A role for phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3alpha in bovine sperm motility regulation.

The long-term goal of our work is to understand biochemical mechanisms underlying sperm motility and fertility. In a recent study we showed that tyrosine phosphorylation of a 55-kDa protein varied in direct proportion to motility. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the protein was low in immotile compared to motile epididymal sperm. Inhibition or stimulation of motility by high calcium levels or cAMP, respectively, results in a corresponding decrease or increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of the 55-kDa protein. Here we report purification and identification of this motility-associated protein. Soluble extracts from bovine caudal epididymal sperm were subjected to DEAE-cellulose, Affi-Gel blue, and cellulose phosphate chromatography. Tyrosine phosphate immunoreactive fractions contained glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) activity, suggesting a possible correspondence between these proteins. This suggestion was verified by Western blot analyses following one-dimensional and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the purified protein using monoclonal and affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies against the catalytic amino-terminus and carboxy-terminus regions of GSK-3. Further confirmation of the identity of these proteins came from Western blot analysis using antibodies specific to the tyrosine phosphorylated GSK-3. Using this antibody, we also showed that GSK-3 tyrosine phosphorylation was high in motile compared to immotile sperm. Immunocytochemistry revealed that GSK-3 is present in the flagellum and the anterior portion of the sperm head. These data suggest that GSK-3, regulated by phosphorylation, could be a key element underlying motility initiation in the epididymis and regulation of mature sperm function.

Sperm motility development in the epididymis is associated with decreased glycogen synthase kinase-3 and protein phosphatase 1 activity.

Immotile bovine caput epididymal sperm contain levels of protein phosphatase activity twofold higher than do mature motile caudal sperm. Comparison of the inhibition profiles of endogenous phosphatase activities detected by okadaic acid (OA) and calyculin A (CA) revealed a pattern consistent with the predominance of a type 1 protein phosphatase (PP1). Immunoblot analysis identified PP1 gamma 2 (the testis-specific isoform of PP1) as the only PP1 isoform in sperm and showed little protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). In addition, of the known PP1 inhibitors, i.e., DARPP-32, inhibitor 1 (I1), and inhibitor 2 (I2), only I2-like activity was detected in sperm. Inhibition of PP1 by the heat-stable I2-like activity purified from sperm could be reversed with purified glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3). Furthermore, sperm extracts contain an inactive complex of PP1 and I2 (termed PP1I) that could also be activated by purified GSK-3. The presence of GSK-3 in sperm was demonstrated by activation of purified PP1I, and quantitation revealed that immotile caput sperm contained sixfold higher GSK-3 activity than motile caudal sperm. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the expression of GSK-3 in sperm and revealed the occurrence of both the alpha and beta isoforms. Our findings suggest that the higher PP1 activity measured in immotile sperm, presumably due to higher GSK-3 activity, is responsible for holding motility in check. This conclusion was supported by the observation that the phosphatase inhibitors OA and CA, at micromolar and nanomolar levels, respectively, were able to induce motility in completely immotile bovine caput epididymal sperm and to stimulate the kinetic activity of mature caudal sperm. The intrasperm levels of cAMP, pH, and calcium were unaltered by treatment with these inhibitors. The results suggest a biochemical basis for the development and regulation of sperm motility and a possible physiological role for the PP1/I2/GSK-3 system.

Cyanobacterial nodularin is a potent inhibitor of type 1 and type 2A protein phosphatases.

The present study characterizes the inhibitory effects of nodularin, a recently isolated hepatotoxic compound from the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena, on type 1 (PP1), type 2A, (PP2A), type 2B (PP2B), and type 2C (PP2C) protein phosphatases. Both PP2A and PP1 were potently inhibited (IC50 = 0.026 and 1.8 nM, respectively) by nodularin, whereas PP2B was inhibited to a lesser extent (IC50 = 8.7 microM). Nodularin had no apparent effect on PP2C, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, insulin receptor tyrosine kinase, protein kinase A, phosphorylase kinase, or protein kinase C. In a whole-cell extract of T51B liver cells, nodularin inhibited PP1 and PP2A activity with a potency similar to that seen with their purified catalytic subunits. Thus, due to the high specificity of nodularin for PP2A and PP1, this hepatotoxin may prove to be useful as a probe for distinguishing the activity of these protein phosphatases in cell extracts.

