Cryopreservation of the cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from bovine cardiac muscle

A method for the cryogenic storage of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase from bovine cardiac muscle is described. The catalytic parameters, kcat, KM, and kcat/KM are used to assess the activity of the enzyme both prior and subsequent to the freeze-thaw cycle. The enzyme is stored in cryogenic vials at -196 degrees C in liquid nitrogen. Complete retention of catalytic activity is dependent upon a rapid and efficient freeze-thaw cycle and the use of morpholinepropanesulfonic acid as the buffer. In addition, this buffer appears to eliminate the KCl- or NaCl-induced damage typically observed for enzymes stored at low temperature in phosphate buffer. As a result, morpholinepropanesulfonic acid may prove to be a more appropriate cryopreservation buffer than phosphate when the presence of salt is required for enzyme solubility or stability.     

Single step purification of the catalytic subunit(s) of cyclic 3', 5'-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase(s) from rat muscle.

The catalytic subunit(s) of the cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) dependent protein kinase(s) from rat muscle has been purified from crude extract in a single step several thousand fold and with high yield. This was achieved by selective release and elution of the cationic catalytic part(s) from the anionic holoenzyme adsorbed to anion exchange cellulose by low amounts of cAMP. Evidence is presented for the existence of differently charged cationic catalytic subunits.     

Separation of regulatory and catalytic subunits of the cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase(s) of rabbit skeletal muscle

The cyclic 3′, 5′-adenosine monophosphate-dependent (cAMP-dependent) protein kinase(s) from rabbit skeletal muscle has been separated into catalytic and regulatory subunits by affinity chromatography utilizing a casein-Sepharose column in the presence of cAMP. The isolated catalytic subunit manifests full activity in the absence of cAMP but its requirement for this nucleotide is regained when the enzyme is reconstituted by addition of the regulatory subunit. Evidence is presented for the existence of more than a single type of regulatory or cAMP-binding subunit in muscle.     

Cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate-dependent kinase and phosphoproteins in human amnion

3',5'-Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) modulates prostaglandin production in human amnion membranes. The major effects of cAMP are presumably mediated through the phosphorylation of specific regulatory phosphoproteins following cAMP activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphoproteins have not previously been characterized in human amnion. Total homogenates, cytosol, and membrane fractions from human amnion were examined for [3H]cAMP binding activity and cAMP-dependent kinase activity. cAMP-dependent kinase activity was barely detectable in crude amnion fractions. Cytosol was therefore partially purified by DEAE column chromatography for further examination. Two peaks of coincident [3H]cAMP binding and cAMP-dependent kinase activity were demonstrated at 70 and 140 mM NaCl, characteristic of the Type I and Type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase isozymes. [3H]cAMP binding to the material from both peak fractions was saturable and reversible. Scatchard analysis of [3H]cAMP binding to the peak fractions was linear for peak I and curvilinear for peak II. Assuming a one-site model, [3H]cAMP binding to the Type I isozyme showed a KD = 4.17 x 10(-8) M and Bmax = 73 pmole/mg protein; using a two-site model, [3H]cAMP binding to the high-affinity site for the Type II isozyme had a KD = 3.94 x 10(-8) M and Bmax = 6.3 pmole/mg protein. Other cyclic nucleotides competed for these [3H]cAMP binding sites with a potency order of cAMP much greater than cGMP greater than (BU)2cAMP.cAMP caused a dose-dependent increase in cAMP-dependent kinase activity in the peak fractions; half-maximal activation was observed with 5.0 x 10(-8) M cAMP. The ability of cAMP to increase phosphorylation of endogenous proteins in both crude amnion cytosol and cytosol from cultures of amnion epithelial cells was assessed using [32P]ATP, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. cAMP stimulated 32P incorporation into three proteins having Mr = 80,000, 54,000, and 43,000 (P less than .01). Half-maximal 32P incorporation into these proteins occurred at 1.0 x 10(-7) M cAMP. cAMP-dependent kinase is present in human amnion; specific cAMP-enhanced phosphoproteins are also present. Hormones elevating cAMP levels in amnion may exert their effects by activating cAMP-dependent kinase and phosphorylating these phosphoproteins.     

