and 58,000 daltons, p64 and p58) showed that they also contained two phosphotyrosine sites that were identical. However, the tryptic phosphopeptides from the B and T cell substrate pairs were clearly distinct suggesting that they arise from different gene products. When B and T cell membrane fractions were preincubated with TLCK (21 degrees C, 30 min) a dose-dependent decrease in p64 and p58 phosphorylation resulted. p61 and p55 phosphorylation was not affected at concentrations up to 10 mM TLCK. Tyrosine-specific kinase activity was also assessed by measuring phosphorylation of a tyrosine containing synthetic peptide. The kinase activity of T cell plasma membrane fractions was inhibited by TLCK; the B cell activity was unaffected. The results suggest that membrane fractions from normal and some neoplastic B and T cells have at least two different tyrosine-specific kinases.     

Synthetic beta-turn peptides as substrates for a tyrosine protein kinase

An attempt has been made at defining the secondary structural requirement for phosphorylation of substrates of a protein tyrosine kinase from the leukemia virus-transformed LSTRA cell line. An examination of the sites of phosphorylation of substrates of protein tyrosine kinases indicated a relatively high probability of the beta-turn as the secondary structural feature at these sites. We have, therefore, synthesized three tyrosine peptides: Ala-Pro-Tyr-Gly-NHCH3, Leu-Pro-Tyr-Ala-NHCH3, and Pro-Gly-Ala-Tyr-NH2, of which the first two peptides, but not the third, would be expected to contain the tyrosine residue in a beta-turn. Circular dichroism and infrared spectral data on the peptides confirmed this expectation. Phosphorylation data on the peptides by the tyrosine kinase showed that the two beta-turn peptides were phosphorylated with Vmax and Km values comparable to those of the 13-residue-long arginine-containing synthetic peptide substrate having a sequence homologous to the autophosphorylation site of the LSTRA kinase. The peptides used here contain the shortest sequence length among the reported synthetic peptide substrates for protein tyrosine kinases. Their preference for the beta-turn indicated that this conformation may serve as the recognition site for tyrosine phosphorylation.     

Splicing Pattern of Gsα mRNA in Human and Rat Brain

The enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Tyrosine hydroxylase is a substrate for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase as well as other protein kinases. We determined the Km and Vmax of rat pheochromocytoma tyrosine hydroxylase for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and obtained values of 136 microM and 7.1 mumol/min/mg of catalytic subunit, respectively. These values were not appreciably affected by the substrates for tyrosine hydroxylase (tyrosine and tetrahydrobiopterin) or by feedback inhibitors (dopamine and norepinephrine). The high Km of tyrosine hydroxylase correlates with the high content of tyrosine hydroxylase in catecholaminergic cells. We also determined the kinetic constants for peptides modeled after actual or potential tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation sites. We found that the best substrates for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase were those peptides corresponding to serine 40. Tyrosine hydroxylase (36-46), for example, exhibited a Km of 108 microM and a Vmax of 6.93 mumol/min/mg of catalytic subunit. The next best substrate was the peptide corresponding to serine 153. The peptide containing the sequence conforming to serine 19 was a very poor substrate, and that conforming to serine 172 was not phosphorylated to any significant extent. The primary structure of the actual or potential phosphorylation sites is sufficient to explain the substrate behavior of the native enzyme.     