Phosphorylation of bovine neurofilament proteins by protein kinase FA (glycogen synthase kinase 3).

A highly purified preparation of protein kinase FA (where FA is the activating factor for phosphatase 1)/glycogen synthase kinase 3 from rabbit muscle readily phosphorylated bovine neurofilaments. All three neurofilament proteins, the high, middle, and low molecular proteins (NF-H, NF-M, and NF-L), were phosphorylated when intact filaments were incubated with the kinase. Experiments with individual proteins showed that NF-M was the best substrate. At protein concentrations of 0.13 mg/ml, the initial rate of NF-M phosphorylation was 30% of that observed for glycogen synthase. Km values were 0.24 mg/ml (7 x 10(-7) M tetramer) for glycogen synthase and 0.10 mg/ml (5 x 10(-7) M dimer) for NF-M. Vmax values were 0.36 mumol/min/mg for glycogen synthase and 0.035 mumol/min/mg for NF-M. Dephosphorylated NF-M was phosphorylated only half as much as native NF-M; this is consistent with the known substrate specificity of the kinase. The possible involvement of FA/GSK-3 in the phosphorylation of neurofilaments in vivo is discussed.

Identification, purification, and characterization of a novel serine/threonine protein phosphatase from bovine brain.

A novel serine/threonine protein phosphatase is identified, and the catalytic subunit, obtained from a detergent extraction of the pellet generated by a 100,000 x g centrifugation of a whole bovine brain homogenate, is purified and characterized. The protein phosphatase, designated as PP3, has a Mr of 36,000, does not require divalent cations for activity, is stimulated rather than inhibited by inhibitor 2, is inhibited by both okadaic acid and microcystin-LR with an intermediate IC50 compared to type 1 and type 2A protein phosphatases, and preferentially dephosphorylates the beta subunit of phosphorylase kinase. Substrate specificity, immunoblotting with type-specific antisera, and the amino acid sequences of peptides derived from PP3 indicate that PP3 is not an isoform of any known serine/threonine protein phosphatase.

A ribosomal protein S6 kinase copurifies with phosphatase-1 activating factor.

A highly purified preparation of phosphatase-activating kinase (Fa) from rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6. The two activities copurified on DEAE-Sephadex, CM-Sephadex, and phosphocellulose chromatography and upon further chromatography on Sephacryl S-300 and FPLC Mono-S and Mono-Q columns. On the latter column, two separate peaks of Fa activity were observed when it was developed in Tris buffer as opposed to beta-glycerophosphate. S6 kinase activity was obtained only with the Fa which adhered to the resin. The Mr of the Fa and S6 activities was determined to be 83,200 by gel permeation on a Sephacryl S-300 column. The Fa preparation phosphorylated serine residues on S6; two tryptic phosphopeptides, A and C, were identified by two-dimensional phosphopeptide analysis. The enzyme also showed good activity toward initiation factor eIF-4B. Based on specificity toward ribosomal proteins and initiation factors, the Fa and a mitogen-stimulated S6 kinase purified from insulin-stimulated 3T3-L1 cells were similar. These results suggest that a form of Fa and an insulin-stimulated S6 kinase may be related or closely associated.

Characterization of microcystin-LR, a potent inhibitor of type 1 and type 2A protein phosphatases.

The level of protein phosphorylation is dependent on the relative activities of both protein kinases and protein phosphatases. By comparison with protein kinases, however, there have been considerably fewer studies on the functions of serine/threonine protein phosphatases. This is partly due to a lack of specific protein phosphatase inhibitors that can be used as probes. In the present study we characterize the inhibitory effects of microcystin-LR, a hepatotoxic cyclic peptide associated with most strains of the blue-green algae Microcystis aeruginosa found in the Northern hemisphere, that proves to be a potent inhibitor of type 1 (IC50 = 1.7 nM) and type 2A (IC50 = 0.04 nM) protein phosphatases. Microcystin-LR inhibited the activity of both type 1 and type 2A phosphatases greater than 10-fold more potently than okadaic acid under the same conditions. Type 2A protein phosphatases in dilute mammalian cell extracts were found to be completely inhibited by 0.5 nM microcystin-LR while type 1 protein phosphatases were only slightly affected at this concentration. Thus, microcystin-LR may prove to be a useful probe for the study and identification cellular processes which are mediated by protein phosphatases.

