Insulin and phorbol ester stimulate phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase at similar sites in isolated adipocytes. Lack of correspondence with sites phosphorylated on the purified enzyme by protein kinase C

1. The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) stimulates fatty acid synthesis from glucose in isolated adipocytes with a half-maximal effect at 0.72 microM. In seven batches of cells, the maximal effects of TPA and insulin were 8.5 +/- 1.1-fold and 27.1 +/- 2.1-fold respectively. Insulin also stimulated fatty acid synthesis from acetate 8.9 +/- 0.5-fold (three experiments), but TPA did not significantly increase fatty acid synthesis from this precursor. 2. In contrast to insulin, TPA treatment of isolated adipocytes did not produce an activation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase which was detectable in crude cell extracts. 3. The total phosphate content of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, isolated from adipocytes in the presence of protein phosphatase inhibitors, was estimated by 32P-labelling experiments to be 2.6 +/- 0.1 (5), 3.4 +/- 0.2 (5), and 3.8 +/- 0.2 (3) mol/mol subunit for enzyme from control, insulin- and TPA-treated cells respectively. Insulin and TPA stimulated phosphorylation within the same two tryptic peptides. 4. Purified acetyl-CoA carboxylase is phosphorylated in vitro by protein kinase C at serine residues which are recovered in three tryptic peptides, i.e. peptide T1, which appears to be identical with the peptide Ser-Ser(P)-Met-Ser-Gly-Leu-His-Leu-Val-Lys phosphorylated by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase, and peptides Ta and Tb, which have the sequences Ile-Asp-Ser(P)-Gln-Arg and Lys-Ile-Asp-Ser(P)-Gln-Arg respectively, and which appear to be derived from a single site by alternative cleavages. None of these correspond to the peptides whose 32P-labelling increase in response to insulin or TPA. Peptides Ta/Tb are not significantly phosphorylated in isolated adipocytes, even after insulin or TPA treatment. Peptide T1 is phosphorylated in isolated adipocytes, but this phosphorylation is not altered by insulin or TPA. 5. These results show that TPA mimics the effect of insulin on phosphorylation, but not activation, of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, i.e. that these two events can be dissociated. In addition, phorbol ester stimulates phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in isolated adipocytes, but this is not catalyzed directly by protein kinase C, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase does not appear to be a physiological substrate for this kinase.     

Characterization of the phosphorylation of rat mammary ATP-citrate lyase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase by Ca2+ and calmodulin-dependent multiprotein kinase and Ca2+ and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase

ATP-citrate lyase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase purified from lactating rat mammary gland are phosphorylated stoichiometrically by the calmodulin-dependent multiprotein kinase from rabbit skeletal muscle. The reactions are completely dependent on the presence of both Ca2+ and calmodulin. ATP-citrate lyase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase are also phosphorylated stoichiometrically by the Ca2+- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) purified from bovine brain. Phosphorylation of these substrates is stimulated 6-fold and 40-fold respectively by Ca2+ and phosphatidylserine. The calmodulin-dependent and phospholipid-dependent protein kinases phosphorylate the same serine residue on ATP-citrate lyase that is phosphorylated by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. The sequence of the tryptic peptide containing this site on the mammary enzyme is identical with the sequence of the peptide containing the site on ATP-citrate lyase that is phosphorylated in isolated hepatocytes in response to insulin and/or glucagon. The calmodulin-dependent, phospholipid-dependent and cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinases phosphorylate distinct sites on acetyl-CoA carboxylase. However, one of the three phosphorylated tryptic peptides derived from enzyme treated with the phospholipid-dependent kinase is identical with the major phosphopeptide (T1) derived from enzyme treated with cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. Phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase by the phospholipid-dependent protein kinase inactivates acetyl-CoA carboxylase in a similar manner to cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. With either protein kinase slightly greater phosphorylation and inactivation is seen after pretreatment of acetyl-CoA carboxylase with protein phosphatase-2A, but the effects of the protein phosphatase treatment are not completely reversed. Inactivation by the phospholipid-dependent protein kinase is Ca2+- and phospholipid-dependent, is reversed by protein phosphatase-2A, and correlates with the degree of phosphorylation. The relevance of these findings to insulin- and growth-factor-promoted phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase in intact cells is discussed.     

