Sds22p is a subunit of a stable isolatable form of protein phosphatase 1 (Glc7p) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) is one of the major protein phosphatases in eukaryotic cells. PP1 activity is believed to be controlled by the interaction of PP1 catalytic subunit with various regulatory subunits. The essential gene GLC7 encodes the PP1 catalytic subunit in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, full-length GLC7(1-312), C-terminal deletion mutants, and C-terminally poly-his tagged mutants were constructed and expressed in a GLC7 knockout strain of S. cerevisiae. Viability studies of the GLC7 knockout strains carrying the plasmids expressing GLC7 C-terminal deletion mutants and their tagged forms showed that the mutants 1-295 and 1-304 were functional, whereas the mutant 1-245 was not. The C-terminally poly-his tagged Glc7p with and without an N-terminal hemagglutinin (HA) tag was partially purified by immobilized Ni(2+) affinity chromatography and further analyzed by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. Phosphatase activity assays, SDS-PAGE, and Western blot analyses of the chromatographic fractions suggested that the Glc7p associated with regulatory subunits in vivo. A 40-kDa protein was copurified with tagged Glc7p through several chromatographic procedures. Monoclonal antibody against the HA tag coimmunoprecipitated the tagged Glc7p and the 40-kDa protein. This protein was further purified by a reverse phase HPLC column. Analysis by CNBr digestion, peptide sequencing, and electrospray mass spectrometry showed that this 40-kDa protein is Sds22p, one of the proteins proposed to be a regulatory subunit of Glc7. These results demonstrate that Sds22p forms a complex with Glc7p and that Sds22p:Glc7p is a stable isolatable form of yeast PP1.

Purification and characterization of type 1 protein phosphatase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: effect of the R73C mutation.

Type 1 protein phosphatase encoded by the GLC7 gene was purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a 1:1 complex with mammalian inhibitor 2 fused to glutathione S-transferase. The complex was inactive and required treatment with Co2+ and trypsin for maximal activity. The specific activity toward phosphorylase a was about 1.8 units/mg of Glc7p, and IC50's for inhibitor 2, okadaic acid, and microcystin-LR were 7.3, 81, and 0.30 nM, respectively. The complex could be activated by glycogen synthase kinase-3 in the presence of Mg2+ and ATP to 20% of the activity seen with Co2+ and trypsin. Thus, the catalytic properties of the yeast type 1 phosphatase are similar to those of the mammalian protein phosphatase 1. The R73C mutant phosphatase from the glycogen-deficient strain, glc7-1, purified as a 1:1 complex with the inhibitor 2 fusion, had a specific activity toward phosphorylase a of 0.9 unit/mg of Glc7p, and IC50's for inhibitor 2, okadaic acid, and microcystin-LR were 13. 1, 113, and 0.37 nM, respectively. The R73C mutation slightly decreases the specific activity and sensitivity to inhibitors, suggesting that changes in biochemical properties may affect glycogen levels. However, the modest changes are consistent with our previous proposal (E. M. Reimann et al., 1993, Adv. Protein Phosphatases 7,173-182) and with the results of Stuart et al. (1994, Mol. Cell. Biol. 14, 896-905) that the mutation may selectively alter the interaction of Glc7p with regulatory proteins.

Effect of activation of protein phosphatase 1 on sulfhydryl reactivity.

