The role of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in the glucagon-stimulated phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase

We have examined the mechanism whereby glucagon stimulates the phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase in intact rat hepatocytes. Purified ATP-citrate lyase is phosphorylated in vitro by the catalytic subunit of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, in a reaction wherein 2-3 mol phosphate/mol lyase are incorporated, at an initial rate that approaches that observed for mixed histone. This reaction is completely abolished by the protein kinase inhibitor protein. Limited tryptic digestion of ATP-citrate lyase phosphorylated in vitro by the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase yields a pattern of 32P-labeled peptides, indistinguishable from those observed in parallel digests of lyase isolated from 32P-labeled, glucagon-stimulated hepatocytes. Phosphorylase b kinase catalyzes the incorporation of 1 mol phosphate/mol lyase, albeit at less than 1/160 the rate observed for phosphorylase b. The phosphorylation of purified ATP-citrate lyase is also catalyzed by homogenates of hepatocytes. This reaction is stimulated by cyclic AMP. At 30 degrees C, in the presence of maximally stimulating concentrations of cyclic AMP, the addition of excess protein kinase inhibitor protein inhibits the phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase by 67%. Thus, hepatocytes contain both cyclic AMP-dependent and cyclic AMP-independent ATP-citrate lyase kinase activities. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with glucagon (10(-8) M for 2 min) prior to homogenization results in activation of an endogenous hepatocyte ATP-citrate lyase kinase, as well as histone kinase and phosphorylase b kinase; the glucagon-stimulated increment in lyase kinase (and histone kinase) is observed only when homogenates are assayed in the absence of added cyclic AMP, and is completely abolished by an excess of the protein kinase inhibitor protein. We conclude that the glucagon-stimulated phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase in intact hepatocytes is catalyzed directly by the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Phosphorylation and activation of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase kinase by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

The catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase stimulates the inactivation of acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase by acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase. The stimulated inactivation of carboxylase is due to activation of carboxylase kinase by the catalytic subunit. Activation of carboxylase kinase activity is accompanied by the incorporation of 0.6 mol of phosphate per mole of carboxylase kinase. Addition of the regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase prevents the activation of carboxylase kinase. Phosphorylation and activation of carboxylase kinase has no effect on the K_m for ATP, but decreases the K_m for acetyl-CoA carboxylase from 93 to 45 nm. Inactivation of carboxylase by the carboxylase kinase requires the presence of coenzyme A even when the activated carboxylase kinase is used. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase is not phosphorylated or inactivated by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Phosphorylation of casein by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

The catalytic subunit of rabbit muscle cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (EC 2.7.1.37; ATP:protein transferase) has been tested on a variety of caseins. The B variant of β-casein was phosphorylated at a much greater rate than other β-caseins, α_s1-caseins, and κ-caseins. Whole casein homozygous for β-casein B was phosphorylated at 2.5 times the rate of commercial whole casein. Gel electrophoresis experiments indicate that β-casein is the predominant component phosphorylated in commerical casein. It is therefore suggested that phosphorylation of whole casein depends on its content of the specific genetic variant, β-casein B.     

Phosphorylation of atrial natriuretic peptides by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

Atrial natriuretic peptides refer to a family of related peptides secreted by atria that appear to have an important role in the control of blood pressure. The structure of these peptides shows the amino acid sequence Arg101-Arg102-Ser103-Ser104, which is a typical recognition sequence (Arg-Arg-X-Ser) for phosphorylation by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. With this background, we tested two synthetic atrial natriuretic peptides (Arg101-Tyr126 and Gly96-Tyr126) as substrates for in vitro phosphorylation by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The tested atrial natriuretic peptides were found to be substrates for the reaction. Sequence studies demonstrated that the site of phosphorylation was located, as expected, at Ser104. Kinetic studies demonstrate that both atrial natriuretic peptides are excellent substrates for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. In particular, the longer peptide Gly96-Tyr126 exhibited an apparent Km value of about 0.5 microM, to our knowledge the lowest reported Km for a cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase substrate. Preliminary studies to measure the biological activity of the in vitro phosphorylated atrial peptides indicate that these compounds are more effective than the corresponding dephospho forms in stimulating Na/K/Cl cotransport in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.     