A novel isoform of human cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase, c alpha-s, localizes to sperm midpiece

Using rapid amplification of cDNA ends, a cDNA encoding a novel splice variant of the human C alpha catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) was identified. The novel isoform differed only in the N-terminal part of the deduced amino acid sequence, corresponding to the part encoded by exon 1 in the previously characterized murine C alpha gene. Sequence comparison revealed similarity to an ovine C alpha variant characterized by protein purification and micropeptide sequencing, C alpha-s, identifying the cloned human cDNA as the C alpha-s isoform. The C alpha-s mRNA was expressed exclusively in human testis and expression in isolated human pachytene spermatocytes was demonstrated. The C alpha-s protein was present in ejaculated human sperm, and immunofluorescent labeling with a C alpha-s-specific antibody indicated that C alpha-s was localized in the midpiece region of the spermatozoon. The majority of C alpha-s was particulate and could not be released from the sperm midpiece by cAMP treatment alone. Furthermore, detergent extraction solubilized approximately two-thirds of the C alpha-s pool, indicating interaction both with detergent-resistant cytoskeletal and membrane structures. In addition, we recently identified the regulatory subunit isoforms RI alpha, RII alpha, and an A-kinase anchoring protein, hAKAP220 in this region in sperm that could target C alpha-s. This novel C alpha-s splice variant appeared to have an independent anchor in the human sperm midpiece as it could not be completely solubilized even in the presence of both detergent and cAMP.     

Comparison of cyclic nucleotide specificity of guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase.

Guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase) and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase) exhibited a high degree of cyclic nucleotide specificity when hormone-sensitive triacylglycerol lipase, phosphorylase kinase, and cardiac troponin were used as substrates. The concentration of cyclic GMP required to activate half-maximally cyclic dependent protein kinase was 1000- to 100-fold less than that of cyclic AMP with these substrates. The opposite was true with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase where 1000- to 100-fold less cyclic AMP than cyclic GMP was required for half-maximal enzyme activation. This contrasts with the lower degree of cyclic nucleotide specificity of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase of 25-fold when histone H2b was used as a substrate for phosphorylation. Cyclic IMP resembled cyclic AMP in effectiveness in stimulating cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase but was intermediate between cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in stimulating cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The effect of cyclic IMP on cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase was confirmed in studies of autophosphorylation of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase where both cyclic AMP and cyclic IMP enhanced autophosphorylation. The high degree of cyclic nucleotide specificity observed suggests that cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP activate only their specific kinase and that crossover to the opposite kinase is unlikely to occur at reported cellular concentrations of cyclic nucleotides.     

Amino acid sequence of the catalytic subunit of bovine type II adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate dependent protein kinase

The 350-residue amino acid sequence of the catalytic subunit of bovine cardiac muscle adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate dependent protein kinase is described. The protein has a molecular weight of 40 862, which includes an N-tetradecanoyl (myristyl) group blocking the NH2 terminus and phosphate groups at threonine-197 and serine-338. Seven methionyl bonds in the S-carboxymethylated protein were cleaved with cyanogen bromide to yield eight primary peptides. These fragments, and subpeptides generated by cleavage with trypsin, pepsin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin, and Myxobacter AL-1 protease II, were purified and analyzed to yield the majority of the sequence. The primary peptides were aligned by analyses of overlapping peptides, particularly of methione-containing tryptic peptides generated after in vitro [14C]methyl exchange labeling of methionyl residues in the intact protein.     

Purification and characterization of an adenosine cyclic 3':5' monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from human erythrocyte membrane.

A cAMP dependent protein kinase was extracted from human erythrocyte membrane with hydrosoluble fraction and partially purified by ammonium sulfate-precipitation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The pH of optimal activity is 6.5; the enzyme has an absolute requirement of Mg²⁺ ions at the concentration of 10 mM and is strongly inhibited by Ca²⁺. It uses ATP as phosphate donor with a Km of 3.7 × 10^?6 M. Cyclic AMP stimulates the activity with an apparent Ka of 5 × 10^?8 M; cIMP and cGMP also acts as activators. Enzyme activity is thermolabile and not protected by Mg ATP complex. The enzyme purified from erythrocyte membrane is a type I protein-kinase as proven by DEAE cellulose chromatography and dissociation of the subunits in presence of NaCl 0.5 M and histone.     