Identification by amino acid sequencing of three major regulatory phosphorylation sites on rat acetyl-CoA carboxylase

We have examined the sites phosphorylated on acetyl-CoA carboxylase by three protein kinases which have been shown to inactivate the enzyme, i.e. cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase-2 (ACK2, purified from rat mammary gland) and the AMP-activated protein kinase (formerly called acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase-3, purified from rat liver). Each protein kinase phosphorylates two out of three sites (termed 1-3) which have been established by amino acid sequencing. The two sites phosphorylated by each kinase can be recovered on separate peptides, TC1 and TC2, derived by combined digestion of the native enzyme by trypsin and chymotrypsin: TC1 = Ser-2Ser(P)-Met-3Ser(P)-Gly-Leu; TC2 = Arg-Met-1Ser(P)-Phe- Cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates sites 1 and 2 exclusively, whereas the AMP-activated protein kinase phosphorylates sites 1 and 3, plus at least one other minor site. ACK2 phosphorylates site 1 and, more slowly, an unidentified site(s) within TC1. We have also established the structures of the single major phosphopeptides (T1 and C1 respectively) which are recovered by HPLC after acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphorylated by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase is digested with trypsin or chymotrypsin alone. T1 is related to TC1, and has the structure: Ser-Ser(P)-Met-Ser-Gly-Leu-His-Leu-Val-Lys. C1 is identical with TC2. We have carried out studies on the correlation of the activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase with the occupancy of sites 1, 2 and 3 during phosphorylation by each of the three protein kinases. The results suggest that phosphorylation of site 3 is primarily responsible for the large decrease in Vmax produced by the AMP-activated protein kinase, while phosphorylation of site 1 may be primarily responsible for the increase in A0.5 for citrate and more modest depression of Vmax produced by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase and ACK2. Our results emphasize that amino acid sequence information is essential in the unequivocal interpretation of data from phosphopeptide mapping experiments and allow a more complete interpretation of previous data on phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in intact cells. They also open the way to experiments which could establish the physiological roles of these protein kinases in the control of fatty acid synthesis.     

Roles of the AMP-activated and cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinases in the adrenaline-induced inactivation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in rat adipocytes.

1. In isolated rat adipocytes, acetyl-CoA carboxylase is inactivated by treatment of the cells with adrenaline or the beta-agonist isoproterenol, but not by the alpha-agonist phenylephrine. The inactivation is stable during purification in the presence of protein phosphatase inhibitors, and is associated with a 30-40% increase in the labelling of enzyme isolated from 32P-labelled cells. 2. Increased phosphorylation occurs within peptide T1, which was identified by sequencing to be the peptide Ser-Ser77-Met-Ser79-Gly-Leu-His-Leu-Val-Lys, containing Ser-77 (phosphorylated by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase) and Ser-79 (phosphorylated by the AMP-activated protein kinase). Analysis of the release of radioactivity as free phosphate during Edman degradation of peptide T1 revealed that all of the phosphate was in Ser-79 in both basal and hormone- or agonist-stimulated cells. Treatment of adipocytes with various agents which activate cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase by receptor-independent mechanisms (forskolin, cyclic AMP analogues, isobutylmethylxanthine) also produced inactivation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and increased phosphorylation at Ser-79. 3. The (Rp)-[thio]phosphate analogue of cyclic AMP, which is an antagonist of binding of cyclic AMP to the regulatory subunit of cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase, opposes the effect of adrenaline on phosphorylation and inactivation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Together with the effects of isobutylmethylxanthine and the stimulatory cyclic AMP analogues, this strongly indicates that cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase is an essential component of the signal transduction pathway, although clearly it does not directly phosphorylate acetyl-CoA carboxylase. 4. As shown by okadaic acid inhibition, greater than 95% of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase phosphatase activity in extracts of rat adipocytes or liver is accounted for by protein phosphatase-2A, with less than 5% attributable to protein phosphatase-1. Inhibition of protein phosphatase-1 via phosphorylation of inhibitor-1 is therefore unlikely to be the mechanism by which cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase indirectly increases phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Various other potential mechanisms are discussed.     