Phosphorylation of sites 3 and 2 in rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen synthase by a multifunctional protein kinase (ATP-citrate lyase kinase)

A multifunctional protein kinase, purified from rat liver as ATP-citrate lyase kinase, has been identified as a glycogen synthase kinase. This kinase catalyzed incorporation of up to 1.5 mol of 32PO4/mol of synthase subunit associated with a decrease in the glycogen synthase activity ratio from 0.85 to a value of 0.15. Approximately 65-70% of the 32PO4 was incorporated into site 3 and 30-35% into site 2 as determined by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. Release of 32PO4 from the phosphopeptides during automated Edman degradation confirmed the site 3 and 2 assignment. Thermal stability studies established that the phosphorylations of sites 3 and 2 were catalyzed by the same kinase. This multifunctional kinase was distinguished from glycogen synthase kinase-3 on the basis of nucleotide (ATP versus GTP) and protein substrate (glycogen synthase, ATP-citrate lyase, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase) specificities. Since the phosphate contents in glycogen synthase of sites 3 and 2 are altered in diabetes and by insulin administration, the possible involvement of the multifunctional kinase was explored. Glycogen synthase purified from diabetic rabbits was phosphorylated in vitro by this multifunctional kinase at only 10% of the rate compared to synthase purified from control rabbits. Treatment of the diabetics with insulin restored the synthase to a form that was readily phosphorylated in vitro.     

Activities of hepatic ATP-citrate lyase and acetyl CoA carboxylase in herbivorous voles and C57BL/6J mice]

Activities of hepatic ATP-citrate lyase and acetyl CoA carboxylase, lipogenetic key enzymes, were measured in herbivorous voles and C57BL/6J mice. Hepatic ATP citrate lyase and acetyl CoA carboxylase activities in voles were very low, under one fifth and one half of those in C57BL/6J mice, respectively. It is considered to be one of characteristics as a herbivore that hepatic lipogenetic ability in voles is considerably low as compared to that in mice.     

Phosphorylation of high-mobility-group proteins by the calcium-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase and the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

Purified lamb thymus high-mobility-group (HMG) proteins 1, 2, and 17 have been investigated as potential substrates for the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. HMG proteins 1, 2, and 17 are phosphorylated by the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase; the reactions are totally Ca2+ and lipid dependent and are not inhibited by the inhibitor protein of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. HMG 17 is phosphorylated predominantly in a single seryl residue, Ser 24 in the sequence Gln-Arg-Arg-Ser 24-Ala-Arg-Leu-Ser 28-Ala-Lys, with the second seryl moiety, Ser 28, modified to a markedly lesser degree. HMGs 1 and 2 are also phosphorylated in only seryl residues but with each there are multiple phosphorylation sites. HMG 17, but not HMG 1 or 2, is also phosphorylated by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase with the site phosphorylated being the minor of the two phosphorylated by the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase; the Km for phosphorylation by the cAMP-dependent enzyme is 50-fold higher than that by the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent enzyme. HMG 17 is an equally effective substrate for the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase either as the pure protein or bound to nucleosomes. Preliminary evidence has indicated that lamb thymus HMG 14 is also a substrate for the Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent enzyme. It is phosphorylated with a Km similar to that of HMG 17 (4-6 microM), and a comparison of tryptic peptides suggests that it is phosphorylated in a site that is homologous with Ser 24 of HMG 17 and distinct from the sites phosphorylated by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Effect of insulin on association of acetyl CoA carboxylase phosphatase and acetyl CoA carboxylase

Insulin promotes an association between acetyl CoA carboxylase and acetyl CoA carboxylase phosphatase. The association between rat epididymal fat tissue carboxylase and the phosphatase occurs in both a tissue culture system and in vivo and is accompanied by an increase in acetyl CoA carboxylase activity.     

