Phosphorylation of prostatic nuclear matrix proteins is under androgenic control

Nuclear matrix fraction was isolated from rat ventral prostatic nuclei previously incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP to label nuclear phosphoproteins with 32P. A significant portion of the radioactivity was recovered in the phosphoproteins intrinsic to the nuclear matrix fraction. At 12 h after androgen deprivation (i.e., when a significant portion of the nuclear androgen receptor was known to be depleted), the rate, but not the extent, of phosphorylation of nuclear proteins (predominantly nonhistone proteins) was markedly reduced. Nuclear matrix fraction isolated from such preparations demonstrated a profound reduction in the rate of incorporation of 32P into the matrix-associated proteins without any apparent change in the gel electrophoretic profile of these proteins. The results indicate that the cAMP-independent protein kinase activity which catalyzes the phosphorylation of nuclear matrix proteins is under androgenic control. This may be germane to nuclear matrix-associated initial events in androgen action.     

Phosphorylation of rat liver glycogen synthase bound to the glycogen particle

Rat liver glycogen synthase bound to the glycogen particle was partially purified by repeated high-speed centrifugation. This synthase preparation was labeled with ³²P by incubations with cAMP-dependent protein kinase and cAMP-independent synthase (casein) kinase-1 in the presence of [γ-³²P]ATP. The phosphorylated synthase was separated from other proteins in the glycogen pellet by immunoprecipitation with rabbit anti-rat liver glycogen synthase serum. Analysis of the immunoprecipitates by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis showed that synthase subunits of M_r 85,000 and 80,000 were present in varying proportions. The ³²P-labeled synthase in the immunoprecipitate was digested with trypsin, and the resulting peptides were analyzed by isoelectric focusing. Synthase bound to the glycogen particle was phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase at more sites and by cAMP-independent synthase (casein) kinase-1 at less sites than when the homogeneous synthase was incubated with these kinases. Phosphorylation of synthase in the glycogen pellet by either cAMP-dependent protein kinase or cAMP-independent synthase (casein) kinase-1 did not cause a significant inactivation as has been observed when the homogeneous synthase was incubated with these kinases. Inactivation of synthase in the glycogen pellet, however, can be achieved by the combination of both kinases. This inactivation appears to result from the phosphorylation of a new site by cAMP-independent synthase (casein) kinase-1 neighboring a site previously phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Adenosine 3'':5''-cyclic monophosphate-binding proteins in bovine and rat tissues.

1. At least two classes of high-affinity cyclic AMP-binding proteins have been identified: those derived from cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases (regulatory subunits) and those that bind a wide range of adenine analogues (adenine analogue-binding proteins). 2. In fresh-tissue extracts, regulatory subunits could be further subdivided into 'type I or 'type II' depending on whether they were derived from 'type I' or 'type II' protein kinase [see Corbin et al. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 218-225]. 3. The adenine analogue-binding protein was detected in crude tissue supernatant fractions of bovine and rat liver. It differed from the regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in many of its properties. Under the conditions of assay used, the protein accounted for about 45% of the binding of cyclic AMP to bovine liver supernatants. 4. The adenine analogue-binding protein from bovine liver was partially purified by DEAE-cellulose and Sepharose 6B chromatography. It had mol.wt. 185000 and was trypsin-sensitive. As shown by competition and direct binding experiments, it bound adenosine and AMP in addition to cyclic AMP. At intracellular concentrations of adenine nucleotides, binding of cyclic AMP was essentially completely inhibited in vitro. Adenosine binding was inhibited by only 30% under similar conditions. 5. Rat tissues were examined for the presence of the adenine analogue-binding protein, and, of those examined (adipose tissue, heart, brain, testis, kidney and liver), significant amounts were only found in the liver. The possible physiological role of the adenine analogue-binding protein is discussed. 6. Because the adenine analogue-binding protein or other cyclic AMP-binding proteins in tissues may be products of partial proteolysis of the regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, the effects of trypsin and aging on partially purified protein kinase and its regulatory subunit from bovine liver were investigated. In all studies, the effects of trypsin and aging were similar. 7. In fresh preparations, the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase had mol.wt. 150000. Trypsin treatment converted it into a form of mol.wt 79500. 8. The regulatory subunit of the protein kinase had mol.wt. 87000. It would reassociate with and inhibit the catalytic subunit of the enzyme. Trypsin treatment of the regulatory subunit produced a species of mol.wt. 35500 which bound cyclic AMP but did not reassociate with the catalytic subunit. Trypsin treatment of the protein kinase and dissociation of the product by cyclic AMP produced a regulatory subunit of mol.wt. 46500 which reassociated with the catalytic subunit. 9. These results may be explained by at least two trypsin-sensitive sites on the regulatory subunit. A model for the effects of trypsin is described.     