Guanosine cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from foetal calf heart. Purification, general properties and catalytic subunit.

Cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase was purified from foetal calf hearts, and its general properties and subunit structure were studied. The enzyme was purified over 900-fold from the heart extract by pH 5.3-isoelectric precipitation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, Sephadex G-200 filtration and hydroxyapatite treatment. The purified myocardial enzyme, free from cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase contamination, exhibited an absolute requirement of stimulatory modulator (or crude modulator containing the stimulatory modulator component) for its cyclic GMP-stimulated activity. Inhibitory modulator (protein inhibitor) of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase could not stimulate nor inhibit the cyclic GMP target enzyme. The enzyme had Ka values of 0.013, 0.033 and 3.0 micronM for 8-bromo cyclic GMP, cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP respectively. The cyclic GMP-dependent enzyme required Mg2+ and Co2+ for its activity, with optimal concentrations of about 30 and 0.5 mM respectively. The pH optimum for the enzyme activity ranged from 6 to 9. Histones were generally effective substrate proteins. The enzyme exhibited a greater affinity for histones than did the cyclic AMP-dependent class of protein kinase. The holoenzyme (apparent mol.wt. 150 000) of the myocardial cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase was dissociated into a cyclic GMP-independent catalytic subunit (apparent mol.wt. 60 000) by cyclic GMP and histone. The catalytic subunit required the stimulatory modulator for its activity, as in the case of the holoenzyme in the presence of cyclic GMP.     

A cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate-binding protein in the causative agent of plague

cAMP-binding protein was isolated from the plaque agent and purified to the homogeneous state. Purification process included filtration of the initial preparation through the membrane able to transmit particles with mol. weight to 300,000 Da, chromatography on cellulose "DE-52" and biogel HTP. The protein homogeneity was confirmed by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel and precipitation with commercial plague agglutinating serum. The protein with mol. weight of 180,000 Da consisted of two identical subunits (90,000 Da. each) which could dissociate with formation of monomers (mol. weight approximately 18,000 Da), Cu2+, Co2+, Mn2+ ions stimulated activity of cAMP-binding protein of a plague microbe while Fe3+, Ca2+, Zn2+ ions inhibited it by 30-70%. A monospecific rabbit serum to the homogeneous preparation of cAMP-binding protein was obtained. It helped finding the similar protein in the close relative bacterium Yersinia pseudotuberculosis but not in Y. enterocolitica.     

Neutrophil dysfunction in guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase I-deficient mice

The regulation of neutrophil functions by Type I cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGKI) was investigated in wild-type (WT) and cGKI-deficient (cGKI-/-) mice. We demonstrate that murine neutrophils expressed cGKIalpha. Similar to the regulation of Ca2+ by cGKI in other cells, there was a cGMP-dependent decrease in Ca2+ transients in response to C5a in WT, but not cGKI-/- bone marrow neutrophils. In vitro chemotaxis of bone marrow neutrophils to C5a or IL-8 was significantly greater in cGKI-/- than in WT. Enhanced chemotaxis was also observed with cGKI-/- peritoneal exudate neutrophils (PE-N). In vivo chemotaxis with an arachidonic acid-induced inflammatory ear model revealed an increase in both ear weight and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in ear punches of cGKI-/- vs WT mice. These changes were attributable to enhanced vascular permeability and increased neutrophil infiltration. The total extractable content of MPO, but not lysozyme, was significantly greater in cGKI-/- than in WT PE-N. Furthermore, the percentage of MPO released in response to fMLP from cGKI-/- (69%) was greater than that from WT PE-N (36%). PMA failed to induce MPO release from PE-N of either genotype. In contrast, fMLP and PMA released equivalent amounts of lysozyme from PE-N. However, the percentage released was less in cGKI-/- (approximately 60%) than in WT (approximately 90%) PE-N. Superoxide release (maximum velocity) revealed no genotype differences in responses to PMA or fMLP stimulation. In summary, these results show that cGKIalpha down-regulates Ca2+ transients and chemotaxis in murine neutrophils. The regulatory influences of cGKIalpha on the secretagogue responses are complex, depending on the granule subtype.