Stoichiometry of phosphorylation of hepatic ATP-citrate lyase by protein kinase

Hepatic ATP-citrate lyase prepared with a fluoride-free step to allow endogenous phosphatases to dephosphorylate the enzyme was phosphorylated in vitro by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and [γ-³²P]ATP. After electrophoresis the radioactive phosphate was located predominantly in the gel slice containing the Coomassie blue stained protein corresponding to ATP-citrate lyase. The Stoichiometry of phosphorylation of hepatic ATP-citrate lyase in vitro by the catalytic subunit was such that 0.53 ± 0.02 molecules of phosphate were incorporated per subunit. The degree of phosphorylation was independent of the amount of ATP-citrate lyase present as substrate in the concentration range 1.2–6.4 μm. In the absence of catalytic subunit there was very little labeled phosphate incorporated into ATP-citrate lyase. Phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase by catalytic subunit was abolished by the specific protein inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. When ATP-citrate lyase was subjected to electrophoresis under nondenaturing conditions, lyase activity was recovered from the gel slice corresponding to the Coomassie blue staining phosphoprotein of a stained gel run in parallel.     

Phosphorylation of high- and low-molecular-mass atrial natriuretic peptide analogs by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

Synthetic high- and low-molecular-mass atrial peptides were phosphorylated in vitro by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and [32P]ATP. From a series of atrial peptide analogs, it was deduced that the amino acid sequence, Arg101-Ser104 of atriopeptin was required for optimal phosphorylation. Phosphorylated AP(99-126) was less potent than the parent atriopeptin in vasorelaxant activity and receptor-binding properties. These results indicate that the presence of a phosphate group at the N-terminus of AP(99-126) decreases the interaction of the peptide with its receptor and, as a consequence, decreases bioactivity. These observations are in contrast to those of Rittenhouse et al. [(1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 7607-7610] who reported that phosphorylation of AP(101-126) enhanced the stimulation of Na/K/Cl cotransport in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.     

Phosphorylation and activation of brain aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AAAD), an enzyme required for the synthesis of catecholamines, indoleamines, and trace amines, is rapidly activated by cyclic AMP-dependent pathways in striatum and midbrain in vivo, suggesting enzyme phosphorylation. We now report that the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) directly phosphorylated AAAD immunoprecipitated from homogenates prepared from the mouse striatum and midbrain in vitro. Under the same phosphorylation conditions, the catalytic subunit of PKA also phosphorylated a recombinant AAAD protein expressed in Escherichia coli transfected with an AAAD cDNA isolated from the bovine adrenal gland. The PKA-induced AAAD phosphorylation of immunoprecipitates from striatum and midbrain was time and concentration dependent and blocked by a specific PKA peptide inhibitor. Incubation of the catalytic subunit of PKA with striatal homogenates increased enzyme activity by approximately 20% in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, incubation of the catalytic subunit of PKA with recombinant AAAD increased activity by approximately 70%. A direct phosphorylation of AAAD protein by PKA might underlie the cyclic AMP-induced rapid and transient activation of AAAD in vivo.     

Phosphorylation of mammalian myosin light chain kinases by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and by cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase

The phosphorylation of the calmodulin-dependent enzyme myosin light chain kinase, purified from bovine tracheal smooth muscle and human blood platelets, by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and by cGMP-dependent protein kinase was investigated. When myosin light chain kinase which has calmodulin bound is phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, 1 mol of phosphate is incorporated per mol of tracheal myosin light chain kinase or platelet myosin light chain kinase, with no effect on the catalytic activity. Phosphorylation when calmodulin is not bound results in the incorporation of 2 mol of phosphate and significantly decreases the activity. The decrease in myosin light chain kinase activity is due to a 5 to 7-fold increase in the amount of calmodulin required for half-maximal activation of both tracheal and platelet myosin light chain kinase. In contrast to the results with the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, cGMP-dependent protein kinase cannot phosphorylate tracheal myosin light chain kinase in the presence of bound calmodulin. When calmodulin is not bound to tracheal myosin light chain kinase, cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates only one site, and this phosphorylation has no effect on myosin light chain kinase activity. On the other hand, cGMP-dependent protein kinase incorporates phosphate into two sites in platelet myosin light chain kinase when calmodulin is not bound. The sites phosphorylated by the two cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases were compared by two-dimensional peptide mapping following extensive tryptic digestion of the phosphorylated myosin light chain kinases. With respect to the tracheal myosin light chain kinase, the single site phosphorylated by cGMP-dependent protein kinase when calmodulin is not bound appears to be the same site phosphorylated in the tracheal enzyme by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase when calmodulin is bound. With respect to the platelet myosin light chain kinase, the additional site that was phosphorylated by cGMP-dependent protein kinase when calmodulin was not bound was different from that phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Phosphorylation of muscle phosphofructokinase by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

The catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase. The reaction is inhibited by the specific inhibitor of protein kinase and proceeds at about 2% the rate observed with phosphorylase kinase but more rapidly than with rat liver fructose bisphosphatase as substrate. Maximum extent of incorporation (0.43 to 0.85 moles per mole of protomer) plus the covalently-bound phosphate present in the isolated enzyme (0.20 to 0.34 moles per mole) approaches one mole per mole.     