Regulation of cardiac glycogen synthase by phosphorylation: catalysis of inactivation by cAMP-dependent and cAMP-independent protein kinases and comparison with the phosphorylation of the skeletal muscle enzyme

Glycogen synthase has been purified from bovine heart to near homogeneity by a procedure including zonal sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. The purified enzyme had a subunit molecular weight of 88,000 ± 2000, an $\text{I}\text{D}$ ratio of between 0.8 and 1.0, and contained less than 0.1 mol of covalently bound phosphate per mole of subunit. The rates, extent, and sites of phosphorylation of the cardiac enzyme were compared with those of skeletal muscle glycogen synthase as catalyzed by both the cardiac cAMP-dependent and a cardiac cAMP-independent protein kinases. The cardiac glycogen synthase was phosphorylated up to 1 mol of phosphate/mol of subunit by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, to at least 2 mol of phosphate/mol of subunit by the cAMP-independent protein kinase, and to at least 3 mol of phosphate/mol of subunit with the two protein kinases together. There was a linear correlation between the extent of phosphorylation and conversion of cardiac synthase I to the glucose 6-phosphate-dependent form. This correlation was independent of which kinase(s) catalyzed the phosphorylation. Maximum inactivation occurred at an incorporation of 2 mol of phosphate per subunit. Under equivalent conditions, the rates of phosphorylation of cardiac and skeletal muscle glycogen synthase by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase were identical. In contrast, the cardiac enzyme was phosphorylated at a faster rate by the homologous cardiac cAMP-independent protein kinase than was the skeletal muscle synthase by the latter cardiac protein kinase. Analysis of the sites of phosphorylation of the cardiac and skeletal muscle glycogen synthases by CNBr cleavage and trypsin hydrolysis indicated minor differences in the derived phosphopeptides.     

Differential androgenic control of prostatic cytosolic cAMP-dependent and -independent protein kinases

Whether or not various cytosolic protein kinases (and especially the type I cAMP-dependent protein kinase) of rat ventral prostate are specifically regulated with respect to total activity or specific activity by androgen has been investigated. Following androgen deprivation, the total activity per prostate of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (with histone as substrate) changed little at 24 h, declining by about 20% at 96 h. Under these conditions, its specific activity remained unaltered at 24 h, but was markedly enhanced at 96 h postorchiectomy. Type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase in rat ventral prostate cytosol was the only form of cAMP-dependent protein kinases present as determined by measurement of catalytic activity as well as [32P]-8-N3-cAMP binding to the regulatory subunits. There was no alteration in the distribution of the isoenzymes of cAMP-dependent protein kinases or the response of these kinase activities to cAMP owing to castration of animals. The prostatic cytosol also contains free regulatory subunit (with molecular weight similar to that of regulatory subunit R1) which coelutes with type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase. This finding was confirmed by using [32P]-8-N3-cAMP photoaffinity labeling of cAMP-binding proteins. With respect to cAMP-independent protein kinase (measured with dephosphophosvitin as substrate), a decline of 31% in its specific activity was observed in cytosol of prostates from rats castrated for a period of 24 h without significant further change at later periods following castration. However, there was a marked progressive reduction in total activity of this enzyme per prostate (loss of 72% at 96 h postorchiectomy). The increase in specific activity of cAMP-dependent, but not cAMP-independent, protein kinase in the face of decreasing total activity in the cytosol at later periods of castration (e.g., at 96 h) may reflect a slower loss of the former enzyme protein than the bulk of the cytosolic proteins. Administration of testosterone to castrated animals prevented these changes. These data do not indicate a specific regulation by steroid of the type I cAMP-dependent protein kinase in the prostate. Rather, the cAMP-independent protein kinase (with dephosphophosvitin as substrate) appears to be modulated by the androgenic status of the animal.     

