Cleavage and release of a soluble form of the receptor tyrosine kinase ARK in vitro and in vivo

The receptor tyrosine kinase ARK (also called AXL or UFO) is the murine prototype of a small family of receptors with an extracellular domain resembling cell adhesion molecules and a conserved tyrosine kinase domain. ARK is capable of homophilic binding, as well as of binding to GAS6, a secreted member of the class of vitamin K dependent proteins whose expression is up-regulated in growth-arrested cells. To gain understanding of the physiological role of ARK signaling, we have investigated the ARK forms which are expressed by cells in culture as well as by mouse organs. We found that ARK is not only expressed as a transmembrane protein, but is also cleaved in the extracellular domain to generate a soluble ARK form of about 65 kDa, which is easily detected in conditioned media of ARK expressing cells, in serum and plasma and in mouse organs. Soluble ARK is also produced by tumor cells in vivo. The function of these molecules could be that of binding GAS6, thereby inhibiting the interaction of this ligand with its cell-associated receptor, or they could be involved in binding to ARK itself. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Interactions between the S-domain receptor kinases and AtPUB-ARM E3 ubiquitin ligases suggest a conserved signaling pathway in Arabidopsis

The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome encompasses multiple receptor kinase families with highly variable extracellular domains. Despite their large numbers, the various ligands and the downstream interacting partners for these kinases have been deciphered only for a few members. One such member, the S-receptor kinase, is known to mediate the self-incompatibility (SI) response in Brassica. S-receptor kinase has been shown to interact and phosphorylate a U-box/ARM-repeat-containing E3 ligase, ARC1, which, in turn, acts as a positive regulator of the SI response. In an effort to identify conserved signaling pathways in Arabidopsis, we performed yeast two-hybrid analyses of various S-domain receptor kinase family members with representative Arabidopsis plant U-box/ARM-repeat (AtPUB-ARM) E3 ligases. The kinase domains from S-domain receptor kinases were found to interact with ARM-repeat domains from AtPUB-ARM proteins. These kinase domains, along with M-locus protein kinase, a positive regulator of SI response, were also able to phosphorylate the ARM-repeat domains in in vitro phosphorylation assays. Subcellular localization patterns were investigated using transient expression assays in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) BY-2 cells and changes were detected in the presence of interacting kinases. Finally, potential links to the involvement of these interacting modules to the hormone abscisic acid (ABA) were investigated. Interestingly, AtPUB9 displayed redistribution to the plasma membrane of BY-2 cells when either treated with ABA or coexpressed with the active kinase domain of ARK1. As well, T-DNA insertion mutants for ARK1 and AtPUB9 lines were altered in their ABA sensitivity during germination and acted at or upstream of ABI3, indicating potential involvement of these proteins in ABA responses.     

Cloning, expression, and chromosomal localization of beta-adrenergic receptor kinase 2. A new member of the receptor kinase family

The beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta ARK) specifically phosphorylates the agonist-occupied form of the beta-adrenergic and related G protein-coupled receptors. Structural features of this enzyme have been elucidated recently by the isolation of a cDNA that encodes bovine beta ARK. Utilizing a catalytic domain fragment of the beta ARK cDNA to screen a bovine brain cDNA library we have isolated a clone encoding a beta ARK-related enzyme which we have termed beta ARK2. Overall, this enzyme has 85% amino acid identity with beta ARK, with the protein kinase catalytic domain having 95% identity. The ability of beta ARK2 to phosphorylate various substrates was studied after expression in COS 7 cells. Although beta ARK2 is essentially equiactive with beta ARK in phosphorylating an acid-rich synthetic model peptide it was only approximately 50% as active when the substrate was the agonist-occupied beta 2-adrenergic receptor and only approximately 20% as active toward light-bleached rhodopsin. As with beta ARK, phosphorylation of the receptor substrates by beta ARK2 was completely stimulus dependent. RNA blot analysis with selected bovine tissues reveals an mRNA of 8 kilobases with a distribution similar to that of beta ARK. More detailed RNA analysis using a ribonuclease protection assay in various rat tissues suggests that the beta ARK2 message is present at much lower levels (typically 10-20%) than the beta ARK message. In the rat the beta ARK2 mRNA is localized predominantly in neuronal tissues although low levels are also observed in various peripheral tissues. The beta ARK2 gene has been localized to a region of mouse chromosome 5 whereas the beta ARK gene is localized on mouse chromosome 19. These data suggest the existence of a "family" of receptor kinases which may serve broadly to regulate receptor function.     

The receptor tyrosine kinase ARK mediates cell aggregation by homophilic binding.