Myofibril protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) from bovine heart, identified as PP1alpha, was purified in a latent form which was dependent on Co2+ or Mn2+ for activity (Y. Chu, S. E. Wilson, and K. K. Schlender (1994) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1208, 45-54). This was also true for recombinant PP1 alpha expressed in Escherichia coli (Z. Zhang, G. Bai, S. Deans-Zirattu, M. F. Browner, and E. Y. C. Lee (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 1484-1490). Here we report on the change in the sulfhydryl reactivity during the cation activation process. The activation of myofibrillar PP1 by Co2+ was prevented by 10 mM dithiothreitol (DTT) and incubation of the Co2+-activated enzyme with 50 mM DTT reversed the activation. Activation of recombinant PP1alpha was associated with 57Co2+ incorporation into PP1. DTT reversal of Co2+-activated PP1 was accompanied by release of Co2+ from the enzyme. The latent PP1 modified with 2-nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic acid (NTCB) or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) did not bind Co2+ and could not be activated by Co2+. Conversely, the Co2+-activated PP1 was resistant to inactivation with NTCB and less sensitive to NEM. Similarly, PP1 pretreated with NTCB was not activated by Mn2+ and the Mn2+-activated enzyme was also resistant to NTCB inhibition. The number of sulfhydryls of nondenatured PP1, reactive with 5, 5'-dithiobis[2-nitrobenzoic acid] (DTNB), was reduced from approximately 8 to 2-3 mol/mol when the enzyme was activated with Co2+ or Mn2+. After denaturation with guanidine-HCl, the number of reactive sulfhydryls of nonactivated PP1 and Co2+-activated PP1 was approximately 10 mol/mol enzyme. These results suggest that when PP1 is activated by Co2+ or Mn2+, the enzyme undergoes a conformational change resulting in some of the cysteine sulfhydryls no longer being accessible to chemical modification.

Phosphorylation and inactivation of rat heart glycogen synthase by cAMP-dependent and cAMP-independent protein kinases.

The regulation of cardiac muscle glycogen metabolism is not well understood. Previous studies have indicated that heart glycogen synthase is heavily phosphorylated in vivo on multiple sites. Using purified enzymes, we have investigated the effect of phosphorylation of different sites on the activity of rat heart glycogen synthase. A convenient procedure was developed for the purification of rat heart glycogen synthase. The enzyme was phosphorylated by selected kinases, and glycogen synthase activity, extent of phosphorylation, and phosphopeptide maps were analyzed. Rat heart glycogen synthase, purified to apparent homogeneity (M(r) 87,000 on SDS-PAGE), had a specific activity of 18 U/mg protein and had an activity ratio of 0.74 (activity in the absence divided by the activity in the presence of glucose 6-P). cAMP-dependent protein kinase, glycogen synthase kinase 3, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, protein kinase C, and phosphorylase kinase phosphorylated the enzyme with a concomitant decrease in the activity ratio to values ranging from 0.1 to 0.4. Casein kinase II phosphorylated but did not inactivate glycogen synthase. Six tryptic phosphopeptides, obtained from heart glycogen synthase phosphorylated by the various kinases, were separated by reverse-phase chromatography. The phosphopeptide(s) obtained with each kinase eluted at the same position(s) as corresponding phosphopeptides obtained from rat skeletal muscle glycogen synthase. The study shows that the pattern of phosphorylation and effects on activity are very similar for cardiac and skeletal muscle glycogen synthase. It is suggested that the well known differences in heart and glycogen metabolism may be due to the interplay of kinases and phosphatases which could lead to different phosphorylation and activity states of glycogen synthase.

Type II regulatory subunit (RII) of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase interaction with A-kinase anchor proteins requires isoleucines 3 and 5.

Compartmentalization of the type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase is maintained by association of the regulatory subunit (RII) with A-Kinase Anchor Proteins (AKAPs). In previous studies (Scott, J. D., Stofko, R. E., McDonald, J. R., Comer, J. D., Vitalis, E. A., and Mangili J. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 21561-21566) we have shown that dimerization of RII alpha was required for interaction with the cytoskeletal component microtubule-associated protein 2. In this report we show that the localization and dimerization domains of RII alpha are contained within the first thirty residues of each RII protomer. RII des-5 (an amino-terminal deletion mutant lacking residues 1-5) was unable to bind AKAPs but retained the ability to dimerize. RII alpha I3A,I5A (a mutant where isoleucines 3 and 5 were replaced with alanine) was unable to bind a variety of AKAPs. Mutation of both isoleucines decreased AKAP binding without affecting dimerization, cAMP binding, or the overall secondary structure of the protein. Measurement of RII alpha I3A,I5A interaction with the human thyroid AKAP, Ht 31, by two independent methods suggests that mutation of isoleucines 3 and 5 decreases affinity by at least 6-fold. Therefore, we propose that two isoleucine side chains on each RII protomer are principle sites of contact with the conserved amphipathic helix binding domain on AKAPs.