Tyrosine phosphorylation of a SNARE protein,Syntaxin 17: Implications for membrane trafficking in the early secretory pathway

The T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase is expressed as two splice variants — TC45, a nuclear protein, and TC48, which is localized predominantly in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum). Yeast two-hybrid screening revealed direct interaction of TC48 with Syntaxin17, a SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) protein localized predominantly in the ER and to some extent in the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment. Syntaxin 17 did not interact with TC45. C-terminal 40 amino acids of TC48 were sufficient for interaction with syntaxin 17. Overexpressed syntaxin 17 was phosphorylated at tyrosine upon pervanadate treatment (a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor/tyrosine kinase activator) of COS-1 cells. Mutational analysis identified Tyr156 in the cytoplasmic domain as the major site of phosphorylation. Endogenous syntaxin 17 was phosphorylated by pervanadate treatment in CHO and MIN6 cells but was not phosphorylated in a variety of other cell lines tested. c-Abl was identified as one of the kinases, which phosphorylates syntaxin 17 in MIN6 cells. Phosphorylation of endogenous and overexpressed syntaxin 17 was reduced in the presence of IGF receptor and EGF receptor kinase inhibitors. Serum depletion reduced pervanadate-induced phosphorylation of endogenous syntaxin 17. TC48 coexpression reduced phosphorylation of syntaxin 17 by pervanadate and purified TC48 directly dephosphorylated syntaxin 17. β-COP dispersal by overexpressed syntaxin 17 was reduced after pervanadate-induced phosphorylation. A phospho-mimicking mutant (Y156E) of syntaxin 17 showed reduced interaction with COPI vesicles. These results suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of syntaxin 17 is likely to have a role in regulating syntaxin 17 dependent membrane trafficking in the early secretory pathway.     

Phosphorylation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor by cAMP-dependent protein kinase

The phosphorylation of canine cardiac and skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase has been studied. A high-molecular-weight protein (Mr 400,000) in cardiac microsomes was phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. A monoclonal antibody against the cardiac ryanodine receptor immunoprecipitated this phosphoprotein. In contrast, high-molecular-weight proteins (Mr 400,000-450,000) in canine skeletal microsomes isolated from extensor carpi radialis (fast) or superficial digitalis flexor (slow) muscle fibers were not significantly phosphorylated. In agreement with these findings, the ryanodine receptor purified from cardiac microsomes was also phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Phosphorylation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor in microsomal and purified preparations occurred at the ratio of about one mol per mol of ryanodine-binding site. Upon phosphorylation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor, the levels of [3H]ryanodine binding at saturating concentrations of this ligand increased by up to 30% in the presence of Ca2+ concentrations above 1 microM in both cardiac microsomes and the purified cardiac ryanodine receptor preparation. In contrast, the Ca2+ concentration dependence of [3H]ryanodine binding did not change significantly. These results suggest that phosphorylation of the ryanodine receptor by cAMP-dependent protein kinase may be an important regulatory mechanism for the calcium release channel function in the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of purified phospholamban and associated phosphatidylinositides

Phospholamban, the putative regulator for the calcium pump, was purified to apparent homogeneity and in high yields from canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. Purified phospholamban migrated with an apparent Mr of 27,000 in alkaline sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, and upon boiling in 7.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate, it dissociated into a lower molecular weight component of 5500-6000. Purified phospholamban contained 0.62 +/- 0.09 mumol of lipid Pi/mg of protein, and the major phospholipids were phosphatidylserine (34%), phosphatidylcholine (22%), sphingomyelin (17%), phosphatidylinositol (13%), and phosphatidylethanolamine (9%). Phospholamban was phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase to a level of 207 nmol of Pi/mg, and this would indicate an incorporation of 1 mol of phosphate/mol of protein, assuming a molecular weight of 5500 for phospholamban. Phosphorylation of phospholamban could be reversed by a "phospholamban phosphatase" isolated from canine cardiac cytosol. Phospholipids associated with the purified phospholamban were also phosphorylated in the presence of the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and the maximal phosphate incorporation was 4 nmol/mg of protein. The main phospholipids phosphorylated were phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. Phosphorylation of phospholipids was inhibited by the heat-stable inhibitor protein of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and it could be also reversed by the phospholamban phosphatase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A multisubstrate Ca2+ and cyclic nucleotide independent kinase from vascular smooth muscle: modulation of activity by polycations