Protein Tyrosine Kinase Activity and Its Endogenous Substrates in Rat Brain: A Subcellular and Regional Survey

The rat CNS contains high levels of tyrosine-specific protein kinases that specifically phosphorylate the tyrosine-containing synthetic peptide poly(Glu80,Tyr20). The phosphorylation of this peptide is rapid and occurs with normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Using this peptide to assay for enzyme activity, we have measured the protein tyrosine kinase activity in homogenates from various regions of rat CNS. A marked regional distribution pattern was observed, with high activity present in cerebellum, hippocampus, olfactory bulb, and pyriform cortex, and low activity in the pons/medulla and spinal cord. The distribution of protein tyrosine kinase activity was examined in various subcellular fractions of rat forebrain. The majority of the activity was associated with the particulate fractions, with enrichment in the crude microsomal (P3) and crude synaptic vesicle (LP2) fractions. Moreover, the subcellular distribution of pp60csrc, a well-characterized protein tyrosine kinase, was examined by immunoblot analysis using an affinity-purified antibody specific for pp60csrc. The subcellular distribution of pp60csrc paralleled the overall protein tyrosine kinase activity. In addition, using an antibody specific for phosphotyrosine, endogenous substrates for protein tyrosine kinases were demonstrated on immunoblots of homogenates from the various regions and the subcellular fractions. The immunoblots revealed numerous phosphotyrosine-containing proteins that were present in many of the CNS regions examined and were associated with specific subcellular fractions. The differences in tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity, and in phosphotyrosine-containing proteins, observed in various regional areas and subcellular fractions may reflect specific functional roles for protein tyrosine kinase activity in mammalian brain.     

Antibodies against a synthetic peptide as a probe for the kinase activity of the avian EGF receptor and v-erbB protein

The transforming protein v-erbB of avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV) displays extensive sequence homology with the presumptive protein-tyrosine kinase domain of the human EGF receptor and with the src protein-tyrosine kinase family of oncogenes. However, no kinase activity has previously been demonstrated for the v-erbB protein. Here antibodies generated against a synthetic peptide from the C terminus of human EGF receptor are shown to immunoprecipitate the EGF receptor from human and avian cells, as well as the v-erbB proteins from AEV-transformed cells that become phosphorylated on tyrosine residues upon the addition of gamma-32P-ATP. The immunoprecipitates are also able to phosphorylate exogenous tyrosine-containing substrates. Hence, it is likely that both avian EGF receptor and v-erbB proteins are protein tyrosine-specific protein kinases. Since the kinase activity of v-erbB protein cannot be regulated by EGF, it is proposed that the tyrosine protein kinase function of v-erbB may be constitutively activated.     

Biochemical properties of chimeric skeletal and smooth muscle myosin light chain kinases.

The molecular and biochemical properties of myosin light chain kinases from chicken skeletal and smooth muscle were investigated by recombinant DNA techniques. Deletion of the amino-terminal region of either the smooth or skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase resulted in a decrease in Vmax with no significant change in Km values for light chain substrates. Skeletal/smooth muscle chimeric kinases were inactive when a 65-residue region amino-terminal of the catalytic core was exchanged between the two forms. Changing alanine 494 to glutamic acid within this region in the chicken skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase increased the Km values for light chains 10-fold. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the region amino-terminal of the catalytic core in myosin light chain kinases is involved in light chain recognition. A skeletal muscle kinase which contained the smooth muscle calmodulin binding domain remained regulated by Ca2+/calmodulin. Thus, the calmodulin binding domains of smooth and skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinases share structural elements necessary for regulation.     

Novel yeast protein kinase (YPK1 gene product) is a 40-kilodalton phosphotyrosyl protein associated with protein-tyrosine kinase activity.