Evidence for the importance of hydrophobic residues in the interactions between the cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit and the protein kinase inhibitors.

The protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs) are potent inhibitors of the catalytic (C) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. In this study, the interaction between Phe10 of PKI and the C subunit residues Tyr235 and Phe239 was investigated using site-directed mutagenesis. Previous peptide studies as well as the crystal structure suggested that these residues may play a key role in C-PKI binding. The C subunit codons for Tyr235 and Phe239 were changed singly and in combination to serine codons. The mutated C alpha proteins were overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The purified C alpha Y235S, C alpha F239S, and C alpha Y235S/F239S proteins did not exhibit any differences in their Km(app) for the peptide substrate Kemptide (Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser-Leu-Gly) or Vmax(app), with respect to wild-type C alpha. All of the C subunit mutants displayed less than 2-fold changes in their Km(app) for ATP. The PKI alpha isoform displayed increased IC50 values for C alpha Y235S (71-fold), C alpha F239S (150-fold), and C alpha Y235S/F239S (1800-fold). Similarly, the PKI beta 1 protein showed increased IC50 values against the C alpha Y235S, C alpha F239S, and C alpha Y235S/F239S proteins, 9.4-, 11-, and 44-fold, respectively. In addition, the PKI alpha F10 codon was altered to an alanine codon, and this mutation decreased its ability to inhibit C alpha kinase activity, but did not affect its ability to inhibit C alpha Y235S/F239S. The mutation of Tyr235 and Phe239 to serines, however, did not alter the ability of the type II R subunit to inhibit phosphotransferase activity. These results suggest that C alpha Y235 and C alpha F239 are important for specific inhibition by both PKI alpha and PKI beta but not the type II R subunit and that mutations at these residues would be useful for in vivo analysis of C-PKI interactions.

Hypertension in the transgenic rat TGR(mRen-2)27 may be due to enhanced kinetics of the reaction between mouse renin and rat angiotensinogen.

The transgenic rat TGR(mRen-2)27, in which the Ren-2 mouse renin gene is transfected into the genome of the rat, develops severe hypertension with high adrenal renin and low kidney renin. These animals express both mouse and rat renin. To investigate the cause of hypertension in the TGR rat, we compared the kinetics of mouse renin acting on mouse and rat angiotensinogens. The optimum pH of the renin reaction in the Sprague-Dawley rat was 6.5, whereas the optimum pH of the reaction in the TGR rat was approximately 8.5. The optimum pH of the renin reaction in the DBA mouse was 6.0. Purified mouse Ren-2 renin acting on rat angiotensinogen showed a pH profile similar to that for the renin reaction in the TGR rat. The angiotensinogen concentration in pooled plasma from eight DBA mice was 104.5 ng angiotensin I/mL and was clearly lower than that in Sprague-Dawley rats (772.4 +/- 37.3 ng angiotensin I/mL, n = 4). The reaction of purified mouse Ren-2 renin with rat angiotensinogen was 10 times faster than with mouse angiotensinogen. Plasma renin activity in DBA mice increased dramatically on addition of rat angiotensinogen (from 253.4 +/- 66.7 to 225,000 +/- 48,000 ng angiotensin I/mL per hour). Intravenous injection of 2 or 10 microL of DBA mouse plasma into the nephrectomized Sprague-Dawley rat increased the mean arterial pressure of the rat by 27.7 +/- 4.7 and 61.8 +/- 2.7 mmHg, respectively, whereas injection of 200 microL of Sprague-Dawley rat plasma did not change the mean arterial pressure of the rat.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Glutamic acid 203 of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit participates in the inhibition by two isoforms of the protein kinase inhibitor.

