Stimulation of rhodopsin phosphorylation by guanine nucleotides in rod outer segments

Porcine rod outer segment (ROS) proteins were phosphorylated in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP and Mg2+, separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and detected by autoradiography. The phosphorylation of rhodopsin, the major protein-staining band (Mr approximately 34 000-38 000), was markedly and specifically increased by exposure of rod outer segments to light; various guanine nucleotides (10 microM) including GMP, GDP, and GTP also specifically increased rhodopsin phosphorylation (up to 5-fold). Adenine nucleotides (cyclic AMP, AMP, and ADP at 10 microM) and 8-bromo-GMP (10 microM) or cyclic 8-bromo-GMP (10 microM) had no detectable stimulatory effect on rhodopsin phosphorylation. GTP increased the phosphorylation of rhodopsin at concentrations as low as 100 nM, and guanosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imidotriphosphate), a relatively stable analogue of GTP, was nearly as effective as GTP. Maximal stimulation of rhodopsin phosphorylation by GTP was observed at 2 microM. GMP and GDP were less potent than GTP. Both cyclic GMP and GMP were converted to GTP during the time period of the protein phosphorylation reaction, suggestive of a GTP-specific effect. Transphosphorylation of guanine nucleotides by [32P]ATP and subsequent utilization of [32P]GTP as a more effective substrate were ruled out as an explanation for the guanine nucleotide stimulation. With increasing concentrations of ROS proteins, the phosphorylation of rhodopsin was nonlinear, whereas in the presence of GTP (2 microM) linear increases in rhodopsin phosphorylation as a function of added ROS protein were observed. These results suggest that GTP stimulates the phosphorylation of rhodopsin by ATP and that a GTP-sensitive inhibitor (or regulator) of rhodopsin phosphorylation may be present in ROS.     

Mechanism of endogenous phosphorylation of microtubule proteins during GTP-induced microtubule assembly and implications for stability of the assembled structures

Cycle-purified microtubule protein from mammalian brain incorporated [32P]Pi upon incubation with [gamma-32P]GTP under the conditions used to promote assembly. This phosphorylation also occurred in the same proteins when phosphorylated with [gamma-32P]ATP and was only slightly stimulated by cAMP. GTP was a much less effective substrate than ATP. The transfer of phosphoryl groups from [gamma-32P]GTP to endogenous proteins followed a linear time-course and was stimulated by low concentrations of ATP and, more efficiently, by ADP. These data are in agreement with the predictions derived from a mechanism of phosphorylation by which [gamma-32P]GTP does not act as a phosphoryl donor for the protein kinase activity but, instead, only as a repository of high group transfer potential phosphoryl groups used to make [gamma-32P]ATP, from contaminating ADP, by means of the nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity. Using 100 mM fluoride, which suppressed protein phosphorylation without inhibiting the nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity, formation of [gamma-32P]ATP was detected. Fluoride was also able to protect microtubules from a slow depolymerization which was found to occur during long-term incubation of microtubules. This indicates that the phosphorylation observed in the presence of GTP is sufficient to destabilize microtubules.     

Endogenous phosphorylation of sarcoplasmic reticulum fragments of rabbit fast skeletal muscles

The purified membrane fragments of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rabbit fast skeletal muscles were found to incorporate 32P from[gamma-32P]ATP in endogenous membrane substrates and in histone H1. The existence of membrane-bound protein kinase of SR was demonstrated by steady state binding of [3H]-cAMP to the SR membranes. The constant of [3H]cAMP binding to the membranes is 2.5 +/- 0.003 x 10(6) M-1, the number of binding sites is 6.1 +/- 0.8 pmol per 1 mg of protein. The endogenous phosphorylation of SR components was inhibited by cAMP and cGMP at concentrations of 10(-7)-10(-6) and depended on Mg2+ and Ca2+. The thermostable protein inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibited the endogenous phosphorylation of SR membranes by 30-40%. The protein phosphoproduct of SR membranes revealed the properties of a phosphoester. The membrane-bound protein kinase was active towards the exogenous substrate--histone H1. Phosphorylation in the presence of histones was independent of cyclic nucleotides, Mg2+ and Ca2+. Fractionation of 32P-labelled solubilized membranes in polyacrylamide gel in the presence of Na-SDS showed that the radioactivity is bound to protein zones with molecular weights of 95 000 and 6000.     