Subunit structure and properties of the glycogen-bound phosphoprotein phosphatase from skeletal muscle.

A high molecular weight phosphoprotein phosphatase was purified approximately 11,000-fold from the glycogen-protein complex of rabbit skeletal muscle. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the preparation in the absence of sodium dodecyl sulfate showed a major protein band which contained the activity of the enzyme. Gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate also showed a major protein band migrating at 38,000 daltons. The sedimentation coefficient, Stokes radius, and frictional ratio of the enzyme were determined to be 4.4 S, 4.4 nm, and 1.53, respectively. Based on these values the molecular weight of the enzyme was calculated to be 83,000. The high molecular weight phosphatase was dissociated upon chromatography on a reactive red-120 agarose column. The sedimentation coefficient, Stokes radius, and frictional ratio of the dissociated enzyme (termed monomer) were determined to be 4.1 S, 2.4 nm, and 1.05, respectively. The molecular weight of the monomer enzyme was determined to be 38,000 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Incubation of the high molecular weight phosphatase with a cleavable cross-linking reagent, 3,3'-dithiobis(sulfosuccinimidyl propionate), showed the formation of a cross-linked complex. The molecular weight of the cross-linked complex was determined to be 85,000 and a second dimension gel electrophoresis of the cleaved cross-linked complex showed that the latter contained only 38,000-dalton bands. Limited trypsinization of the enzyme released a approximately 4,000-dalton peptide from the monomers and dissociated the high molecular weight phosphatase into 34,000-dalton monomers. It is proposed that the catalytic activity of the native glycogen-bound phosphatase resides in a dimer of 38,000-dalton subunits.

Effects of altered thyroid status on beta-adrenergic actions on skeletal muscle glycogen metabolism.

The effects of hypothyroidism on glycogen metabolism in rat skeletal muscle were studied using the perfused rat hindlimb preparation. Three weeks after propylthiouracil treatment, serum thyroxine was undetectable and muscle glycogen and Glc-6-P were decreased. Basal and epinephrine-stimulated phosphorylase a and phosphorylase b kinase activities were also significantly reduced, as were epinephrine-stimulated cAMP accumulation and cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity. Conversely, basal and epinephrine-stimulated glycogen synthase I activities were significantly higher while the Ka of the enzyme for Glc-6-P was lower in hypothyroid animals. Propylthiouracil-treated rats also had increased phosphoprotein phosphatase activities towards phosphorylase and glycogen synthase and decreased activity of phosphatase inhibitor 1. beta-Adrenergic receptor binding and basal and epinephrine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activities were reduced in muscle particulate fractions from hypothyroid rats. Administration of triiodothyronine to rats for 3 days after 3 weeks of propylthiouracil treatment restored the altered metabolic parameters to normal. It is proposed that the decreased beta-adrenergic responsiveness of the enzymes of glycogen metabolism in hypothyroid rat skeletal muscle is due to increased activity of phosphoprotein phosphatases and to reduced beta-adrenergic receptors and adenylate cyclase activity.

Regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibits phosphoprotein phosphatase.

The activity of a purified high molecular weight phosphoprotein phosphatase was inhibited by purified type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase. This effect required cAMP and was obtained in the absence of ATP. The isolated type II regulatory subunits (R-subunits) from several species also inhibited the phosphatase activity in both crude extracts and purified preparations. Half maximal inhibition was observed at 0.06-0.25 microM, well within the physiological range of R-subunit concentrations. The inhibitory potency of R-subunit was greater using the thiophosphorylated form. Limited trypsinization of the R-subunit abolished the inhibitory activity. The C-subunit released the bound cAMP when combined with R-subunit, but the phosphatase did not, implying that the inhibited species is a R.cAMP-phosphatase complex. The results suggest that the R-subunit might have at least one physiological role in addition to inhibition of the C-subunit, i.e., inhibition of phosphatase. The latter would occur only when cAMP is elevated.