Although the protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs) are known to be potent and specific inhibitors of the catalytic (C) subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, little is known about their physiological roles. Glutamate 203 of the C alpha isoform (C alpha E203) has been implicated in the binding of the arginine 15 residue of the skeletal isoform of PKI (PKI alpha R15) (Knighton, D. R., Zheng, J., Ten Eyck, L. F., Xuong, N., Taylor, S.S., and Sowadski, J. M. (1991) Science 253, 414-420). To investigate the role of C alpha E203 in the binding of PKI and in vivo C-PKI interactions, in vitro mutagenesis was used to change the C alpha E203 codon of the murine C alpha cDNA to alanine and glutamine codons. Initially, the C alpha E203 mutant proteins were expressed and purified from Escherichia coli. C alpha E203 is not essential for catalysis as all of the C subunit mutants were enzymatically active. The mutation of Glu203 did increase the apparent Km for Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser-Leu-Gly (Kemptide) severalfold but did not affect the apparent Km for ATP. The Vmax(app) was not affected by the mutation of C alpha E203. The mutation of C alpha E203 compromised the ability of PKI alpha (5-24), PKI alpha, and PKI beta to inhibit phosphotransferase activity. PKI alpha was altered using in vitro mutagenesis to probe the role of Arg15 in interacting with C alpha E203. The PKI alpha R15A mutant was reduced in its inhibition of C alpha. Preliminary studies of the expression of these C alpha mutants in COS cells gave similar results. These results suggest that the C alpha E203 mutants may be useful in assessing the role of PKI in vivo.

The yeast GLC7 gene required for glycogen accumulation encodes a type 1 protein phosphatase.

The glc7 mutant of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not accumulate glycogen due to a defect in glycogen synthase activation (Peng, Z., Trumbly, R. J., and Reimann, E.M. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 13871-13877) whereas wild-type strains accumulate glycogen as the cell cultures approach stationary phase. We isolated the GLC7 gene by complementation of the defect in glycogen accumulation and found that the GLC7 gene is the same as the DIS2S1 gene (Ohkura, H., Kinoshita, N., Miyatani, S., Toda, T., and Yanagida, M. (1989) Cell 57, 997-1007). The protein product predicted by the GLC7 DNA sequence has a sequence that is 81% identical with rabbit protein phosphatase 1 catalytic subunit. Protein phosphatase 1 activity was greatly diminished in extracts from glc7 mutant cells. Two forms of protein phosphatase 1 were identified after chromatography of extracts on DEAE-cellulose. Both forms were diminished in the glc7 mutant and were partly restored by transformation with a plasmid carrying the GLC7 gene. Southern blots indicate the presence of a single copy of GLC7 in S. cerevisiae, and gene disruption experiments showed that the GLC7 gene is essential for cell viability. The GLC7 mRNA was identified as a 1.4-kilobase RNA that increases 4-fold at the end of exponential growth in wild-type cells, suggesting that activation of glycogen synthase is mediated by increased expression of protein phosphatase 1 as cells reach stationary phase.

Identification of a glycogen synthase phosphatase from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as protein phosphatase 2A.

A glycogen synthase phosphatase was purified from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The purified yeast phosphatase displayed one major protein band which coincided with phosphatase activity on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This phosphatase had a molecular mass of about 160,000 Da determined by gel filtration and was comprised of three subunits, termed A, B, and C. The subunit molecular weights estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were 60,000 (A), 53,000 (B), and 37,000 (C), indicating that this yeast glycogen synthase phosphatase is a heterotrimer. On ethanol treatment, the enzyme was dissociated to an active species with a molecular weight of 37,000 estimated by gel filtration. The yeast phosphatase dephosphorylated yeast glycogen synthase, rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase, casein, and the alpha subunit of rabbit muscle phosphorylase kinase, was not sensitive to heat-stable protein phosphatase inhibitor 2, and was inhibited 90% by 1 nM okadaic acid. Dephosphorylation of glycogen synthase, phosphorylase, and phosphorylase kinase by this yeast enzyme could be stimulated by histone H1 and polylysines. Divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+) and chelators (EDTA and EGTA) had no effect on dephosphorylation of glycogen synthase or phosphorylase while Mn2+ stimulated enzyme activity by approximately 50%. The specific activity and kinetics for phosphorylase resembled those of mammalian phosphatase 2A. An antibody against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the carboxyl terminus of the catalytic subunit of rabbit skeletal muscle protein phosphatase 2A reacted with subunit C of purified yeast phosphatase on immunoblots, whereas the analogous peptide antibody against phosphatase 1 did not. These data show that this yeast glycogen synthase phosphatase has structural and catalytic similarity to protein phosphatase 2A found in mammalian tissues.