Nitric oxide synthase regulatory sites. Phosphorylation by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C, and calcium/calmodulin protein kinase; identification of flavin and calmodulin binding sites.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important molecular messenger accounting for endothelial-derived relaxing activity in blood vessels, mediating cytotoxic actions of macrophages, and functioning as a neurotransmitter in the brain and periphery. NO synthase (NOS) from brain has been purified to homogeneity and molecularly cloned. We now report that NOS is stoichiometrically phosphorylated by cAMP dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C, and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, with each kinase phosphorylating a different serine site on NOS. Activation of PKC in transfected cells reduces NOS enzyme activity by approximately 77% in intact cells and by 50% in protein homogenates from these cells. Utilizing fluorescence spectroscopy we find that purified monomer NOS contains 1 molar equivalent of both FMN and FAD. This stoichiometry is supported by enzymatic digestion of the flavins with phosphodiesterase, and titration of the FMN with a specific FMN binding protein. We demonstrate that purified NOS is labeled by a photoaffinity derivative of calmodulin. These recognition sites on NOS provide multiple means for regulation of NO levels and "cross-talk" between second messenger systems.     

Phosphorylation of hydroxyproline in a synthetic peptide catalyzed by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

The cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of hydroxyproline present in the heptapeptide, Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Hyp-Leu-Gly. The Km value for the reaction with this substrate was high (approximately 18 mM) compared to the Km values reported for the analogous threonine and serine-containing peptides, which were 0.59 mM and 0.016 mM, respectively (Kemp, B.E., Graves, D.J., Benjamini, E., and Krebs, E.G. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 4888-4894). The Vmax value with the hydroxyproline-containing peptide was 1 mumol . min-1 mg-1 in contrast to Vmax values of 6 mumol . min-1 mg-1 and 20 mumol . min-1 mg-1 for the threonine- and serine-containing peptides, respectively. Phosphate esterified to hydroxyproline present in the peptide was relatively stable in hot alkali, only 10% being released as Pi within 30 min in 0.1 N NaOH at 100 degrees C, whereas all of the phosphate was released from the phosphoserine peptide analogue under these conditions. Phosphohydroxyproline in the peptide was also more stable to acid (5.7 N HCl, 110 degrees C) than phosphoserine, the time for 50% release as Pi being 15 h in contrast to 6 h for the latter.     

Phosphorylation and inactivation of yeast fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase from yeast

Purified fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was phosphorylated in vitro by purified yeast cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Maximal phosphorylation was accompanied by an inactivation of the enzyme by about 60%. In vitro phosphorylation caused changes in the kinetic properties of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase: 1) the ratio R(Mg2+/Mn2+) of the enzyme activities measured at 10 mM Mg2+ and 2 mM Mn2+, respectively, decreased from 2.6 to 1.2; 2) the ratio R(pH 7/9) of the activities measured at pH 7.0 and pH 9.0, respectively, decreased from 0.62 to 0.38, indicating a shift of the pH optimum to the alkaline range. However, the affinity of the enzyme for its inhibitors fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) and AMP, expressed as the concentration required for 50% inhibition, was not changed. The maximum amount of phosphate incorporated into fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was 0.6-0.75 mol/mol of the 40-kDa subunit. Serine was identified as the phosphate-labeled amino acid. The initial rate of in vitro phosphorylation of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, obtained with a maximally cAMP-activated protein kinase, increased when Fru-2,6-P2 and AMP, both potent inhibitors of the enzyme, were added. As Fru-2,6-P2 and AMP did not affect the phosphorylation of histone by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, the inhibitors must bind to fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase in such a way that the enzyme becomes a better substrate for phosphorylation. Nevertheless, Fru-2,6-P2 and AMP did not increase the maximum amount of phosphate incorporated into fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase beyond that observed in the presence of cAMP alone.