The ARK (AXL, UFO) receptor is a member of a new family of receptor tyrosine kinases whose extracellular domain contains a combination of fibronectin type III and immunoglobulin motifs similar to those found in many cell adhesion molecules. ARK mRNA is expressed at high levels in the mouse brain, prevalently in the hippocampus and cerebellum, and this pattern of expression resembles that of adhesion molecules that are capable of promoting cell aggregation through homophilic or heterophilic binding. We report here the ability of the murine ARK receptor to mediate homophilic binding. Expression of the ARK protein in Drosophila S2 cells induces formation of cell aggregates consisting of ARK-expressing cells, and aggregation leads to receptor activation, with an increase in receptor phosphorylation. Homophilic binding does not require ARK tyrosine kinase activity, since S2 cells expressing a receptor in which the intracellular domain was deleted were able to undergo aggregation as well as cells expressing the wild-type ARK receptor. Similar results were obtained with NIH 3T3 and CHO cells expressing high levels of ARK, although in this case ARK expression appeared to be accompanied by constitutive activation. The purified recombinant extracellular domain of ARK can induce homotypic aggregation of coated fluorescent beads (Covaspheres), and this protein can also function as a substrate for adhesion by S2 and NIH 3T3 cells expressing ARK. These results suggest that ARK represents a new cell adhesion molecule that through its homophilic interaction may regulate cellular functions during cell recognition.     

The Microtubule Plus-End Tracking Protein ARMADILLO-REPEAT KINESIN1 Promotes Microtubule Catastrophe in Arabidopsis

Microtubule dynamics are critically important for plant cell development. Here, we show that Arabidopsis thaliana ARMADILLO-REPEAT KINESIN1 (ARK1) plays a key role in root hair tip growth by promoting microtubule catastrophe events. This destabilizing activity appears to maintain adequate free tubulin concentrations in order to permit rapid microtubule growth, which in turn is correlated with uniform tip growth. Microtubules in ark1-1 root hairs exhibited reduced catastrophe frequency and slower growth velocities, both of which were restored by low concentrations of the microtubule-destabilizing drug oryzalin. An ARK1-GFP (green fluorescent protein) fusion protein expressed under its endogenous promoter localized to growing microtubule plus ends and rescued the ark1-1 root hair phenotype. Transient overexpression of ARK1-RFP (red fluorescent protein) increased microtubule catastrophe frequency. ARK1-fusion protein constructs lacking the N-terminal motor domain still labeled microtubules, suggesting the existence of a second microtubule binding domain at the C terminus of ARK1. ARK1-GFP was broadly expressed in seedlings, but mutant phenotypes were restricted to root hairs, indicating that ARK1’s function is redundant in cells other than those forming root hairs.     

A superfamily of S locus-related sequences in Arabidopsis: diverse structures and expression patterns.

Six sequences that are closely related to the S gene family of the largely self-incompatible Brassica species have been identified in self-fertilizing Arabidopsis. The sequences define four genomic regions that map to chromosomes 1 and 3. Of the four functional genes identified, only the previously reported Arabidopsis AtS1 gene was expressed specifically in papillar cells and may function in pollination. The remaining three genes, including two novel genes designated ARK2 and ARK3, encode putative receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinases that are expressed predominantly in vegetative tissues. ARK2 promoter activity was detected exclusively in above-ground tissues, specifically in cotyledons, leaves, and sepals, in correlation with the maturation of these structures. ARK3 promoter activity was detected in roots as well as above-ground tissues but was limited to small groups of cells in the root-hypocotyl transition zone and at the base of lateral roots, axillary buds, and pedicels. The nonoverlapping patterns of expression of the ARK genes and the divergence of their sequences, particularly in their predicted extracellular domains, suggest that these genes perform nonredundant functions in specific aspects of development or growth of the plant body.     

Armadillo repeat-containing kinesins and a NIMA-related kinase are required for epidermal-cell morphogenesis in Arabidopsis

The involvement of kinesin motor proteins in both cell-tip growth and cell-shape determination has been well characterized in various organisms. However, the functions of kinesins during cell morphogenesis in higher plants remain largely unknown. In the current study, we demonstrate that an armadillo repeat-containing kinesin-related protein, ARMADILLO REPEAT KINESIN1 (ARK1), is involved in root-hair morphogenesis. Microtubule polymers are more abundant in ark1 null allele root hairs, but analysis shows that these extra microtubules are concentrated in the endoplasm, and not in the cortical array, suggesting that ARK1 regulates tip growth by limiting the assembly and distribution of endoplasmic microtubules. The ARK1 gene has two homologues in the Arabidopsis genome, ARK2 and ARK3, and our results show that ARK2 is involved in root-cell morphogenesis. We further reveal that a NIMA-related protein kinase, NEK6, binds to the ARK family proteins and has pleiotropic effects on epidermal-cell morphogenesis, suggesting that NEK6 is involved in cell morphogenesis in Arabidopsis via microtubule functions associated with these armadillo repeat-containing kinesins. We discuss the function of NIMA-related protein kinases and armadillo repeat-containing kinesins in the cell morphogenesis of eukaryotes.