Use of 8-azidoguanosine 5'-[gamma-32P]triphosphate as a probe of the guanosine 5'-triphosphate binding protein subunits in bovine rod outer segments

In an in vitro incubation, 8-azidoguanosine 5'-[gamma-32P]triphosphate ( [gamma-32P]-8-azido-GTP) labeled bleached rhodopsin independent of ultraviolet light. Characterization of this labeling indicated that rhodopsin was phosphorylated with [gamma-32P]-8-azido-GTP as a phosphate donor. At low concentrations, ATP increased this labeling activity 5-fold. In the same incubation, [gamma-32P]-8-azido-GTP also labeled G alpha (Mr 40 000). This labeling was ultraviolet light dependent. G beta (Mr 35 000) was also labeled dependent for the most part upon ultraviolet light, but a smaller component of labeling appeared to result from phosphorylation. Differential labeling of G alpha and G beta was found to vary intricately with experimental conditions, especially prebleaching of rhodopsin, tonicity of the medium, and the presence or absence of 2-mercaptoethanol. Affinity labeling of G alpha and G beta by [gamma-32P]-8-azido-GTP in competition with ATP or GTP was kinetically complex, consistent with possible multiple binding sites for GTP on both subunits. Independent evidence for two or more binding sites on G alpha has been offered by other laboratories, and recently, at least one binding site on G beta and its analogues among the N proteins of adenylate cyclases has been identified.     

Phosphorylation of endogenous proteins of bovine retina rod outer segments

The components of bovine rod outer segments (ROS) and water-soluble extracts of ROS were separated by SDS-electrophoresis after incubation with [gamma-32P]ATP or [gamma-32P]GTP at different experimental conditions. After that gels were autoradiographed to reveal the phosphorylated intermediates. Our results suggest, that ROS contains the following protein kinase systems: 1) water-soluble cAMP-dependent protein kinases, that uses ATP, but not GTP, and phosphorylates the water-soluble 30 000 molecular weight protein; 2) protein kinase that uses GTP (probably, ATP also) and phosphorylates the 20 000 molecular weight protein in light-adapted ROS; 3) water-soluble cyclic nucleotide- and Ca2+-independent protein kinase that uses ATP rather than GTP and phosphorylates the water-soluble 70 000 molecular weight protein. The concentrations of phosphorylated intermediates in bovine ROS are estimated.     

Phosphorylation in sealed rod outer segments: effects of cyclic nucleotides

Rod outer segments (ROS) from rat were purified on Percoll gradients. These ROS had intact plasma membranes since they were impermeable to small molecules. Protein phosphorylation in the purified ROS was studied after the plasma membrane was disrupted by freeze/thawing. [gamma-32P]ATP was used as phosphate donor. ATP concentration, time, temperature, and light or dark adaptation were varied in the assays. The 32P-labeled proteins were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiographed. Rhodopsin was the dominant phosphorylated protein, and the addition of adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (cAMP) or guanosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate (cGMP) (10(-4) M) did not qualitatively alter the ROS phosphorylation pattern. The only cyclic nucleotide effect we could establish in these experiments was the inhibition of rhodopsin phosphorylation by cGMP. This inhibition did not appear to be competitive with ATP since cAMP was much less inhibitory than cGMP and the phosphorylation in the presence of cGMP reached a plateau at a much lower level than in control conditions. Hypotheses implying an involvement of protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in dark adaptation have been formulated [Miller, J. A., & Paulsen, R. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 4427-4432; Kuhn, H., McDowell, J. H., Leser, K. H., & Bader, S. (1977) Biophys. Struct. Mech. 3, 175-180]; we suggest that cGMP may control this process through the modulation of the extent of inhibition of phosphorylation of the visual pigment.     