A multisubstrate Ca2+ and cyclic nucleotide independent kinase (Mr = 47,000) was purified from bovine aortic smooth muscle. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase by this enzyme was polycation modulable. Low concentrations of polylysine (0.04-0.16 microM) stimulated phosphorylation 2-7 fold, whereas higher concentrations suppressed phosphorylation. Glycogen synthase converted to its glucose 6-PO4 dependent form following phosphorylation in either the presence (7 mol 32P/mol synthase) or absence (4 mol 32P/mol synthase) of polylysine: extent of conversion correlated to extent of phosphorylation. Seven of 14 potential substrates tested were phosphorylated: kinase activity was greatest for phosvitin followed by casein, the receptor protein from type 2 cAMP-kinase, histone H2b, phosphorylase kinase, glycogen synthase, and myocardial myosin light chains. Phosphorylation of phosvitin or synthase was inhibited by heparin (1/2 maximally by 0.5 microgram/ml without salt and 37 micrograms/ml with 150 mM NaCl). The results suggest that the enzyme may participate in regulating arterial glycogen metabolism and that such regulation may be modulated by polycationic and polyanionic effectors.     

Phosphorylation of chick heart muscarinic cholinergic receptors by the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase

Previous studies have demonstrated that muscarinic cholinergic receptors (mAChR) become markedly phosphorylated when intact cardiac cells are stimulated with a muscarinic agonist. This process appears to be related to the process of receptor desensitization. However, the mechanism of agonist-induced phosphorylation of mAChR is not known. In situ phosphorylation studies suggested that agonist-induced phosphorylation of mAChR may involve the participation of a receptor-specific kinase and/or require agonist occupancy. These observations regarding phosphorylation and desensitization of mAChR are similar to observations made for beta-adrenergic receptors. Recent studies have indicated that homologous desensitization of beta-adrenergic receptors may be due to the phosphorylation of these receptors by a novel protein kinase that only recognizes the agonist-occupied form of the receptors. As muscarinic receptors are structurally homologous to beta-adrenergic receptors, we have initiated studies to identify the protein kinase responsible for the phosphorylation of muscarinic receptors by determining whether the chick heart muscarinic receptor would serve as a substrate for the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (beta-AR kinase). We report that the purified and reconstituted chick heart muscarinic receptor serves as an excellent substrate in vitro for the beta-AR kinase. Phosphorylation of mAChR receptors by the beta-AR kinase was only observed in the presence of a muscarinic receptor agonist and was prevented in the presence of antagonist. Both the extent of phosphorylation (3-4 mol of P/mol of receptor) and the phosphoamino acid composition of the mAChR after incubation in vitro with beta-AR kinase were similar to the characteristics of agonist-induced phosphorylation of mAChR in situ.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Autophosphorylation and protein kinase C phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor. Effect on tyrosine kinase activity and ligand binding affinity

The effect of autophosphorylation and protein kinase C-catalyzed phosphorylation on the tyrosine-protein kinase activity and ligand binding affinity of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor has been studied. Kinetic parameters for the phosphorylation by the receptor kinase of synthetic peptide substrates having sequences related to the 3 in vitro receptor autophosphorylation sites (tyrosine residues 1173 (P1), 1148 (P2), and 1068 (P3)) were measured. The Km of peptide P1 (residues 1164-1176) was significantly lower than that for peptides P2 (residues 1141-1151) or P3 (residues 1059-1072). The tyrosine residue 1173 was also the most rapidly autophosphorylated in purified receptor preparations, consistent with previous observations for the receptor in intact cells (Downward, J., Parker, P., and Waterfield, M. D. (1984) Nature 311, 483-485). Variation in the extent of receptor autophosphorylation from 0.1 to 2.8 mol of phosphate/mol of receptor did not influence kinase activity or EGF binding affinity either for purified receptor or receptor in membrane preparations. Phosphorylation of the EGF receptor by protein kinase C was shown to cause a 3-fold decrease in the affinity of purified EGF receptor for EGF and to reduce the receptor kinase activity. In membrane preparations, phosphorylation of the EGF receptor by protein kinase C resulted in conversion of high affinity EGF binding sites to a low affinity state. This suggests that activation of protein kinase C by certain growth promoting agents and tumor promoters is directly responsible for modulation of the affinity of the EGF receptor for its ligand EGF. The regulation of the EGF receptor function by protein kinase C is discussed.     