Location and function of three sites phosphorylated on rat acetyl-CoA carboxylase by the AMP-activated protein kinase

1. We have sequenced two tryptic/chymotryptic peptides (TC3 and TC3a) containing a third site phosphorylated on rat acetyl-CoA carboxylase by the AMP-activated protein kinase. Comparison with the complete sequence of rat acetyl-CoA carboxylase predicted from the cDNA sequence [López-Casillas et al. (1988) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 85, 5784-5788] shows that this site corresponds to Ser1215. 2. Comparison of the cDNA sequence with previous amino acid sequence data identifies the other two sites for the AMP-activated protein kinase as Ser79 and Ser1200. A total of eight serine residues phosphorylated in vitro by six protein kinases can now be identified: six of these (Ser23, Ser25, Ser29, Ser77, Ser79 and Ser95) are clustered in the amino terminal region, while two (Ser1200 and Ser1215) are located in the central region. 3. Prior phosphorylation of Ser77 and Ser1200 by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase prevents subsequent phosphorylation of Ser79 and Ser1200, but not Ser1215, by the AMP-activated protein kinase. Phosphorylation of Ser1215 under these conditions is not associated with a change in enzyme activity. 4. Limited trypsin treatment of native acetyl-CoA carboxylase selectively cleaves off the highly phosphorylated amino-terminal region containing Ser79. 5. Phosphorylation at Ser79 and Ser1200 by the AMP-activated protein kinase dramatically decreases Vmax and increases the A0.5 for citrate. Phosphorylation at Ser77 and Ser1200 by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase causes more modest changes in the A0.5 for citrate and the Vmax. Dephosphorylation, or removal of the amino-terminal region containing Ser77/79 using trypsin, reverses all of these effects. 6. These results suggest that the effects of the AMP-activated protein kinase on acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity are mediated entirely by phosphorylation of Ser79, and not Ser1200 and Ser1215. The smaller effects of cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase are mediated by phosphorylation of Ser77.     

Role of protein kinase C in the regulation of rat liver glycogen synthase

Rat liver glycogen synthase was phosphorylated by purified protein kinase C in a Ca2+- and phospholipid-dependent fashion to 1-1.4 mol PO4/subunit. Analysis of the 32P-labeled tryptic peptides derived from the phosphorylated synthase by isoelectric focusing and two-dimensional peptide mapping revealed the presence of a major radioactive peptide. The sites in liver synthase phosphorylated by protein kinase C appears to be different from those phosphorylated by other kinases. Prior phosphorylation of the synthase by protein kinase C has no significant effect on the subsequent phosphorylation by glycogen synthase (casein) kinase-1 or kinase Fa, but prevents the synthase from further phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, phosphorylase kinase, or casein kinase-2. Additive phosphorylation of liver glycogen synthase can be observed by the combination of protein kinase C with the former set of kinases but not with the latter. Phosphorylation of liver synthase by protein kinase C alone did not cause an inactivation nor did the combination of this kinase with glycogen synthase (casein) kinase-1 or kinase Fa produce a synergistic effect on the inactivation of the synthase. Based on these findings we conclude that the phorbol ester-induced inactivation of glycogen synthase previously observed in hepatocytes cannot be accounted for entirely by the activation of protein kinase C.     

Identification of the site phosphorylated by casein kinase II in smooth muscle caldesmon

Phosphorylation of avian gizzard caldesmon by casein kinase II was investigated. The enzyme incorporates about 1 mol of phosphate per mol of caldesmon. All sites of phosphorylation are located in short chymotryptic peptides with Mr 25-27 kDa or in the short N-terminal peptide formed after cleavage of chicken gizzard caldesmon at Cys153. The primary structure of the tryptic peptide containing the main site of duck gizzard caldesmon phosphorylation is S-E-V-N-A-Q-N-X-V-A-E-D-E-T-K, where X is an unidentified residue, presumed to be phosphoserine. Thus, Ser73 is the main site phosphorylated by casein kinase II in avian gizzard caldesmon.     