Extracts of bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) contain protein-tyrosine kinase activity that can be detected with a synthetic Glu-Tyr copolymer as substrate (G. Schieven, J. Thorner, and G.S. Martin, Science 231:390-393, 1986). By using this assay in conjunction with ion-exchange and affinity chromatography, a soluble tyrosine kinase activity was purified over 8,000-fold from yeast extracts. The purified activity did not utilize typical substrates for mammalian protein-tyrosine kinases (enolase, casein, and histones). The level of tyrosine kinase activity at all steps of each preparation correlated with the content of a 40-kDa protein (p40). Upon incubation of the most highly purified fractions with Mn-ATP or Mg-ATP, p40 was the only protein phosphorylated on tyrosine. Immunoblotting of purified p40 or total yeast extracts with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies and phosphoamino acid analysis of 32P-labeled yeast proteins fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the 40-kDa protein is normally phosphorylated at tyrosine in vivo. 32P-labeled p40 immunoprecipitated from extracts of metabolically labeled cells by affinity-purified anti-p40 antibodies contained both phosphoserine and phosphotyrosine. The gene encoding p40 (YPK1) was cloned from a yeast genomic library by using oligonucleotide probes designed on the basis of the sequence of purified peptides. As deduced from the nucleotide sequence of YPK1, p40 is homologous to known protein kinases, with features that resemble known protein-serine kinases more than known protein-tyrosine kinases. Thus, p40 is a protein kinase which is phosphorylated in vivo and in vitro at both tyrosine and serine residues; it may be a novel type of autophosphorylating tyrosine kinase, a bifunctional (serine/tyrosine-specific) protein kinase, or a serine kinase that is a substrate for an associated tyrosine kinase.     

A truncated v-abl-derived tyrosine-specific tyrosine kinase expressed in Escherichia coli.

Several biochemical properties of a 43 kDa v-abl-encoded tyrosine-specific protein kinase (p43v-abl) expressed in Escherichia coli were examined. p43v-abl is a fragment of a 60 kDa v-abl-encoded precursor, p60v-abl, and could be generated by limited proteolysis of a purified p60v-abl with trypsin. Tryptic cleavage of p60v-abl was prevented in the presence of ATP. These results suggest that the catalytic kinase domain of v-abl-derived protein can be separated from other (regulatory) domains by limited proteolysis. p43v-abl readily phosphorylated tyrosine residues on several different protein and peptide substrates, including peptides containing only two amino acid residues. However, the local sequence of the tyrosine-containing peptide substrate significantly affected its rate of phosphorylation. Thus the primary structure and local conformation at the tyrosine acceptor site can play an important role in determining the substrate specificity of v-abl-derived kinase. Phosphorylation by p43v-abl requires Mn2+, Co2+ or Mg2+ and exhibits a strong preference for ATP as phosphate donor. Analogues of ATP and the thiol-reactive reagent N-ethylmaleimide inhibited p43v-abl kinase activity. Purified p43v-abl is intrinsically thermolabile (t1/2 = 5 min at 40 degrees C) and phosphorylates glycerol inefficiently (Km = 1.4 M).     

Peptides reproducing the phosphoacceptor sites of pp60c-src as substrates for TPK-IIB, a splenic tyrosine kinase devoid of autophosphorylation activity.

TPK-IIB, a spleen tyrosine protein kinase devoid of autophosphorylation activity (Brunati, A. M., and Pinna, L. A. (1988) Eur. J. Biochem. 172, 451-457), has been purified to near homogeneity and assayed for its ability to phosphorylate the synthetic peptides EDNEYTA and EPQYQPA reproducing the two conserved phosphoacceptor sites of pp60c-src (Tyr-416 and Tyr-527). While EPQYQPA was phosphorylated with low efficiency (Km = 16.7 mM, Kcat = 14.4), EDNEYTA is an excellent substrate displaying a Km value of 58 microM and a Kcat value of 31.2. The single substitution, in the latter peptide, of the glutamic acid adjacent to the tyrosine by alanine to give EDNAYTA caused a 6-fold increase in the Km. The positive influence on the phosphorylation of the acidic residues at -3 and -4 relative to the tyrosine is indicated by comparison of the kinetic constants for peptides EDAAYAA (Kcat = 4.6, Km 0.325 mM) and QNAAYAA (Kcat 2.4, Km 1.7 mM). Furthermore, when residues in the peptide NEYTA were replaced by alanine, the phosphorylation of the peptides NAYTA and AAYAA, was almost negligible (in terms of Kcat/Km ratio). However, AEYTA, NEYAA and AEYAA were still phosphorylated, albeit less efficiently than NEYTA. The probability that these peptides will adopt a beta-turn is EDNAYTA = EDNEYTA, NAYTA greater than NEYTA, and no predicted beta-turn for AEYTA, NEYAA, and AEYAA. Therefore these results support the concept that an amino-terminal acidic residue(s) is strictly required by TPK-IIB, irrespective of peptide conformation, although a beta-turn may enhance the phosphorylation of those peptides that satisfy this requirement. Two other spleen tyrosine kinases, TPK-I/lyn and TPK-III, both related to the src family, also have a far greater preference for the peptide EDNEYTA over EPQYQPA. However, they can be distinguished from TPK-IIB by their lower affinity for the peptides EDNEYTA and NEYTA and by their different specificity towards the substituted derivatives of NEYTA. TPK-I/lyn, accepts most of the substitutions that are detrimental to TPK-IIB, the triply substituted peptide AAYAA being actually preferred over the parent peptide NEYTA. The substitution of glutamic acid by alanine is also tolerated by TPK-III, although, in contrast to TPK-IIB, the phosphorylation efficiency is drastically decreased by the substitution of the asparagine at position -2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Synthetic peptide substrates for the membrane tyrosine protein kinase stimulated by epidermal growth factor