Rabbit muscle glycogen-bound phosphoprotein phosphatases: substrate specificities and effects of inhibitor-1.

A phosphoprotein phosphatase which has an apparent molecular weight of 240,000 was partially purified (500-fold) from the glycogen-protein complex of rabbit skeletal muscle. The enzyme exhibited broad substrate specificity as it dephosphorylated phosphorylase, phosphohistones, glycogen synthase, phosphorylase kinase, regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and phosphatase inhibitor 1. The phosphatase showed high specificity towards dephosphorylation of the beta-subunit of phosphorylase kinase and site 2 of glycogen synthase. With the latter substrate, the presence of phosphate in sites 1a and 1b decreased the apparent Vmax, perhaps by inhibiting the dephosphorylation of site 2. The phosphorylated form of inhibitor 1 did not significantly inhibit this high-molecular-weight phosphatase. However, an inhibitor 1-sensitive phosphatase activity could be derived from this preparation by limited trypsinization. Furthermore, greater than 70% of the phosphatase activity in skeletal muscle extracts and in the glycogen-protein complex was insensitive to inhibitor 1. Limited trypsinization of each fraction obtained from the phosphatase purification increased the total activity (1.5- to 2-fold) and converted the enzyme into a form which was inhibited by inhibitor 1. The results suggest that inhibitor 1-sensitive phosphatase may be a proteolyzed enzyme.

Hormonal regulation of skeletal muscle glycogen synthase through covalent phosphorylation.

Studies have been initiated to determine the hormonal regulation of glycogen synthase in rabbit skeletal muscle. It was found that glycogen synthase purified from control animals was quite highly phosphorylated (2.35 mol phosphate/mol synthase subunit) with 40% of the phosphate in the trypsin-sensitive or COOH-terminal domain, and 60% in the trypsin-insensitive or NH2-terminal domain. The phosphorylation state of synthase was elevated (3.9 mol/mol) by epinephrine injection and in the diabetic condition. With epinephrine, about 76% of the additional phosphate was incorporated in the trypsin-sensitive domain, which strongly supports the contention that this hormone acts through the cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase. In the synthase purified from diabetic rabbits, 90% of the additional phosphate was in the trypsin-insensitive domain. Insulin treatment of the diabetics resulted in specific dephosphorylation of the trypsin-insensitive domain. These results indicate that in this system insulin is not acting by inhibition of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

Phosphorylation and inactivation of glycogen synthase by phosphorylase kinase.

Skeletal muscle glycogen a4-synthase (EC 2.4.1.11) has been purified free of all synthase kinase and phosphatase activities by chromatography on a Glc-N-6-P-Sepharose affinity column and then on a phosphocellulose column. This preparation of glycogen synthase was tested as a substrate for purified skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase (ATP:phosphorylase-b phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.38). Phosphorylase kinase (1-10 microgram/ml or 0.03-0.3 microM) catalyzes rapid phosphorylation of glycogen synthase (4.5 microM) associated with conversion of the active a form to the less active b form. In the reaction, greater than 95% of the 32P incorporation from [gamma-32P]ATP goes into the synthase subunit almost exclusively in the trypsin-insensitive region which is responsible for synthase a-to-b conversion. Synthase phosphorylation or inactivations catalyzed by phosphorylase kinase is blocked by ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, is ATP dependent, is 10-fold more rapid at pH 8.6 than at pH 6.8, and is increased 10-fold by prior activation of the phosphorylase kinase with MgATP and cyclic AMP. With activated phosphorylase kinase at pH 8.2 the apparent Km and Vmax are approximately 70 microM and 4 mumol/min per mg with glycogen synthase and 70 microM and 9 mumol/min per mg with phosphorylase as substrate. It is concluded that glycogen synthase is a substrate in vitro for phosphorylase kinase, a Ca2+-dependent enzyme. The possible physiological significance of this reaction is discussed.