Phosphorylation of purified glucocorticoid receptor from rat liver by an endogenous protein kinase

Glucocorticoid receptor was purified from rat liver cytosol using a dexamethasone affinity column. The receptor thus purified displayed a single protein band when subjected to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It had a molecular weight of 90,000 which was consistent with the reported value for other glucocorticoid receptor preparations. Incubation of the purified preparation with [gamma 32P] ATP and Mg2+ resulted in transfer of [32P] to the receptor protein indicating the presence of an endogeneous protein kinase activity capable of phosphorylating the receptor molecule. Phosphorylation of the glucocorticoid receptor by the endogenous protein kinase might serve as a direct mechanism for the activation of the receptor.     

Purification of cytosolic cAMP-independent protein kinases from rat ventral prostate

Two cAMP-independent protein kinases were purified from rat ventral-prostate and liver cytosol, and were designated PK-C1 and PK-C2 to distinguish them from the nuclear protein kinases described in the preceding paper. The yield of the prostate enzymes was about 5% each, and about 10% each for the liver enzymes. The average fold purification of the prostatic enzymes was 1892 and 3176 for protein kinase C1 and C2, respectively. Their average respective specific activity towards casein was 40,111 and 67,340 nmol 32P incorporated/hr per mg of enzyme protein. protein kinase C1 comprised one polypeptide of Mr 39,000 which underwent phosphorylation in the presence of Mg2+ + ATP. Protein kinase C2 comprised three polypeptides of Mr 41,000; 38,000; 26,000. Of these only the Mr 26,000 polypeptide was autophosphorylated. The Mg2+ requirement for protein kinase C1 and C2 was between 1 and 4 mM depending on the nature of the protein substrate. Both enzymes were stimulated by 100-200 mM NaCl. Km for ATP for C1 and C2 kinases was 0.01 mM; GTP could be used only by protein kinase C2 but with a markedly lower affinity. The enzymes were active towards casein, phosvitin, dephosphophosvitin, and spermine-binding protein in vitro, but demonstrated little activity towards histones. Despite several similarities in these general properties of cytosolic protein kinases C1 and C2 with those of nuclear protein kinases N1 and N2, a number of differences are also noted.     

Phospholipid activation of the insulin receptor kinase: regulation by phosphatidylinositol

A soybean phospholipid mixture produced a concentration-dependent enhancement of beta subunit autophosphorylation of the detergent-soluble, purified human placental insulin receptor. Although phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, or phosphatidylserine also increased insulin receptor autophosphorylation, only phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) stimulated to a similar extent as the phospholipid mixture. The effect of PtdIns was biphasic, stimulating at low concentrations (75 microM), but having no stimulatory effect at high concentrations (1.0 mM). Phospholipids also stimulated the exogenous protein kinase activity of the insulin receptor toward histone H2B. Phosphorylation of PtdIns occurred with these purified insulin receptor preparations, but this activity was insulin-independent, and the turnover number for PtdIns phosphorylation in the presence of soybean phospholipid was 1/220th as small as the turnover number for the autophosphorylating activity. These results suggest that although PtdIns can modulate the activity of the insulin receptor kinase, PtdIns phosphorylation itself is not directly involved in this regulation.     

Phosphorylation of CPI-17, an inhibitor of myosin phosphatase, by protein kinase N

CPI-17 is a phosphorylation-dependent inhibitory protein for smooth muscle myosin phosphate. Phosphorylation at Thr(38), in vitro, by protein kinase C or Rho-kinase enhances the inhibitory potency toward myosin phosphatase. Phosphorylation of CPI-17 by protein kinase N (PKN), a fatty acid- and Rho-activated serine/threonine kinase, and its effect on smooth muscle myosin phosphatase activity were investigated. CPI-17 was phosphorylated by GST-PKN-CAT, a constitutively active GST-fusion fragment of PKN, to 1.46 mol of P/mol of CPI-17, in vitro. The K(m) value of CPI-17 for PKN was 0.96 microM. Phosphorylation of PKN dramatically increased the inhibitory effect of CPI-17 on myosin phosphatase activity. The major and inhibitory phosphorylation site was identified as Thr(38) using a point mutant of CPI-17 and a phosphorylation-state specific antibody. Thus, CPI-17 is a substrate of PKN and might be involved in the Ca(2+) sensitization of smooth muscle contraction as a downstream effector of Rho and/or arachidonic acid.     