Purification and characterization of glycogen synthase from a glycogen-deficient strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Chromatography of wild-type yeast extracts on DEAE-cellulose columns resolves two populations of glycogen synthase I (glucose-6-P-independent) and D (glucose-6-P-dependent) (Huang, K. P., Cabib, E. (1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 3851-3857). Extracts from a glycogen-deficient mutant strain, 22R1 (glc7), yielded only the D form of glycogen synthase. Glycogen synthase D purified from either wild-type yeast or from this glycogen-deficient mutant displayed two polypeptides with molecular masses of 76 and 83 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis in a protein ratio of about 4:1. Phosphate analysis showed that glycogen synthase D from either strain of yeast contained approximately 3 phosphates/subunit. The 76- and 83-kDa bands of the mutant strain copurified through a variety of procedures including nondenaturing gel electrophoresis. These two polypeptides showed immunological cross-reactivity and similar peptide maps indicating that they are structurally related. The relative amounts of these two forms remained constant during purification and storage of the enzyme and after treatment with cAMP-dependent protein kinase or with protein phosphatases. The two polypeptides were phosphorylated to similar extent in vitro by the catalytic subunit of mammalian cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Phosphorylation of the enzyme in the presence of labeled ATP followed by tryptic digestion and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography yielded two labeled peptides from each of the 76- and 83-kDa subunits. Treatment of wild-type yeast with Li+ increased the glycogen synthase activity, measured in the absence of glucose-6-P, by approximately 2-fold, whereas similar treatment of the glc7 mutant had no effect. The results of this study indicate that the GLC7 gene is involved in a pathway that regulates the phosphorylation state of glycogen synthase.

The grid-blot: a procedure for screening large numbers of monoclonal antibodies for specificity to native and denatured proteins.

This report describes a procedure referred to as a grid-blot for simultaneously testing up to 30 monoclonal antibodies for specificity with an equivalent number of different proteins on a single sheet of nitrocellulose paper. Only 150 microliters of hybridoma culture supernatant is required for the screening and the entire procedure can be completed in less than five hours. This assay was developed to quickly identify those hybridoma cultures producing antibodies that preferentially recognize the native form of a protein and those that also recognize the SDS denatured form and were optimal for use in Western blots. Monoclonal antibodies raised against two distinct proteins, myofibril C-protein (120 antibodies) and the catalytic subunit of cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinase (240 antibodies) were tested. The grid-blot results indicated that 85 of the C-protein antibodies and 55 of the catalytic subunit antibodies were monospecific. Only 4 of the C-protein and 9 catalytic subunit antibodies showed a preferential staining for the appropriate native protein. The antibodies that stained the denatured protein most intensely in the grid-blot corresponded with those that produced the best immunostain in the Western blot. Finally, a version of the grid-blot was found to be an efficient means of determining antibody isotypes.

Inhibitory effect of polycations on phosphorylation of glycogen synthase by glycogen synthase kinase 3.

Several polycations were tested for their abilities to inhibit the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). L-Polylysine was the most powerful inhibitor of GSK-3 with half-maximal inhibition of glycogen synthase phosphorylation occurring at approx. 100 nM. D-Polylysine and histone H1 were also inhibitory, but the concentration dependence was complex, and DL-polylysine was the least effective inhibitor. Spermine caused about 50% inhibition of GSK-3 at 0.7 mM and 70% inhibition at 4 mM. Inhibition of GSK-3 by L-polylysine could be blocked or reversed by heparin. A heat-stable polycation antagonist isolated from swine kidney cortex also blocked the inhibitory effect of L-polylysine on GSK-3 and blocked histone H1 stimulation of protein phosphatase 2A activity. Under the conditions tested, L-polylysine also inhibited GSK-3 catalyzed phosphorylation of type II regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and a 63 kDa brain protein, but only slightly inhibited phosphorylation of inhibitor 2 or proteolytic fragments of glycogen synthase that contain site 3 (a + b + c). L-Polylysine at a concentration (200 nM) that caused nearly complete inhibition of GSK-3 stimulated casein kinase I and casein kinase II, but had virtually no effect on the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. These results suggest that polycations can be useful in controlling GSK-3 activity. Polycations have the potential to decrease the phosphorylation state of glycogen synthase at site 3, both by inhibiting GKS-3 as shown in this study and by stimulating the phosphatase reaction as shown previously (Pelech, S. and Cohen, P. (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 148, 245-251).