The substrate specificity of the epidermal-growth-factor-stimulated tyrosine protein kinase of A431 cell membranes has been studied using a series of synthetic peptide analogs of the sequence around the phosphorylated tyrosine-419 of pp60src. The nine-residue peptide Leu-Ile-Glu-Asp-Ala-Glu-Tyr-Thr-Ala was phosphorylated on tyrosine with an apparent Km of 0.4 mM and a V of 5.7 nmol X min-1 X mg-1. Synthetic peptide tyrosine phosphorylation was stimulated by epidermal growth factor but not by insulin or relaxin. Extension of the nine-residue peptide to include the basic residues, arginine-412, arginine-422 and lysine-423 led to an increased apparent Km. Substitution of glutamic-418 by leucine also increased the apparent Km. In the model peptide Ile-Xaa-Xaa-Ala-Ala-Tyr-Thr-Ala a lower apparent Km was obtained when Xaa was glutamic rather than aspartic acid. Poly(aspartic acid) and poly(glutamic acid) had only weak effects on peptide tyrosine phosphorylation. The results support the concept that acidic residues and not basic residues are important specificity determinants for the epidermal-growth-factor-stimulated tyrosine protein kinase.     

High tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity in normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes

Tyrosine-specific protein kinase (ATP: protein phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.37) activity was measured in normal human nonadherent peripheral blood lymphocytes using synthetic peptide substrates having sequence homologies with either pp60^src or c-myc. A high level of tyrosine-specific protein kinase activity was found associated with the cell particulate fraction (100 000 × g pellet). High-pressure liquid chromatography and phosphoamino acid analysis of the synthetic peptide substrates substantiated the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues by the particulate fraction enzyme. The human enzyme was also capable of phosphorylating a synthetic random polymer of 80% glutamic acid and 20% tyrosine. Enzyme activity was half-maximal with 22 μM Mg·ATP and had apparent K_m values for the synthetic peptides from 1.9 to 7.1 mM. The enzyme preferred Mg²⁺ to Mn²⁺ for optimal activity and was stimulated 2–5-fold by low levels (0.05%) of some ionic as well as non-ionic detergents including deoxycholate, Nonidet P-40 and Triton X-100. The enzyme activity was not stimulated by N⁶;O^2′-dibutyryl cyclic AMP (100 μM), N⁶;O^2′-dibutyryl cyclic GMP (100 μM), Ca²⁺ (200 μM), insulin (1 μg/ml) or homogeneous human T-cell growth factor (3 μg/ml) under the conditions used. Alkaline-resistant phosphorylation of particulate proteins in vitro revealed protein bands with M_r 59 000 and 54 000 suggesting that there are endogenous substrates for the human lymphocyte tyrosine protein kinase.     