Protein kinases in brown adipose tissue of developing rats. I. GTP as nucleotide substrate for histone phosphorylation.

100 000 times g soluble extracts from interscapular brown adipose tissue catalyzed the transfer of the terminal phosphoryl group from GTP to histone. Maximal velocity was achieved only with both cyclic AMP and ATP present. The cyclic AMP dose-response curve was the same as for the ATP-utilizing enzyme, with maximum stimulation at 0.5 muM. ATP (1--100muM) increased the rate of histone phosphorylation with GTP as the radioactive substrate. Higher concentrations had a dilution effect similar to that of GTP on the ATP-utilizing enzyme. Similar effects were observed with ADP and AMP. The apparent Km values for histone were the same with both GTP and ATP as nucleotide substrates. The effects of pH, purified beef muscle kinase inhibitor and of NaCl were also the same. Maximum velocities of histone phosphorylation from ATP and those from GTP were almost the same in brown fat of all age groups testes, Separated on histone-Sepharose, the GTP-utilizing activity was absolutely dependent on the re-addition of the ATP-utilizing enzyme (a linear relationship with a slope of approx. 0.95). An extremely active nucleotide phosphotransferase activity was found in the same subcellular fraction. The rate of equilibration of the gamma-32-P between GTP and ATP could account for all the histone phosphorylation with [gamma-32-P] GTP. It is concluded that, in spite of the presence of nucleotide phosphotransferase and ATP-protein kinase activities, a direct transfer from GTP to a protein substrate cannot be excluded. Also, histone may not be the natural protein acceptor for GTP-linked phosphorylation.     

Phosphorylation of a chromaffin granule-binding protein by protein kinase C

Protein kinase C was detected in a group of Ca2+-dependent chromaffin granule membrane-binding proteins (chromobindins) on the basis of Ca2+-, phosphatidylserine-, 1,2-diolein-, and phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated histone kinase activity. When the chromobindins were incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP, Ca2+, and phosphatidylserine, 32P was incorporated predominantly into a protein of mass 37 +/- 1 kilodaltons (chromobindin 9, or CB9). Phosphorylation of this protein was also stimulated by diolein and phorbol myristate acetate, indicating that it is a substrate for the protein kinase C activity present in the chromobindins. Maximum phosphate incorporation into CB9 in the presence of 1 mM Ca2+, 75 micrograms/ml of phosphatidylserine, 2.5 micrograms/ml of diolein, and 12.5 micrograms/ml of dithiothreitol was 0.53 mol/mol of CB9 in 5 min. Eight 32P-labeled phosphopeptides were resolved in two-dimensional electrophoretic maps of trypsin digests of CB9. Phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that phosphorylation was exclusively on serine (94%) and threonine (6%) residues. Incubation of the chromobindins with chromaffin granule membranes in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP resulted in the incorporation of 32P into eight additional proteins besides CB9 that could be separated from the membranes by centrifugation in the presence of ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. We suggest that phosphorylation of CB9 or these additional eight proteins may regulate events underlying exocytosis in the chromaffin cell.     

Endogenous hyperphosphorylation in plasma membrane from an ascites hepatocarcinoma cell line

Plasma-membrane-bound kinases of AS-30D ascites from transplantable rat hepatocarcinoma were shown to extensively catalyze the phosphorylation of plasma membrane proteins and membrane lipids, using [gamma-32P]ATP or [gamma-32P]GTP as a phosphate donor. In contrast, plasma membranes from normal adult rat liver or fast-growing regenerating liver (24 h after partial hepatectomy) produce significantly less activity for protein phosphorylation and little phosphorylation of the lipids. However, neonatal (24 h old) rat liver plasma membrane preparations show levels of phosphorylation of proteins and lipids intermediate between those in the tumor cell line and normal adult plasma membrane preparations. Phosphatidic acid was identified as one of the 32P-labelled lipids in the tumor plasma membrane chloroform-methanol (2:1, v/v) extract. Phosphorylation of protein was not affected by cAMP or cGMP. However, calcium ion (in the presence or absence of calmodulin) significantly modifies the 32P labelling of a series of proteins in normal tissue but has little effect with the neoplastic preparations. Some plasma membrane proteins were capable of nucleotide binding, instead or in addition to being phosphorylated. Finally, the presence of membrane-bound phosphoprotein phosphatase(s) was also demonstrated in all the preparations examined by means of chase experiments with nonlabelled ATP or GTP, and (or) by the use of the phosphoprotein phosphatase inhibitor, orthovanadate.     

Differential phosphorylation by GTP and ATP in isolated rod outer segments of the retina.

Isolated bovine rod outer segment protein is phosphorylated with GTP-gamma-32P and ATP-gamma 32P and to a much lesser extent by CTP-gamma-32P and UTP-gamma-32P. Phosphorylation with both GTP (GTP-kinase activity) and ATP (ATP-kinase activity) is markedly stimulated by light; phosphorylation with GTP is lower in dark-adapted and higher in light-adapted rod outer segments than is phosphorylation with ATP. Km values of 20 and 200 muM and Vmax values of 2.1 and 5.9 nmol/(mg min(-1)) were calculated using ATP and GTP, respectively, in light-adapted outer segments. When outer segments are incubated with GTP-gamma-32P under the usual conditions employed in these experiments, no formation of ATP-gamma-32P was detected by the techniques of high-pressure liquid chromatography and thin-layer chromatography. In intact, light-bleached outer segments, GTP appears to specifically phosphorylate rhodopsin. Histone and phosvitin are not phosphorylated to any appreciable extent by GTP. Histone appears to block rhodopsin phosphorylation by GTP while histone and, to some extent, phosvitin, both act as substrates for ATP-kinase activity. Cyclic AMP and other adenine derivates have a marked inhibitory effect on GTP-kinase activity. Phosphate also inhibits GTP-kinase activity but stimulates ATP-kinase activity. Such differences in phosphorylation with GTP and ATP indicate that these activities are either due to separate enzyme systems or, if only one enzyme is involved, the activities are under separate physiological control in the photoreceptor unit.     

Histidine phosphorylation of annexin I in airway epithelia

Although [Cl(-)](i) regulates many cellular functions including cell secretion, the mechanisms governing these actions are not known. We have previously shown that the apical membrane of airway epithelium contains a 37-kDa phosphoprotein (p37) whose phosphorylation is regulated by chloride concentration. Using metal affinity (chelating Fe(3+)-Sepharose) and anion exchange (POROS HQ 20) chromatography, we have purified p37 from ovine tracheal epithelia to electrophoretic homogeneity. Sequence analysis and immunoprecipitation using monoclonal and specific polyclonal antibodies identified p37 as annexin I, a member of a family of Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins. Phosphate on [(32)P]annexin I, phosphorylated using both [gamma-(32)P]ATP and [gamma-(32)P]GTP, was labile under acidic but not alkaline conditions. Phosphoamino acid analysis showed the presence of phosphohistidine. The site of phosphorylation was localized to a carboxyl-terminal fragment of annexin I. Our data suggest that cAMP and AMP (but not cGMP) may regulate annexin I histidine phosphorylation. We propose a role for annexin I in an intracellular signaling system involving histidine phosphorylation.     

Characterization of the Rous sarcoma virus transforming gene product

This report describes quantitative results of in vitro phosphorylation of the Rous sarcoma virus transforming gene product, pp60src, using ATP or GTP as phosphate donors. The Km values for the phosphorylation of pp60src by ATP and GTP were similar (10-36 and 25-36 microM, respectively) and the Vmax values were different (5-7 and 1.5-1.7 nmol min-1 mg-1 of pp60src, respectively). The radiolabeling of pp60src by [gamma-32P] ATP was inhibited by ADP and dATP at 20-fold higher concentrations by 75 and 83%, respectively. Other nucleotides served as weaker inhibitors under the same conditions. The radiolabeling of pp60src by [gamma-32P]GTP had lower specificity for this nucleotide, since ATP, dATP, ADP, dGTP, GDP, and TTP had at least a 50% inhibitory effect. The phosphorylated products of approximate Mr = 60,000 that were produced with ATP or GTP were shown to be the same protein molecule since they both could be immunoprecipitated with antibody raised against p60src produced by bacterial recombinants. Structural analysis revealed that the use of GTP resulted in phosphorylation of a tyrosine residue on the COOH-terminal region of pp60src, apparently the same site which contains the tyrosine phosphorylated in infected cells. In contrast, the use of ATP resulted in phosphorylation of several additional tyrosine residues on the NH2-terminal region of the molecule. In thermolability studies, the t1/2 values for the phosphorylation of pp66src in preparations from wild type virus-infected chicken cells were 5.1 min for both ATP and GTP, whereas the t1/2 values for the phosphorylation of pp60src in preparations from temperature-sensitive transformation mutant-infected cells were 1.1 min for both phosphate donors. Similar observations were found with alpha-casein as substrate.     

Renal brush border membrane phosphorylation: influence of pH, cAMP and ATP concentrations, parathyroid hormone status, and dietary phosphate

It is known that parathyroidectomy, administration of parathyroid hormone (PTH), and dietary phosphate depletion or excess result in variations in phosphaturia and in phosphate transport through brush border membrane vesicles isolated from the kidneys of various animals. Parathyroid hormone has been shown to ultimately phosphorylate some brush border membrane proteins and it has been postulated that the resulting phosphaturia is related to this phosphorylation. However, it is not known whether the regulation of phosphate transport by the diet is affected through similar pathways. Our experiments were designed to study the phosphorylation of brush border membrane with [gamma-32P]ATP using the intrinsic protein kinase of the membranes. Five groups of rats were used: normal, phosphate loaded, phosphate depleted, and thyroparathyroidectomized and acutely loaded with parathyroid hormone. In each series of animals, the proteins whose phosphorylation was cAMP dependent were detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and their phosphorylation with various concentrations of ATP, in the presence or absence of cAMP in the incubation medium, was quantified. In the normal rat, 17 proteins were phosphorylated, the phosphorylation of two of them (Mr, 71 000 and 84 000) being cAMP dependent. Maximal response to cAMP for these two proteins was obtained with 10 microM cAMP. The peaks of phosphorylation were observed at pH 7 for protein 71 000 and pH 10 for protein 84 000. When brush border membranes from normal rats were incubated with 10-100 microM ATP, cAMP-dependent phosphorylation increased to reach a maximal phosphorylation of 4.44 +/- 0.90 pmol/mg protein for protein 71 000 and 1.32 +/- 0.15 pmol/mg protein for protein 84 000.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Protein phosphorylation during 1-methyladenine-induced maturation of Asterias oocytes

Maturation was induced in Asterias oocytes with 1-methyladenine (1-MA) at a final concentration of 2 microM. At 5, 10, and 30 min of treatment, oocytes were homogenized and the cytosolic fraction was prepared. The cytosol was incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP and [gamma-32P]GTP. The phosphorylated proteins were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the radioactivity in the gels was determined by autoradiography. The cytosol prepared from 1-MA-treated oocytes incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP showed a marked increase in the radiolabeling of proteins with estimated molecular weights of 70,000 and 62,000 Da. With [gamma-32P]GTP a 56,000-Da protein showed increased radiolabeling. The present finding suggests that an early biochemical event of 1-MA-induced oocyte maturation in Asterias is the stimulation of phosphorylation of specific proteins.     

The phosphorylation of calmodulin and calmodulin fragments by kinase fractions from bovine brain

The phosphorylation of intact calmodulin and of fragments obtained by trypsin digestion was studied, using a protein kinase partially purified from bovine brain. Brain extracts were made in the presence of the detergent CHAPS (3-[3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate). The protein kinase catalyzed the incorporation of nearly 1 mol of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into calmodulin fragment 1-106. Incorporation was exclusively into serine 101. With fragment 78-148, the extent of phosphorylation was somewhat less and 32P appeared mainly in threonine residues. Fragment 1-90 was also a fairly good substrate, but the phosphorylation of intact calmodulin never exceeded 0.01 mol per mol. Little or no phosphorylation was seen with parvalbumin, the brain Ca2+-binding protein (CBP-18) and intestinal calcium-binding protein. The protein kinase had no requirement for cAMP or phospholipids. High levels of Mg2+ (60-70 mM) stimulated phosphorylation of the fragments 20-fold. Millimolar concentrations of Ca2+ were inhibitory. It is suggested that the calmodulin fragments were in a conformation more favorable for phosphorylation than intact soluble calmodulin.     

Guanosine triphosphate utilization by canine cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

We investigated the reaction mechanism for GTP-dependent Ca2+ uptake by canine cardiac microsomes enriched in fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), because previous studies reported that GTP utilization in cardiac SR occurs via a pathway very different from that for ATP utilization (for a review, see "Entman, M.L., Bick, R., Chu, A., Van Winkle, W.B., & Tate, C.A. (1986) J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 18, 781-792"). In cardiac microsomes, we detected slow but distinct oxalate-dependent Ca2+ accumulation, which reached 550 nmol/mg protein in 10 min, and similarly slow Ca2+-dependent GTP hydrolysis. In 50 microM [gamma-32P]-GTP at 0 degrees C, we detected Ca2+-dependent formation of phosphoprotein whose level in the steady state was about a half of the maximum obtained with [gamma-32P]ATP. Kinetic properties of the phosphoprotein, its molecular weight and its chemical stability after the acid treatment are consistent with the conclusion that the phosphoprotein is an acylphosphate intermediate for Ca2+-dependent GTP hydrolysis catalyzed by the Ca2+-pump ATPase. Analysis of the kinetics of the turnover of phosphoprotein revealed that slow GTP hydrolysis is due to slow phosphoprotein formation; at 25 degrees C, the latter arises mainly from slow binding of Ca2+ to the dephosphorylated enzyme. These results indicate that, contrary to the previous data, the reaction pathway for GTP-dependent Ca2+ transport in cardiac SR is basically the same as that for ATP-dependent transport.     

Ca2+-dependent protein phosphorylation associated with microsomal fraction of rat pancreas

Microsomes isolated from cat pancreas were incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence or absence of Ca2+. Following fractionation of phosphoproteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis a single microsomal protein with an apparent molecular mass of 77,000 dalton (77K) was found to be phosphorylated in a Ca2+-dependent mechanism. Maximal phosphate incorporation into the 77K protein was observed at 10(-6) mol/l [Ca2+] and was 4-fold higher than in the absence of Ca2+. The 77K phosphoprotein showed characteristic of a stable phosphoester rather than an acyl phosphate. Measurable phosphate incorporation into the 77K protein was noted 5 s following addition of [gamma-32P]ATP and reached maximum at 9-10th min. The lack of effect of exogenous cyclic AMP, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, calmodulin, the calmodulin antagonist trifluoperazine, leupeptin and the suppression of phosphorylation by some phospholipid-interacting drugs suggested that the 77K protein is a substrate for cyclic AMP- and calmodulin-independent, Ca2+-activated phospholipid-sensitive kinase activity. Centrifugation of the pancreatic homogenate in a ficoll-sucrose density gradient indicated that both the 77K protein and enzyme were associated in a fraction enriched in rough endoplasmic reticulum.     

Characterization of specific differences in protein phosphorylation of the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum of mouse fibroblasts.

Endogenous phosphorylation was studied with highly purified fractions of the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum of SV40-transformed mouse fibroblasts using [gamma-32P]ATP and [gamma-32P]GTP as precursors. With ATP maximum overall incorporation of 32P into both membrane fractions occurred at pH 7.8 in the presence of 10 mM MgCl2 after incubation for 1 min. GTP could be utilized only by the plasma membrane fraction showing maximum incorporation of 32P at pH 7.8 and 10 mM MgCl2 after incubation for 3 min. The pattern of phosphoproteins of the plasma membrane is represented by more than 15 proteins whereas the endoplasmic reticulum essentially contained only one phosphorylated component of 35 000 molecular weight. The comparison of ATP- and GTP-specific phosphorylation of the plasma membrane revealed GTP to be a less efficient precursor yielding a similar phosphoprotein pattern with one significant difference: the GTP-specific main component exhibited a molecular weight of about 100 000 and the ATP-specific main component a molecular weight of 110 000. The relative distribution of individual phosphoproteins in the pattern of the plasma membrane was dependent on pH but not on MgCl2 concentration or time of incubation. Increasing concentrations of plasma membrane protein altered the patterns of phosphoproteins dramatically: At high protein concentrations the ATP-specific main component (Mr = 110 000) was no more phosphorylated whereas with GTP the main component Mr = 100 000 was essentially the sole phosphorylated protein.     

Phosphoinositide synthesis in bovine rod outer segments

Phosphoinositide turnover has been implicated in signal transduction in a variety of cells, including photoreceptors. We demonstrate here the presence of a complete pathway for rapid synthesis of phosphoinositides in isolated bovine retinal rod outer segments (ROS) free of microsomal contaminants. Synthesis was measured by the incorporation of label from radioactive precursors, [gamma-32P]ATP and [3H]inositol. [gamma-32P]ATP also produced large amounts of labeled phosphatidic acid. Incorporation of [3H]inositol required CTP and Mn2+. Mn2+ increased 32P incorporation into phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, while spermine increased phosphoinositide labeling generally. ROS that had been washed to remove soluble and peripheral proteins incorporated less label than unwashed ROS into phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylinositol. No effects of light were detected. Inhibitory effects of high concentrations of nonhydrolyzable GTP analogues were probably due to competition with ATP.     

Photoaffinity labeling of a viral induced protein from tobacco. Characterization of nucleotide-binding properties

We have used the photoaffinity analogs 8-azidoadenosine 5'-triphosphate (8-N3ATP) and 8-azidoguanosine 5'-triphosphate (8-N3GTP) to investigate the relationship between a viral induced protein (Mr = 120,000) in tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-infected tobacco and the TMV-induced RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity. When the radioactive analogs [gamma-32P]8-N3ATP and [gamma-32P]8-N3GTP were incubated with the tobacco tissue homogenate from TMV-infected plants, incorporation of label occurred into the viral induced protein in the presence of UV light. The incorporation was found to be totally dependent on UV-illumination and greatly enhanced by Mg2+. Saturation of photoincorporated label indicates an apparent Kd of 16 microM (+/- 3 microM) and 12 microM (+/- 3 microM) for 8-N3ATP and 8-N3GTP, respectively. Protection against photolabeling by [gamma-32P]8-N3ATP and [gamma-32P]8-N3GTP with various nonradioactive nucleotides and nucleosides suggests that the photolabeled site is protected best by nucleoside triphosphates. At 200 microM both deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and ribonucleoside triphosphates were very effective at protecting the site from photolabeling. These data suggest that the photolabeled protein may be part of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The utility of nucleotide photoaffinity analogs as a method to study viral induced nucleotide-binding proteins is discussed.