Subcellular localization of glycogen synthase with monoclonal antibodies.

Two monoclonal antibodies, designated 7H5 and 8E11, were produced against glycogen synthase purified from rabbit skeletal muscle. Both antibodies were of the IgG1 (k) isotype. Western blot analysis of extracts of rat and rabbit tissues showed that antibody 7H5 recognized glycogen synthase from skeletal and cardiac muscles, but not from liver. Antibody 8E11 gave similar results but the responses were weaker. Antibody 7H5 also recognized a 69,000 dalton tryptic fragment of glycogen synthase whereas antibody 8E11 did not bind this fragment. Immunocytochemical staining of rabbit skeletal muscle with antibody 7H5 indicated two major sites of glycogen synthase localization. A granular localization present in the cytoplasm and a band-like staining associated with the Z-disk region of the myofibrils. Rabbit cardiac muscle presented a similar pattern though less cytoplasmic staining was apparent. An assay of subcellular fractions for glycogen synthase indicated that the enzyme in cardiac and skeletal muscles is distributed between the soluble (80-90%) and myofibrilar (10-20%) fractions of the tissues. These results provide direct evidence for the presence of glycogen synthase in subcellular fractions other than the soluble fraction of skeletal and cardiac muscles.

Effects of dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate, angiotensin II, and atrial natriuretic factor on phosphorylation of a 17,600-dalton protein in adrenal glomerulosa cells.

Rat adrenal glomerulosa cells were incubated with [32P]phosphate and (Bu)2AMP (dbcAMP), angiotensin II, and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF). Incorporation of [32P]phosphate into cellular proteins was analyzed by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. dbAMP stimulated phosphorylation of a 17.6K protein, while angiotensin II did not stimulate it. ANF did not affect the protein phosphorylation, whether the cells were in the basal state or stimulated by dbcAMP or angiotensin II. On the other hand, ANF markedly inhibited angiotensin II-stimulated aldosterone production, but only slightly inhibited dbcAMP-stimulated aldosterone. These results suggest that in rat adrenal glomerulosa cells phosphorylation of the 17.6K protein may have a relationship with the stimulatory effect of cAMP on aldosterone production; however, neither angiotensin II nor ANF affected the phosphorylation of this protein, and phosphorylation of the 17.6K protein is not an obligatory step in the regulation of aldosterone production.

Modulation of glycogen synthase kinase activity of skeletal and smooth muscle casein kinase I by spermine.

Casein kinase I (CK-I) from skeletal muscle was stimulated 2-3 fold by 0.25-1 mM spermine. The polyamine also stimulated the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase by another casein kinase purified from aortic smooth muscle [DiSalvo et al. (1986) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 136, 789-796]. Phosphopeptide maps and phosphoamino acid analysis of [32P]glycogen synthase revealed that smooth muscle casein kinase phosphorylated glycogen synthase in the same sites that undergo phosphorylation by CK-I. The stimulatory effect of spermine on glycogen synthase kinase activity of CK-I was accompanied by increased phosphorylation of all peptide sites of glycogen synthase. Increased phosphorylation was observed in both seryl and threonyl residues. Higher concentrations (4 mM) of spermine inhibited CK-I activity by about 50%. These results indicate that aortic smooth muscle casein kinase is a CK-I enzyme and that skeletal and smooth muscle CK-I can be modulated by spermine.

Phosphorylation of protein B-50 (GAP-43) from adult rat brain cortex by casein kinase II.