The role of Ca2+ and cyclic AMP in the phosphorylation of rat-liver soluble proteins by endogenous protein kinases

Rat liver soluble proteins were phosphorylated by endogenous protein kinase with [gamma-32P]ATP. Proteins were separated in dodecyl sulphate slab gels and detected with the aid of autoradiography. The relative role of cAMP-dependent, cAMP-independent and Ca2+-activated protein kinases in the phosphorylation of soluble proteins was investigated. Heat-stable inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibits nearly completed the phosphorylation of seven proteins, including L-type pyruvate kinase. The phosphorylation of eight proteins is not influenced by protein kinase inhibitor. The phosphorylation of six proteins, including phosphorylase, is partially inhibited by protein kinase inhibitor. These results indicate that phosphoproteins of rat liver can be subdivided into three groups: phosphoproteins that are phosphorylated by (a) cAMP-dependent protein kinase or (b) cAMP-independent protein kinase; (c) phosphoproteins in which both cAMP-dependent and cAMP-independent protein kinase play a role in the phosphorylation. The relative phosphorylation rate of substrates for cAMP-dependent protein kinase is about 15-fold the phosphorylation rate of substrates for cAMP-independent protein kinase. The Km for ATP of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphorylase kinase is 8 microM and 38 microM, respectively. Ca2+ in the micromolare range stimulates the phosphorylation of (a) phosphorylase, (b) a protein with molecular weight of 130 000 and (c) a protein with molecular weight of 15 000. The phosphate incorporation into a protein with molecular weight of 115 000 is inhibited by Ca2+. Phosphorylation of phosphorylase and the 15 000-Mr protein in the presence of 100 microM Ca2+ could be completely inhibited by trifluoperazine. It can be concluded that calmodulin is involved in the phosphorylation of at least two soluble proteins. No evidence for Ca2+-stimulated phosphorylation of subunits of glycolytic or gluconeogenic enzymes, including pyruvate kinase, was found. This indicates that it is unlikely that direct phosphorylation by Ca2+-dependent protein kinases is involved in the stimulation of gluconeogenesis by hormones that act through a cAMP-independent, Ca2+-dependent mechanism.     

Selective changes in the phosphorylation of endogenous proteins in subcellular fractions from cyclic amp-induced differentiated neuroblastoma cells

The endogenous phosphorylation of specific proteins was studied in subcellular fractions from proliferating and cAMP-induced differentiated neuroblastoma cells. Fractions containing nuclear, membrane-bound, and cytosolic proteins were incubated with [-³²P]ATP, in the presence and absence of added cyclic nucleotides. Phosphate incorporation into specific proteins was determined by slab-gel electrophoresis of sodium dodecyl sulfate-solubilized reaction products. Cytosol fractions from differentiated cells demonstrated a twofold increase in cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of a specific protein with apparent mol wt of 59,000 daltons and a comparable decrease in cAMP-independent phosphorylation of another protein (97,000). The nuclear fraction of differentiated cells showed an increase in the cAMP-independent phosphorylation of two nonhistone proteins (110,000 and 102,000). Membrane fractions from differentiated cells exhibited a differential decrease in endogenous phosphorylation of specific proteins. Selective alterations in the phosphorylation of specific proteins in various subcellular components may be important biochemical events associated with the increased levels of differentiated functions in neuroblastoma cells in culture.     