Isolation of three cyclic-AMP-independent acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinases from lactating rat mammary gland and characterization of their effects on enzyme activity

Three cyclic AMP-independent acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinases (A, B1 and B2) have been isolated from lactating rat mammary gland, using phosphocellulose chromatography, high performance gel filtration, and affinity chromatography on casein-Sepharose and phosvitin-Sepharose. These protein kinases have been identified with previously described kinases by the following criteria. Kinase A phosphorylates the same sites on rabbit mammary acetyl-CoA carboxylase as acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase 2, which was originally described as a contaminant of rabbit mammary acetyl-CoA carboxylase purified by the poly(ethylene glycol)procedure. Kinase A will henceforth be referred to as acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase-2. Kinase B1 has been identified with casein kinase II by its heparin sensitivity, elution behaviour on phosphocellulose, molecular mass, substrate specificity and subunit composition. Kinase B2 has been identified with casein kinase I by its elution behaviour on phosphocellulose, molecular mass, substrate specificity and subunit composition. The three kinases phosphorylate distinct sites on acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Phosphorylation by either casein kinase I or II does not affect enzyme activity. However, acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase 2 inactivates acetyl-CoA carboxylase reversibly, in an identical manner to cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase, and phosphorylates sites located on identical peptides. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase kinase-2 can, however, be distinguished from the free catalytic subunit of cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase by its molecular mass, its substrate specificity, its elution behaviour on phosphocellulose, and its complete lack of sensitivity to the protein inhibitor of cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase. We also present evidence that phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase occurs directly and not via a bicyclic cascade system as proposed by other laboratories.     

Phosphorylation and inactivation of rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen synthase: distinction between kinase Fa-, phosphorylase kinase-, and glycogen synthase (casein) kinase-1-catalyzed reactions

Rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen synthase was phosphorylated by kinase Fa, phosphorylase kinase, and cAMP-independent synthase (casein) kinase-1 to determine the differences among these kinase-catalyzed reactions. The stoichiometry of phosphate incorporation, the extent of inactivation, and the sites of phosphorylation were compared. Synthase (casein) kinase-1 catalyzes the highest level of synthase phosphorylation (4 mol/subunit) and inactivation (reduction of the activity ratio to below 0.05). The sites, defined by characteristic tryptic peptides, phosphorylated by synthase (casein) kinase-1 are distinguishable from those by kinase Fa and phosphorylase kinase. In addition, synthase (casein) kinase-1, unlike kinase Fa, does not activate ATP X Mg2+-dependent protein phosphatase. These results demonstrate that synthase (casein) kinase-1 is a distinct glycogen synthase kinase.     

Evidence that glucagon-mediated inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in isolated adipocytes involves increased phosphorylation of the enzyme by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

The kinetic parameters and phosphorylation state of acetyl-CoA carboxylase were analysed after purification of the enzyme by avidin--Sepharose chromatography from extracts of isolated adipocytes treated with glucagon or adrenaline. The results provide evidence that the mechanism of inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in adipocytes treated with glucagon [Zammit & Corstorphine (1982) Biochem. J. 208, 783-788] involves increased phosphorylation of the enzyme. Hormone treatment had effects on the kinetic parameters of the enzyme similar to those of phosphorylation of the enzyme in vitro by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Glucagon treatment of adipocytes led to increased phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase in the same chymotryptic peptide as that containing the major site phosphorylated on the enzyme by purified cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in vitro [Munday & Hardie (1984) Eur. J. Biochem. 141, 617-627]. The dose--response curves for inhibition of enzyme activity and increased phosphorylation of the enzyme were very similar, with half-maximal effects occurring at concentrations of glucagon (0.5-1 nM) which are close to the physiological range. In general, the patterns of increased 32P-labelling of chymotryptic peptides induced by glucagon or adrenaline were similar, although there were quantitative differences between the effects of the two hormones on individual peptides. The results are discussed in terms of the possible roles of cyclic AMP-dependent and -independent protein kinases in the regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity and of lipogenesis in white adipose tissue.     

Comparison of the phosphorylation of microtubule-associated protein tau by non-proline dependent protein kinases

Microtubule-associated protein tau from Alzheimer brain has been shown to be phosphorylated at several ser/thr-pro and ser/thr-X sites (Hasegawa, M. et al., J. Biol. Chem, 267, 17047–17054, 1992). Several proline-dependent protein kinases (PDPKs) (MAP kinase, cdc2 kinase, glycogen synthase kinase-3, tubulin-activated protein kinase, and 40 kDa neurofilament kinase) are implicated in the phosphorylation of the ser-thr-pro sites. The identity of the kinase(s) that phosphorylate that ser/thr-X sites are unknown. To identify the latter kinase(s) we have compared the phosphorylation of bovine tau by several brain protein kinases. Stoichiometric phosphorylation of tau was achieved by casein kinase-1, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, Gr kinase, protein kinase C and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, but not with casein kinase-2 or phosphorylase kinase. Casein kinase-1 and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II were the best tau kinases, with greater than 4 mol and 3 mol³²P incorporated, respectively, into each mol of tau. With the sequential addition of these two kinases,³²P incorporation approached 6 mol. Peptide mapping revealed that the different kinases largely phosphorylate different sites on tau. After phosphorylation by casein kinase-1, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, Gr kinase, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and casein kinase-2, the mobility of tau isoforms as detected by SDS-PAGE was decreased. Protein kinase C phosphorylation did not produce such a mobility shift. Our results suggest that one or more of the kinases studied here may participate in the hyperphosphorylation of tau in Alzheimer disease. Such phosphorylation may serve to modulate the activaties of other tau kinases such as the PDPKs.Abbreviations PHF paired helical filaments - A-kinase cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase - CaM kinase II calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II - C-kinase calcium-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase - CK-1 casein kinase-1 - CK-2 casein kinase-2 - Gr kinase calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase from rat cerebellum - GSK-3 glycogen synthase kinase-3 - MAP kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Multisite phosphorylation of glycogen synthase from rabbit skeletal muscle. Identification of the sites phosphorylated by casein kinase-I

A casein kinase was highly purified from rabbit skeletal muscle whose substrate specificity and enzymatic properties were virtually identical to those of casein kinase-I from rabbit reticulocytes. Prolonged incubation of glycogen synthase with high concentrations of skeletal muscle casein kinase-I and Mg-ATP resulted in the incorporation of greater than 6 mol phosphate/mol subunit and decreased the activity ratio (+/- glucose-6P) from 0.8 to less than 0.02. The sites phosphorylated by casein kinase-I were all located in the N and C-terminal cyanogen bromide peptides, termed CB-1 and CB-2. At an incorporation of 6 mol phosphate/mol subunit, approximately equal to 2 mol/mol was present in CB-1 and approximately equal to 4 mol/mol in CB-2. Within CB-1, casein kinase-I phosphorylated the serines that were 3, 7 and 10 residues from the N-terminus of glycogen synthase, with minor phosphorylation at threonine-5. Within CB-2, approximately equal to 90% of the phosphate incorporated was located between residues 28 and 53, and at least five of the seven serine residues in this region were phosphorylated. The remaining 10% of phosphate incorporated into CB-2 was located between residues 98 and 123, mainly at a serine residue(s). Two of the major sites labelled by casein kinase-I (serine-3 and serine-10 of CB-1) are not phosphorylated by any other protein kinase. This will enable the role of casein kinase-I as a glycogen synthase kinase in vivo to be evaluated.     

Identification of the sites on rabbit skeletal muscle protein phosphatase inhibitor-2 phosphorylated by casein kinase-II

Inhibitor-2 was phosphorylated by casein kinase-II in vitro at a rate similar to that of glycogen synthase, a physiological substrate of this protein kinase. The major phosphorylation sites were identified as serines-86, -120 and -121, the peptide containing serines-120 and -121 being labelled about 2.5-fold more rapidly than that containing serine-86. The 13 residues C-terminal to serine-121 (SGEEDSDLSPEERE) contain seven acidic amino acids, while the six residues following serine-86 (SDTETTE) contain three. These results are consistent with the known specificity requirements of casein kinase-II. The three serines are C-terminal to the threonine (residue 72) whose phosphorylation by glycogen synthase kinase-3 is potentiated by prior phosphorylation with casein kinase-II. This reinforces the view that a C-terminal phosphoserine residue is important for the specificity of glycogen synthase kinase-3. Identification of the residues phosphorylated by casein kinase-II will facilitate further studies on the in vivo phosphorylation state of inhibitor-2.     

Stimulation of site-specific phosphorylation of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase by insulin and epinephrine

32P-labeled acetyl-CoA carboxylase was isolated from 32P-labeled rat epididymal fat pads by avidin-Sepharose affinity chromatography after exposure to epinephrine and insulin. Epinephrine led to an inactivation of the isolated enzyme by a reduction of Vmax, while the insulin stimulation observed in crude extracts did not survive enzyme purification. Both insulin and epinephrine caused only small increases in total 32P content of the enzyme. However, mapping of tryptic 32P-phosphopeptides by high performance liquid chromatography revealed that epinephrine and insulin stimulated the phosphorylation of 32P-peptides specific for each hormone. The major 32P-peptide phosphorylated by epinephrine co-migrated with the major 32P-peptide phosphorylated in vitro by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, while the 32P-peptide phosphorylated in response to insulin co-migrated with that phosphorylated by casein kinase-I and casein kinase-II. The effects of epinephrine on carboxylase activity and phosphorylation can thus be accounted for by the expected epinephrine-induced activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. While the increase in site-specific phosphorylation caused by insulin cannot be directly linked to insulin-induced activation in crude extracts, these data suggest that casein kinase-I and/or casein kinase-II may mediate the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase.     

Microtubule-associated protein tau is phosphorylated by protein kinase C on its tubulin binding domain.

We have analyzed the in vitro phosphorylation of tau protein by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, casein kinase II, and proline-directed serine/threonine protein kinase. These kinases phosphorylate tau protein in sites localized in different regions of the molecule, as determined by peptide mapping analyses. Focusing on the phosphorylation of tau by protein kinase C, it was calculated as an incorporation of 4 mol of phosphate/mol of tau. Limited proteolysis assays suggest that the phosphorylation sites could be located within the tubulin-binding domain. Direct phosphorylation of synthetic peptides corresponding to the cysteine-containing tubulin-binding region present in both fetal and adult tau isoforms demonstrates that serine 313 is modified by protein kinase C. Phosphorylation of the synthetic peptide by protein kinase C diminishes its binding to tubulin, as compared with the unphosphorylated peptide.     

The 204-kDa smooth muscle myosin heavy chain is phosphorylated in intact cells by casein kinase II on a serine near the carboxyl terminus

The heavy chain of smooth muscle myosin was found to be phosphorylated following immunoprecipitation from cultured bovine aortic smooth muscle cells. Of a variety of serine/threonine kinases assayed, only casein kinase II and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II phosphorylated the smooth muscle myosin heavy chain to a significant extent in vitro. Two-dimensional maps of tryptic peptides derived from heavy chains phosphorylated in cultured cells revealed one major and one minor phosphopeptide. Identical tryptic peptide maps were obtained from heavy chains phosphorylated in vitro with casein kinase II but not with calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Of note, the 204-kDa smooth muscle myosin heavy chain but not the 200-kDa heavy chain isoform was phosphorylated by casein kinase II. Partial sequence of the tryptic phosphopeptides generated following phosphorylation by casein kinase II yielded Val-Ile-Glu-Asn-Ala-Asp-Gly-Ser*-Glu-Glu-Glu-Val. The Ser* represents the Ser(PO4) which is in an acidic environment, as is typical for casein kinase II phosphorylation sites. By comparison with the deduced amino acid sequence for rabbit uterine smooth muscle myosin (Nagai, R., Kuro-o, M., Babij, P., and Periasamy, M. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 9734-9737), we have localized the phosphorylated serine residue to the non-helical tail of the 204-kDa isoform of the smooth muscle myosin heavy chain. The ability of the 204-kDa isoform, but not the 200-kDa isoform, to serve as a substrate for casein kinase II suggests that these two isoforms can be regulated differentially.     

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.     

Insulin-sensitive phosphorylation of serine 1293/1294 on the human insulin receptor by a tightly associated serine kinase

In these studies we demonstrate that insulin stimulates both tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor after its partial purification on wheat germ-agarose, and after affinity purification on insulin-agarose. Analysis of the serine phosphate incorporated into partially purified or highly purified insulin receptor suggests that an insulin-sensitive serine kinase (IRSK) copurifies with the insulin receptor. Following trypsin digestion, reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the phosphorylated, affinity-purified insulin receptor preparation reveals phosphopeptide profiles similar to those of trypsin-digested receptors immunoprecipitated from 32P-labeled fibroblasts overexpressing the human insulin receptor. The major insulin-stimulated HPLC phosphopeptide peak from insulin receptors labeled in intact cells contains a hydrophilic phosphoserine-containing peptide which rapidly elutes from a C18 column. HPLC and two-dimensional separation indicate that the same phosphopeptide is obtained when affinity-purified insulin receptors are phosphorylated by IRSK. The serine containing tryptic peptide within the cytoplasmic domain of the human insulin receptor predicted to elute most rapidly upon HPLC had the sequence SSHCQR corresponding to residues 1293-1298. A synthetic peptide containing this sequence is phosphorylated by the insulin receptor/IRSK preparation. After alkylation and trypsin digestion, the synthetic phosphopeptide comigrates with the alkylated, tryptic phosphopeptide derived from insulin receptor phosphorylated in vitro by IRSK. We propose that serine 1293 or 1294 of the human insulin receptor is a major site(s) phosphorylated on the insulin receptor in intact cells and is phosphorylated by IRSK. Furthermore, insulin added directly to affinity-purified insulin receptor/IRSK preparations stimulates the phosphorylation of synthetic peptides corresponding to this receptor phosphorylation site and another containing threonine 1336. Kemptide phosphorylation is not stimulated by insulin under these conditions. No phosphorylation of peptide substrates for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C, casein kinase II, or cGMP-dependent protein kinase by IRSK is detected. These data indicate that IRSK exhibits specificity for the insulin receptor and may be activated by the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase in an insulin-dependent manner.     

Phosphorylation of chicken cardiac C-protein by calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II.

Chicken cardiac C-protein was readily phosphorylated by purified calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II). Maximum incorporation was about 4 mol of 32P/mol of C-protein subunit. Peptide mapping indicated that some of the sites phosphorylated by CaM-kinase II were located on the same phosphopeptides obtained when C-protein was phosphorylated by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (peptides T1, T2, and T3). There was a fourth peptide (T3a) which was unique to CaM-kinase II phosphorylation. 32P-Amino acid analysis showed that essentially all of the 32P of peptides T1, T2, and T3a was in phosphoserine. cAMP-dependent protein kinase incorporated 32P only into threonine of peptide T3. Threonine was the preferred site of phosphorylation by CaM-kinase II, but there was significant phosphorylation of a serine in peptide T3. Partially purified C-protein preparations contained an associated calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. Peptide maps obtained from C-protein phosphorylated by the endogenous kinase were similar to those obtained from C-protein phosphorylated by CaM-kinase II. However, the ratio of phosphothreonine to phosphoserine in peptide T3 was lower. This was due to a contaminating phosphatase in the partially purified C-protein which preferentially dephosphorylated the phosphothreonine of peptide T3. It is suggested that the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase associated with C-protein is similar or identical to CaM-kinase II and that CaM-kinase II may play a role in the phosphorylation of C-protein in the heart.     

Phosphorylation of rabbit liver glycogen synthase by multiple protein kinases

Purified rabbit liver glycogen synthase was found to be a substrate for six different protein kinases: (i) cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, (ii) two Ca2+-stimulated protein kinases, phosphorylase kinase (from muscle) and a calmodulin-dependent glycogen synthase kinase, and (iii) three members of a Ca2+ and cyclic nucleotide independent class, PC0.7, FA/GSK-3, and casein kinase-1. Greatest inactivation accompanied phosphorylation by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (to 0.5-0.7 phosphate/subunit, +/- glucose-6-P activity ratio reduced from approximately 1 to 0.6) or FA/GSK-3 (to approximately 1 phosphate/subunit, activity ratio, 0.46). Phosphorylation by the combination FA/GSK-3 plus PC0.7 was synergistic, and more extensive inactivation was achieved. The phosphorylation reactions just described caused significant reductions in the Vmax of the glycogen synthase with little effect on the S0.5 (substrate concentration corresponding to Vmax/2). Phosphorylase kinase achieved a lesser inactivation, to an activity ratio of 0.75 at 0.6 phosphate/subunit. PC0.7 acting alone, casein kinase-1, and the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase did not cause inactivation of liver glycogen synthase with the conditions used. Analysis of CNBr fragments of phosphorylated glycogen synthase indicated that the phosphate was distributed primarily between two polypeptides, with apparent Mr = 12,300 (CB-I) and 16,000-17,000 (CB-II). PC0.7 and casein kinase-1 displayed a decided specificity for CB-II, and the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase was specific for CB-I. The other protein kinases were able, to some extent, to introduce phosphate into both CB-I and CB-II. Studies using limited proteolysis indicated that CB-II was located at a terminal region of the subunit. CB-I contains a minimum of one phosphorylation site and CB-II at least three sites. Liver glycogen synthase is therefore potentially subject to the same type of multisite regulation as skeletal muscle glycogen synthase although the muscle and liver enzymes display significant differences in both structural and kinetic properties.