Properties of tyrosine-specific protein kinase from rat sarcoma cells

A procedure for measuring the activity of tyrosine-specific protein kinases was developed. The method is based on the fact that the phosphoryl groups of phosphotyrosine residues of phosphorylated protein substrates are not hydrolyzed in alkaline solutions, whereas the phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues lose their phosphoryl groups upon heating in 2 N KOH. It was demonstrated that rat sarcoma XC cells in culture and in solid tumours contain tyrosine-specific protein kinase (TPK). The TPK is localized in the membrane fraction of the cells and is solubilized by 1% Triton X-100. Mn2+-ATP is a nucleotide substrate for TPK. Among other protein substrates, TPK strongly phosphorylates histones H5 and H2a, weakly phosphorylates histones H2b, H4 and H1 but does not phosphorylate protamine, casein, vinculin or angiotensin II. The optimal concentration of Mn2+ for the reaction is 2 mM; the Km values for ATP and histone H5 are 2-3 microM and 2.5 mg/ml, respectively. Tyrosine-specific protein kinases phosphorylating histone H5 were detected in the membrane fraction isolated from different mammalian tissues, e. g., spleen, heart, liver, brain and lungs, as well as from human intestinal mucosa and mucosal adenocarcinoma. These results suggest that tyrosine-specific protein kinases phosphorylating histone H5 are present in a vast majority of mammalian tissues.     

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.     

Platelet tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation is regulated by thrombin.

Intact human platelets, terminally differentiated cells with no growth potential, were found to possess unusually high levels of tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation. The physiological platelet activator thrombin transiently elevated platelet phosphotyrosine content, apparently through stimulation of one or more tyrosine-specific protein kinases. Immunoblotting with antiphosphotyrosine antiserum showed that thrombin caused dramatic changes in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of individual protein bands and that these changes occurred in three distinct temporal waves. Most but not all of the protein bands phosphorylated at tyrosine in response to thrombin were also tyrosine phosphorylated in response to chilling or the combination of ionophore A23187 and tetradecanoylphorbol acetate. Thrombin stimulated the phosphorylation of the tyrosine kinase pp60c-src, primarily at Ser-12 and Tyr-527, although the effects of these phosphorylations on platelet pp60c-src function were not apparent. Together, these results suggest that tyrosine-specific protein kinases of uncertain identity are involved in signal transduction in platelets.     

A synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 137 to 157 of p60v-src inhibits tyrosine-specific protein kinases

A 21-residue synthetic peptide corresponding to a part of the noncatalytic domain of p60v-src (residues 137 to 157) was found to inhibit the tyrosine kinase activity of p60v-src. The half inhibition concentration was ca. 7.5 microM. The peptide (peptide A) did not compete with substrate proteins or ATP. Peptide A also inhibited the autophosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor/kinase and the tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation in the acetylcholine receptor-rich membranes isolated from electroplax of Narke japonica. However, serine/threonine-specific protein kinases such as cAMP-dependent and cGMP-dependent protein kinases were not inhibited by peptide A.     

Affinity Purification of Embryo Proteins Phosphorylated on Tyrosine In Vitro*

Fertilization of the sea urchin egg is accompanied by activation of one or more protein tyrosine kinases which have been shown to phosphorylate a restricted set of egg proteins in vitro. In order to characterize these tyrosine kinase substrates, we have used an antibody specific for phosphotyrosine to prepare an immunoaffinity column capable of binding phosphotyrosine containing proteins. This column bound five ³²P-labelled proteins from detergent extracts of embryo membranes phosphorylated in vitro. All were very tightly membrane associated, requiring detergent solubilization. Phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that each of these proteins was phosphorylated exclusively on tyrosine, indicating that they do not act as substrates for other classes of protein kinases.