The phosphoprotein B-50 (GAP-43) was purified from adult rat brain cortex and phosphorylated by casein kinase II. Phosphorylation of B-50 by casein kinase II approached 1.2 mol phosphate/mol B-50. The apparent Km of casein kinase II for B-50 was 4 microM with an apparent Vmax of 13 nmol.min-1.mg-1. A tryptic phosphopeptide map on reversed phase HPLC and phosphoamino acid analysis of [32P]B-50 showed that casein kinase II phosphorylated in serine residue(s) which were located in a single tryptic peptide. Phosphorylation of B-50 by casein kinase II was inhibited more than 90% by 5 micrograms heparin/ml or 2.4 mM peptide substrate specific for casein kinase II (RRREEETEEE). The initial phosphorylation rate was increased about 2-fold by 1 mM spermine.

Identification of the phosphoserine residue in histone H1 phosphorylated by protein kinase C.

The site-specific phosphorylation of bovine histone H1 by protein kinase C was investigated in order to further elucidate the substrate specificity of protein kinase C. Protein kinase C was found to phosphorylate histone H1 to 1 mol per mol. Using N-bromosuccinimide and thrombin digestions, the phosphorylation site was localized to the globular region of the protein, containing residues 71-122. A tryptic peptide containing the phosphorylation site was purified. Modification of the phosphoserine followed by amino acid sequence analysis demonstrated that protein kinase C phosphorylated histone H1 on serine 103. This sequence, Gly97-Thr-Gly-Ala-Ser-Gly-Ser(PO4)-Phe-Lys105, supports the contention that basic amino acid residues C-terminal to the phosphorylation site are sufficient determinants for phosphorylation by protein kinase C.

Beta-elimination of phosphate and subsequent addition of pyridoxamine as a method for identifying and sequencing peptides containing phosphoseryl residues.

Peptides containing phosphoseryl residues can be modified by removal of the phosphate groups via beta-elimination followed by addition of pyridoxamine to the resulting dehydroalanyl residue. Peptides containing the modified residues can be detected at nanomole levels by monitoring absorbance at 328 nm or at picomole levels by monitoring fluorescence. Photolysis of the modified peptide converts the pyridoxamino adduct to a form which can be readily identified after Edman degradation.

Characterization of GSK-M, a glycogen synthase kinase from rat skeletal muscle.

A form of glycogen synthase kinase designated GSK-M3 was purified 4000-fold from rat skeletal muscle by phosphocellulose, Affi-Gel blue, Sephacryl S-300 and carboxymethyl-Sephadex column chromatography. Separation of GSK-M from the catalytic subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase was facilitated by converting the catalytic subunit to the holoenzyme form by addition of the regulatory subunit prior to the gel filtration step. GSK-M had an apparent Mr 62,000 (based on gel filtration), an apparent Km of 11 microM for ATP, and an apparent Km of 4 microM for rat skeletal muscle glycogen synthase. The kinase had very little activity with 0.2 mM GTP as the phosphate donor. Kinase activity was not affected by the addition of cyclic nucleotides, EGTA, heparin, glucose 6-P, glycogen, or the heat-stable inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase from rat skeletal muscle by GSK-M reduced the activity ratio (activity in the absence of Glc-6-P/activity in the presence of Glc-6-P X 100) from 90 to 25% when approximately 1.2 mol of phosphate was incorporated per mole of glycogen synthase subunit. Phosphopeptide maps of glycogen synthase obtained after digestion with CNBr or trypsin showed that this kinase phosphorylated glycogen synthase in serine residues found in the peptides containing the sites known as site 2, which is located in the N-terminal CNBr peptide, and site 3, which is located in the C-terminal CNBr peptide of glycogen synthase. In addition to phosphorylating glycogen synthase, GSK-M phosphorylated inhibitor 2 and activated ATP-Mg-dependent protein phosphatase. Activation of the protein phosphatase by GSK-M was dependent on ATP and was virtually absent when ATP was replaced with GTP. GSK-M had minimal activity toward phosphorylase b, casein, phosvitin, and mixed histones. These data indicate that GSK-M, a major form of glycogen synthase kinase from rat skeletal muscle, differs from the known glycogen synthase kinases isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle.