Cloning and expression of the mouse dual-specificity mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatase Mkp3 during mouse embryogenesis

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatases (MKPs) constitute a growing family of dual specificity phosphatases, which dephosphorylate both serine/threonine and tyrosine residues of MAP kinases. MAP kinase signaling cascades are involved in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. In mammals, ten members of the dual-specificity MKP family have so far been identified. In this report, we describe the cloning and expression analysis of the mouse Mkp3 gene. During early development, expression of Mkp3 is most prominent in the primitive streak, presomitic mesoderm and somites, frontonasal prominence, midbrain/hindbrain boundary, branchial arches and limb buds. At later stages, expression is also detected in the tooth primordia, vibrissae, hair follicles, pinna, submandibular gland, mammary gland primordia, lung and kidney. Strong expression was detected in the adult brain.     

Mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase attenuates 3-hydroxykynurenine-induced neuronal cell death

3-Hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), an endogenous tryptophan metabolite, is known to have toxic effects in brain. However, the molecular mechanism of the toxicity has not been well identified. In this study, we investigated the involvement of MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the 3-HK-induced neuronal cell damage. Our results showed that 3-HK induced apoptotic neuronal cell death and ERK phosphorylation occurred during cell death. Inhibition of ERK activation using PD98059 considerably increased cell death. Furthermore, cell death was preceded by mitochondrial malfunction including collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) and cytochrome c release from mitochondria to the cytosol. Interestingly, inhibition of ERK dramatically increased mitochondrial malfunction, and enhanced caspase activation, resulting in enhanced neuronal cell death. Thus, our results show that ERK plays a protective role by maintaining mitochondrial function and regulating caspase activity under conditions of cellular stress.     

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.     

Co-transcriptional splicing regulates 3′ end cleavage during mammalian erythropoiesis

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A novel dual-specificity protein kinase targeted to the chloroplast in tobacco

The NtDSK1 cDNA encoding a novel chloroplast-targeted protein kinase was identified in Nicotiana tabacum. It contains the kinase domain at the C-terminus and a putative regulatory domain at the N-terminus. The recombinant NtDSK1 underwent autophosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues, indicating that NtDSK1 encodes a functional dual-specificity protein kinase. The NtDSK1-green fluorescent protein fusion protein was targeted to chloroplasts. Furthermore, the NtDSK1 protein was immunodetected in chloroplast fractions isolated from tobacco seedlings. The NtDSK1 mRNA expression was developmentally regulated in different tissues, including anthers and germinating seeds, and strongly stimulated by gibberellin. The mRNA was rapidly light responsive during seedling growth. NtDSK1 may play a role in a light-regulated signaling process in tobacco.     

Minibrain-related kinase/dual-specificity tyrosine-regulated kinase 1B implication in stem/cancer stem cells biology

Dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1B (DYRK1B), also known as minibrain-related kinase (MIRK) is one of the best functionally studied members of the DYRK kinase family. DYRKs comprise a family of protein kinases that are emerging modulators of signal transduction pathways, cell proliferation and differentiation, survival, and cell motility. DYRKs were found to participate in several signaling pathways critical for development and cell homeostasis. In this review, we focus on the DYRK1B protein kinase from a functional point of view concerning the signaling pathways through which DYRK1B exerts its cell type-dependent function in a positive or negative manner, in development and human diseases. In particular, we focus on the physiological role of DYRK1B in behavior of stem cells in myogenesis, adipogenesis, spermatogenesis and neurogenesis, as well as in its pathological implication in cancer and metabolic syndrome. Thus, understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate signaling pathways is of high importance. Recent studies have identified a close regulatory connection between DYRK1B and the hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway. Here, we aim to bring together what is known about the functional integration and cross-talk between DYRK1B and several signaling pathways, such as HH, RAS and PI3K/mTOR/AKT, as well as how this might affect cellular and molecular processes in development, physiology, and pathology. Thus, this review summarizes the major known functions of DYRK1B kinase, as well as the mechanisms by which DYRK1B exerts its functions in development and human diseases focusing on the homeostasis of stem and cancer stem cells.     

A plant-specific DYRK kinase DYRKP coordinates cell morphology in Marchantia polymorpha

Journal of Plant Research - Dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinases (DYRKs) are activated via the auto-phosphorylation of conserved tyrosine residues in their activation loop...     

The dual-specificity CLK kinase induces neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells.

CLK is a dual-specificity protein kinase capable of phosphorylating serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues. We have investigated the action of CLK by establishing stable PC12 cell lines capable of inducibly expressing CLK. Expression of CLK in stably transfected PC12 cells mimicked a number of nerve growth factor (NGF)-dependent events, including the morphological differentiation of these cells and the elaboration of neurites. Moreover, CLK expression enhanced the rate of NGF-mediated neurite outgrowth of these cells, indicating that CLK expression and NGF treatment activate similar signal transduction pathways. CLK expression, unlike NGF, was not able to promote PC12 cell survival in serum-free media, demonstrating that CLK only partially recapitulated the actions of NGF on these cells and that the biochemical pathways necessary for morphological differentiation can be stimulated without also stimulating those necessary for survival. Induction of CLK expression also resulted in the selective activation of protein kinases that are components of growth factor-stimulated signal transduction cascades, including ERK1, ERK2, pp90RSK, and S6PKII. Induction of CLK expression, however, did not stimulate pp70S6K or Fos kinase, two NGF-sensitive protein kinases. These data indicate that CLK action mediates the morphological differentiation of these cells through its capacity to independently stimulate signal transduction pathways normally employed by NGF.     

Phosphorylation of amphiphysin I by minibrain kinase/dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase, a kinase implicated in Down syndrome

Minibrain kinase/dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase (Mnb/Dyrk1A) is a proline-directed serine/threonine kinase encoded in the Down syndrome critical region of human chromosome 21. This kinase has been shown to phosphorylate dynamin 1 and synaptojanin 1. Here we report that amphiphysin I (Amph I) is also a Mnb/Dyrk1A substrate. This kinase phosphorylated native Amph I in rodent brains and recombinant human Amph I expressed in Escherichia coli. Serine 293 (Ser-293) was identified as the major site, whereas serine 295 and threonine 310 were found as minor kinase sites. In cultured cells, recombinant Amph I was phosphorylated at Ser-293 by endogenous kinase(s). Because mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) has been suggested to phosphorylate Amph I at Ser-293, our efforts addressed whether Ser-293 is phosphorylated in vivo by MAPK/ERK or by Mnb/Dyrk1A. Overnight serum-withdrawal inactivated MAPK/ERK; nonetheless, Ser-293 was phosphorylated in Chinese hamster ovary and SY5Y cells. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a potent Mnb/Dyrk1A inhibitor in vitro, apparently reduced the phosphorylation at Ser-293, whereas PD98059, a potent MAPK/ERK inhibitor, did not. High frequency stimulation of mouse hippocampal slices reduced the phosphorylation at Ser-293, albeit in the midst of MAPK/ERK activation. The endophilin binding in vitro was inhibited by phosphorylating Amph I with Mnb/Dyrk1A. However, phosphorylation at Ser-293 did not appear to alter cellular distribution patterns of the protein. Our results suggest that Mnb/Dyrk1A, not MAPK/ERK, is responsible for in vivo phosphorylation of Amph I at Ser-293 and that phosphorylation changes the recruitment of endophilin at the endocytic sites.     

The anemia of thermal injury: mechanism of inhibition of erythropoiesis

The anemia of thermal injury is a multifactorial process and includes hemorrhage and hemolysis. Much evidence suggests that a reduced rate of erythropoiesis contributes to this anemia. Prior studies show that this anemia is temporally related to the appearance in burn patients sera of a substance(s) capable of inhibiting erythropoiesis in vitro. Four experiments were done to elucidate the mechanism of action of this inhibitor. In all experiments sera from burn patients previously shown to be inhibitory to erythropoiesis in vitro were studied. In the first, inhibitory sera were exposed to erythropoietin solutions without loss of erythropoietic activity. Second, mouse marrow cells were preincubated with serum without loss of their ability to form erythroid colonies. Third, the inhibitory effect could not be overcome with increasing amounts of erythropoietin. Finally, erythroid colony formation was effected only if the inhibitory serum was present during the first 8 to 12 hr of culture. The data suggest that the erythropoietic inhibitor in these sera acts directly on erythroid stem cells in vitro and not by inactivating or interference with erythropoietin.     

Specificity determinants of substrate recognition by the protein kinase DYRK1A

DYRK1A is a dual-specificity protein kinase that is thought to be involved in brain development. We identified a single phosphorylated amino acid residue in the DYRK substrate histone H3 (threonine 45) by mass spectrometry, phosphoamino acid analysis, and protein sequencing. Exchange of threonine 45 for alanine abolished phosphorylation of histone H3 by DYRK1A and by the related kinases DYRK1B, DYRK2, and DYRK3 but not by CLK3. In order to define the consensus sequence for the substrate specificity of DYRK1A, a library of 300 peptides was designed in variation of the H3 phosphorylation site. Evaluation of the phosphate incorporation into these peptides identified DYRK1A as a proline-directed kinase with a phosphorylation consensus sequence (RPX(S/T)P) similar to that of ERK2 (PX(S/T)P). A peptide designed after the optimal substrate sequence (DYRKtide) was efficiently phosphorylated by DYRK1A (K(m) = 35 microM) but not by ERK2. Both ERK2 and DYRK1A phosphorylated myelin basic protein, whereas only ERK2, but not DYRK1A, phosphorylated the mitogen-activated protein kinase substrate ELK-1. This marked difference in substrate specificity between DYRK1A and ERK2 can be explained by the requirement for an arginine at the P -3 site of DYRK substrates and its presumed interaction with aspartate 247 conserved in all DYRKs.     

Cell-surface remodelling during mammalian erythropoiesis.

Current evidence suggests that the major cell-surface modification occurring during mammalian erythropoiesis could be generated by two separate mechanisms: either selective loss of membrane proteins during enucleation or endocytosis at the subsequent reticulocyte and erythrocyte stages. The former idea was tested by collecting developing rabbit erythroid cells before and after the enucleation step and comparing their cell-surface protein composition via radiolabelling and electrophoresis. Few changes were observed. Our data thus lend support to the endocytosis mechanism.     

Identification of a dual-specificity protein phosphatase that inactivates a MAP kinase from Arabidopsis

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play a key role in plant responses to stress and pathogens. Activation and inactivation of MAPKs involve phosphorylation and dephosphorylation on both threonine and tyrosine residues in the kinase domain. Here we report the identification of an Arabidopsis gene encoding a dual-specificity protein phosphatase capable of hydrolysing both phosphoserine/threonine and phosphotyrosine in protein substrates. This enzyme, designated AtDsPTP1 (Arabidopsis thaliana dual-specificity protein tyrosine phosphatase), dephosphorylated and inactivated AtMPK4, a MAPK member from the same plant. Replacement of a highly conserved cysteine by serine abolished phosphatase activity of AtDsPTP1, indicating a conserved catalytic mechanism of dual-specificity protein phosphatases from all eukaryotes.