Characterization of calmodulin-activated protein kinase activity of rat adipocyte endoplasmic reticulum fraction

Calmodulin-activated protein kinase activity in the endoplasmic reticulum fraction of rat adipocytes was identified and characterized. The major endogenous protein substrate of the calmodulin-activated kinase activity has an apparent molecular weight of 54,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. The calmodulin-activated component of the activity was saturated at 10 microM ATP. Calcium or calmodulin alone did not increase the activity, but the simultaneous presence of calcium and calmodulin increased activity three to four-fold. Half-maximal activation of this activity occurred at 8 microM Ca2+. The addition of increasing amounts of calmodulin caused a concentration-dependent activation in the presence of calcium, which was saturable at high calmodulin concentrations. Magnesium was required for activity, with half-maximal activity occurring at 230 microM. The antipsychotic drug trifluoperazine inhibited the activation of the protein kinase activity by calmodulin, but had a negligible effect on the basal activity. Half-maximal inhibition occurred at 63 microM. Phosphorylation of the 54,000 mol. wt band was independent of cAMP, cGMP and the combination of cAMP and cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Calmodulin-activated protein kinase phosphorylated both phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues in the 54,000 mol. wt substrate. These experiments have partially characterized a calmodulin-activated protein kinase activity from adipocytes, which appears to be a unique activity of unknown function.     

The phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata sp108 encodes an indigenous class A beta-lactamase.

It has previously been demonstrated that calmodulin can be phosphorylated in vitro and in vivo by both tyrosine-specific and serine/threonine protein kinase. We demonstrate here that the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase purified from human placenta phosphorylates calmodulin. The highly purified receptors (prepared by insulin-Sepharose chromatography) were 5-10 times more effective in catalysing the phosphorylation of calmodulin than an equal number of partially purified receptors (prepared by wheat-germ agglutinin-Sepharose chromatography). Phosphorylation occurred exclusively on tyrosine residues, up to a maximum of 1 mol [0.90 +/- 0.14 (n = 5)] of phosphate incorporated/mol of calmodulin. Phosphorylation of calmodulin was dependent on the presence of certain basic proteins and divalent cations. Some of these basic proteins, i.e. polylysine, polyarginine, polyornithine, protamine sulphate and histones H1 and H2B, were also able to stimulate the phosphorylation of calmodulin via an insulin-independent activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase. Addition of insulin further increased incorporation of 32P into calmodulin. The magnitude of the effect of insulin was dependent on the concentration and type of basic protein used, ranging from 0.5- to 9.0-fold stimulation. Maximal phosphorylation of calmodulin was obtained at an insulin concentration of 10(-10) M, with half-maximal effect at 10(-11) M. Either Mg2+ or Mn2+ was necessary to obtain phosphorylation, but Mg2+ was far more effective than Mn2+. In contrast, maximal phosphorylation of calmodulin was observed in the absence of Ca2+. Inhibition of phosphorylation was observed as free Ca2+ concentration exceeded 0.1 microM, with almost complete inhibition at 30 microM free Ca2+. The Km for calmodulin was approx. 0.1 microM. To gain further insight into the effects of basic proteins in this system, we examined the binding of calmodulin to the insulin receptor and the polylysine. Calmodulin binds to the insulin receptor in a Ca2+-dependent manner, whereas it binds to polylysine seemingly by electrostatic interactions. These studies identify calmodulin as a substrate for the highly purified insulin receptor tyrosine kinase of human placenta. They also demonstrate that the basic proteins, which are required for insulin to stimulate the phosphorylation of calmodulin, do so by a direct interaction with calmodulin.     

Agonist-dependent phosphorylation of the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor by the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase

Desensitization of the beta-adrenergic receptor, a receptor which is coupled to the stimulation of adenylate cyclase, may be regulated via phosphorylation by a unique protein kinase. This recently discovered enzyme, known as the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase, only phosphorylates the agonist-occupied form of the beta-adrenergic receptor. To assess whether receptors coupled to the inhibition of adenylate cyclase might also be substrates, we examined the effects of beta-adrenergic receptor kinase on the partially purified human platelet alpha 2-adrenergic receptor. Phosphorylation of the reconstituted alpha 2-adrenergic receptor was dependent on agonist occupancy and was completely blocked by coincubation with alpha 2-antagonists. The time course of phosphorylation of the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor was virtually identical to that observed with the beta-adrenergic receptor with maximum stoichiometries of 7-8 mol of phosphate/mol of receptor in each case. In contrast, the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor, which is coupled to stimulation of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis, is not a substrate for the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase. These results suggest that receptors coupled to either stimulation or inhibition of adenylate cyclase may be regulated by an agonist-dependent phosphorylation mediated by the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase.