An alternative method for a fast separation of phosphotyrosine

Serine/threonine/tyrosine protein kinase phosphorylates oleosin, a regulator of lipid metabolic functions

Plant oils are stored in oleosomes or oil bodies, which are surrounded by a monolayer of phospholipids embedded with oleosin proteins that stabilize the structure. Recently, a structural protein, Oleosin3 (OLE3), was shown to exhibit both monoacylglycerol acyltransferase and phospholipase A(2) activities. The regulation of these distinct dual activities in a single protein is unclear. Here, we report that a serine/threonine/tyrosine protein kinase phosphorylates oleosin. Using bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis, we demonstrate that this kinase interacts with OLE3 and that the fluorescence was associated with chloroplasts. Oleosin-green fluorescent protein fusion protein was exclusively associated with the chloroplasts. Phosphorylated OLE3 exhibited reduced monoacylglycerol acyltransferase and increased phospholipase A(2) activities. Moreover, phosphatidylcholine and diacylglycerol activated oleosin phosphorylation, whereas lysophosphatidylcholine, oleic acid, and Ca(2+) inhibited phosphorylation. In addition, recombinant peanut (Arachis hypogaea) kinase was determined to predominantly phosphorylate serine residues, specifically serine-18 in OLE3. Phosphorylation levels of OLE3 during seed germination were determined to be higher than in developing peanut seeds. These findings provide direct evidence for the in vivo substrate selectivity of the dual-specificity kinase and demonstrate that the bifunctional activities of oleosin are regulated by phosphorylation.

Protein kinase activity is associated with CD63 in melanoma cells

BACKGROUND

The tetraspan protein CD63, originally described as a stage-specific melanoma antigen but also present in a number of normal cells, regulates melanoma cell growth in nude mice, motility in serum containing media, and adhesion to several extracellular matrix proteins. CD63 has been reported to associate with beta1 and beta2 integrins, but the mechanism of signal transduction by CD63 is not clear. This study examined whether CD63 is associated with protein kinase and can transmit signals in melanoma cells.

METHODS

Immunoprecipitation and radiolabeling were used to test for association of protein kinase activity with CD63. Adhesion of cells to monoclonal antibodies immobilized to microtiter plates was used to examine the ability of CD63 to transmit signals.

RESULTS

CD63 was capable of transmitting a signal in melanoma cells that required extracellular calcium. In the absence of extracellular calcium at the time of binding to the CD63 mAb, the cell was no longer responsive to stimulation by CD63. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated protein kinase activity associated with CD63, and phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that most of this protein kinase activity was due to serine kinase activity.

CONCLUSION

The current study suggests that serine protein kinase activity associated with CD63 may play a role in signaling by CD63 in melanoma cells.

Mutational analysis of stress-responsive peanut dual specificity protein kinase. Identification of tyrosine residues involved in regulation of protein kinase activity

We recently reported that Arachis hypogaea serine/threonine/tyrosine (STY) protein kinase is developmentally regulated and is induced by abiotic stresses (Rudrabhatla, P., and Rajasekharan, R. (2002) Plant Physiol. 130, 380-390). Other than MAPKs, the site of tyrosine phosphorylation has not been documented for any plant kinases. To study the role of tyrosines in the phosphorylation of STY protein kinase, four conserved tyrosine residues were sequentially substituted with phenylalanine and expressed as histidine fusion proteins. Mass spectrometry experiments showed that STY protein kinase autophosphorylated within the predicted kinase ATP-binding motif, activation loop, and an additional site in the C terminus. The protein kinase activity was abolished by substitution of Tyr(297) with Phe in the activation loop between subdomains VII and VIII. In addition, replacing Tyr(148) in the ATP-binding motif and Tyr(317) in the C-terminal domain with Phe not only obliterated the ability of the STY protein kinase protein to be phosphorylated, but also inhibited histone phosphorylation, suggesting that STY protein kinase is phosphorylated at multiple sites. Replacing Tyr(213) in the Thr-Glu-Tyr sequence motif with Phe resulted in a 4-fold increase in autophosphorylation and 2.8-fold increase in substrate phosphorylation activities. Mutants Y148F, Y297F, and Y317F displayed dramatically lower phosphorylation efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)) with ATP and histone, whereas mutant Y213F showed increased phosphorylation. Our results suggest that autophosphorylation of Tyr(148), Tyr(213), Tyr(297), and Tyr(317) is important for the regulation of STY protein kinase activity. Our study reveals the first example of Thr-Glu-Tyr domain-mediated autoinhibition of kinases.

Developmentally regulated dual-specificity kinase from peanut that is induced by abiotic stresses

Tyrosine (Tyr) phosphorylation represents an important biochemical mechanism to regulate many cellular processes. No Tyr kinase has been cloned so far in plants. Dual-specificity kinases are reported in plants and the function of these kinases remains unknown. A 1.7-kb cDNA that encodes serine/threonine/Tyr (STY) kinase was isolated by screening peanut (Arachis hypogaea) expression library using the anti-phospho-Tyr antibody. The histidine-tagged recombinant kinase histidine-6-STY predominantly autophosphorylated on Tyr and phosphorylated the histone primarily on threonine. Genomic DNA gel-blot analysis revealed that STY kinase is a member of a small multigene family. The transcript of STY kinase is accumulated in the mid-maturation stage of seed development, suggesting a role in the signaling of storage of seed reserves. The STY kinase mRNA expression, as well as kinase activity, markedly increased in response to cold and salt treatments; however, no change in the protein level was observed, suggesting a posttranslational activation mechanism. The activation of the STY kinase is detected after 12 to 48 h of cold and salt treatments, which indicates that the kinase may not participate in the initial response to abiotic stresses, but may play a possible role in the adaptive process to adverse conditions. The transcript levels and kinase activity were unaltered with abscisic acid treatment, suggesting an abscisic acid-independent cold and salt signaling pathway. Here, we report the first identification of a non-MAP kinase cascade dual-specificity kinase involved in abiotic stress and seed development.

In vivo and in vitro phosphorylation and subcellular localization of trypanosomatid cytoskeletal giant proteins

Promastigote forms of Phytomonas serpens, Leptomonas samueli, and Leishmania tarentolae express cytoskeletal giant proteins with apparent molecular masses of 3,500 kDa (Ps 3500), 2,500 kDa (Ls 2500), and 1,200 kDa (Lt 1200), respectively. Polyclonal antibodies to Lt 1200 and to Ps 3500 specifically recognize similar polypeptides of the same genera of parasite. In addition to reacting with giant polypeptides of the Leptomonas species, anti-Ls 2500 also cross reacts with Ps 3500, and with a 500-kDa polypeptide of Leishmania. Confocal immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy showed major differences in topological distribution of these three proteins, though they partially share a common localization at the anterior end of the cell body skeleton. Furthermore, Ps 3500, Ls 2500, and Lt 1200 are in vivo phosphorylated at serine and threonine residues, whereas, in vitro phosphorylation of cytoskeletal fractions reveal that only Ps 3500 and Ls 2500 are phosphorylated. Heat treatment (100 degrees C) of high salt cytoskeletal extracts demonstrates that Ps 3500 and Ls 2500 remain stable in solution, whereas Lt 1200 is denatured. Kinase assays with immunocomplexes of heat-treated giant proteins show that only Ps 3500 and Ls 2500 are phosphorylated. These results demonstrate the existence of a novel class of megadalton phosphoproteins in promastigote forms of trypanosomatids that appear to be genera specific with distinct cytoskeletal functions. In addition, there is also evidence that Ps 3500 and Ls 2500, in contrast to Lt 1200, seem to be autophosphorylating serine and threonine protein kinases, suggesting that they might play regulatory roles in the cytoskeletal organization.

1,25-Dihydroxy-vitamin D3 (calcitriol)-dependent protein phosphorylation in rat duodenum: effects of ageing

We have examined the ability of 1,25(OH)2-vitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3; calcitriol], the hormonal form of vitamin D3, to stimulate the phosphorylation of proteins in rat duodenum from young (3 months) and aged (22-24 months) rats. Brief (30 s) exposure of duodenum preincubated with 32P-orthophosphate to the hormone increased the labeling of whole tissue proteins, an effect that was greatly diminished in aged animals. The response was dose-dependent, with maximal stimulation achieved at 1 nM calcitriol (+113% and +10% for young and aged rats, respectively). Phosphoproteins were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and identified by autoradiography. The hormone potentiated the phosphorylation predominantly on serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues of five acidic proteins of relative molecular masses of 66, 48, 45, 28, and 16 kDa. Moreover, the effects of calcitriol were exerted at the membrane level and varied as a function of exposure time. Direct treatment of purified basal lateral membranes for 30 s with the hormone (1 nM) stimulated the incorporation of 32P of a 66 kDa protein by 75% and of a 48 and 45 kDa proteins by 60%. The effects of the hormone on basal lateral membrane protein phosphorylation were suppressed by the PKA, PKC, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, Rp-cAMPS, bisindolylmaleimide, and genistein, respectively. In basal lateral membrane isolated from old animals, only minor changes in calcitriol-induced protein phosphorylation of the 66-kDa protein were observed. Taken together, these results suggest that calcitriol modulates duodenal membrane protein phosphorylation, at least in part through PKA, PKC, and tyrosine kinases, and that this mechanism is severely altered with ageing. The identity of the proteins whose phosphorylation was stimulated by calcitriol and their physiological role is currently under investigation.

An Inositolphosphate-Binding Immunophilin, IPBP12

A novel inositolphosphate-binding protein has been identified and shown to be an immunophilin. This protein, which was isolated from human erythrocyte membranes and from K562 (human erythroleukemia) cell membranes, has robust peptidylprolyl cis-trans isomerase activity that is strongly inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of FK506 or rapamycin, indicating a member of the FKBP (FK506-binding protein) class. However, unlike the cytosolic FKBP12, the isomerase activity of this membrane-associated immunophilin is strongly inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3), inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (IP4), and phosphatidylinositol 4- and 4,5-phosphates, which are suggested to be physiological ligands. The demonstration of a single 12-kD protein that binds both IP4 or IP3and anti-FKBP12 provides strong support for the inositolphosphate-binding immunophilin having an apparent mass of 12 kD, and it is suggested that the protein might be called IPBP12 for 12-kD inositol phosphate binding protein. When an internal tryptic peptide derived from IPBP12 was sequenced, a sequence also present in human cytokeratin 10 was identified, suggesting a cytoskeletal localization for the immunophilin. While purifying IPBP12, it was found that it is immunoprecipitated with specific proteins that include a protein kinase and a phosphoprotein phosphatase. The latter is indicated to be phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A (PP-2A). It is suggested that immunophilins promote the assembly of multiprotein complexes that often include a protein kinase or a phosphoprotein phosphatase or both.

Studies on the cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase activity of the Antarctic psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae

The Antarctic psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae contains a 66-kDa cytoplasmic protein which was found to by phosphorylated on a tyrosine residue [Ray, M.K. et al. (1994) FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 122, pp. 49-54]. To investigate the nature of the cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase and its role in the bacterial physiology, we carried out some biochemical studies of the enzyme in vitro in the presence of exogenous peptide substrates and expression studies in vivo at low and high temperature during various phases of growth. The results suggest that the protein tyrosine kinase associated with the cytoplasmic fraction of the bacterium has certain similarities and dissimilarities with the known eukaryotic tyrosine kinases. The protein tyrosine kinase could phosphorylate exogenous substrate corresponding to the N-terminal peptide of p34cdc2 kinase but could not do so on poly(Glu:Tyr). The enzyme could not be inhibited by genistein, staurosporine and dimethyl aminopurine, but could be inhibited by piceatannol which is a known competitive inhibitor of the peptide binding site of mammalian protein tyrosine kinases. The enzyme activity in the cytoplasm is uniquely inhibited by sodium orthovanadate (IC50 = 20 microM) which is a known protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor. The expression studies show that the enzyme is produced more at a higher temperature (22 degrees C) of growth than at lower temperature (4 degrees C) and during the stationary phase of growth of P. syringae.

Microdomain-dependent regulation of Lck and Fyn protein-tyrosine kinases in T lymphocyte plasma membranes

Src family protein-tyrosine kinases are implicated in signaling via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored receptors. Both kinds of molecules reside in opposite leaflets of the same sphingolipid-enriched microdomains in the lymphocyte plasma membrane without making direct contact. Under detergent-free conditions, we isolated a GPI-enriched plasma membrane fraction, also containing transmembrane proteins, selectively associated with sphingolipid microdomains. Nonionic detergents released the transmembrane proteins, yielding core sphingolipid microdomains, limited amounts of which could also be obtained by detergent-free subcellular fractionation. Protein-tyrosine kinase activity in membranes containing both GPI-anchored and transmembrane proteins was much lower than in core sphingolipid microdomains but was strongly reactivated by nonionic detergents. The inhibitory mechanism acting on Lck and Fyn kinases in these membranes was independent of the protein-tyrosine phosphatase CD45 and was characterized as a mixed, noncompetitive one. We propose that in lymphocyte plasma membranes, Lck and Fyn kinases exhibit optimal activity when juxtaposed to the GPI- and sphingolipid-enriched core microdomains but encounter inhibitory conditions in surrounding membrane areas that are rich in glycerophospholipids and contain additional transmembrane proteins.

Tyrosine kinase activity is associated with CD44 in human neutrophils

CD44 appears to be involved in signal transduction, however, the mechanism of this function is unclear. Protein kinase activity was detected in neutrophils associated with CD44. Most of the protein kinase activity associated with these antigens was tyrosine kinase activity. Src family kinases lyn and hck were found to account for much of the associated tyrosine kinase activity. The data suggest that associated tyrosine kinase activity may play a role in signal transduction from CD44 in neutrophils to regulate other cell functions.

Association of beta 1 integrin with protein kinase activity in large detergent resistant complexes

Integrins play a critical role in cell adhesion and mediate cell signaling. This report identifies the association of serine protein kinase activity with the beta 1 integrin by immunoprecipitation and phosphoamino acid analysis techniques. Reprecipitation techniques suggested that the serine kinase activity was not a member of the protein kinase C family. By gel filtration, most of the protein kinase activity associated with beta 1 integrin as well as most of the cell-surface beta 1 integrin was present in large detergent resistant complexes. These results suggest that serine protein kinase activity associated with the beta 1 integrin may play a role in signaling via the beta 1 integrin.

Phosphoproteins regulated by the interaction of high-density lipoprotein with human skin fibroblasts

Interaction of HDL with cells activates protein kinase C (PKC), a process that may be important in stimulating efflux of excess cellular cholesterol. Here we report that HDL treatment of cholesterol-loaded fibroblasts increases 32P labeling of three acidic phosphoproteins. These phosphoproteins, called pp80, pp27, and pp18 based on apparent M(r) in kD, were also phosphorylated by acute treatment of cells with phorbol myristate acetate, suggesting that they are regulated in response to PKC activation. The HDL-stimulated phosphorylation of pp80 and pp18 was significant after only 30 seconds and was sustained for at least 30 and 120 minutes, respectively, while increased phosphorylation of pp27 was transient, reaching a maximum at 10 minutes. Both pp27 and pp18 were phosphorylated on serine/threonine residues, whereas pp80 was phosphorylated on serine/threonine and tyrosine residues. Immunoprecipitation studies suggested that pp80 is the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate protein, but the identities of pp27 and pp18 are unknown. HDL and trypsin-digested HDL stimulated phosphorylation of pp80 and pp27, while purified apoA-I, apoA-II, or apoE had no stimulatory effects, indicating that the active component in HDL was trypsin resistant and unlikely to be an apolipoprotein. Conversely, HDL, apoA-I, apoA-II, and apoE all stimulated pp18 phosphorylation, while trypsin-digested HDL had less effect, consistent with pp18's being responsive to HDL apolipoproteins. Treatment of cholesterol-depleted cells with apoA-I also stimulated phosphorylation of pp18, but only transiently. These results suggest that HDL interaction with cells activates diverse PKC-mediated pathways that target different phosphoproteins. Of these three phosphoproteins, only pp18 has a phosphorylation response consistent with its being involved in apolipoprotein-mediated lipid transport.

A maturation-related differential phosphorylation of the plasma membrane proteins of the epididymal spermatozoa of the hamster by endogenous protein kinases

When the plasma membranes of caput and cauda epididymal spermatozoa of hamster were evaluated for their ability to undergo phosphorylation, a differential phosphorylation of the membrane proteins was observed. In the plasma membranes of the caput epididymal spermatozoa (immature), twelve proteins were phosphorylated (100, 76, 67, 65, 55, 52, 47, 42, 38, 32, 30, and 20 kD), whereas in the plasma membranes of cauda epididymal spermatozoa (mature), a differential phosphorylation pattern was observed with respect to the 94, 67, 52, and 47 kD proteins. The 94 kD protein was found to be phosphorylated and the 67 kD protein was found to be not phosphorylated in cauda spermatozoal plasma membrane (Cd SPM) in contrast to this protein in caput spermatozoal plasma membrane (Cpt SPM). The 52 and 47 kD proteins were also more intensely phosphorylated in Cd SPM than Cpt SPM. The 100 kilodalton protein, although present in both Cpt and Cd sperm plasma membranes, was found to be phosphorylated at the tyrosine residues only in the Cd SPM, as indicated by the Western blot using antiphosphotyrosine antibody. Further, a differential phosphorylation of the substrate proteins present in the Cpt and Cd SPM was seen when Mg2+ in the assay buffer was replaced by other divalent cations. For instance, Zn2+ stimulated the phosphorylation of an 85 kD protein in cauda SPM and not in the caput SPM and Ca2+ stimulated the phosphorylation of a 76 kD protein only in the cauda SPM. The phosphoproteins in both the plasma membranes were found to be phosphorylated predominantly at the tyrosine residue. The differential phosphorylation at a 100 kD protein at tyrosine in the Cd SPM (Western blot), which is absent in the immature Cpt SPM, also indicated that certain proteins in the hamster spermatozoa are phosphorylated in a maturation-specific manner.

Multiple phosphorylated forms of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mcm1 protein include an isoform induced in response to high salt concentrations

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mcm1 protein is an essential multifunctional transcription factor which is highly homologous to human serum response factor. Mcm1 protein acts on a large number of distinctly regulated genes: haploid cell-type-specific genes, G2-cell-cycle-regulated genes, pheromone-induced genes, arginine metabolic genes, and genes important for cell wall and cell membrane function. We show here that Mcm1 protein is phosphorylated in vivo. Several (more than eight) isoforms of Mcm1 protein, resolved by isoelectric focusing, are present in vivo; two major phosphorylation sites lie in the N-terminal 17 amino acids immediately adjacent to the conserved MADS box DNA-binding domain. The implications of multiple species of Mcm1, particularly the notion that a unique Mcm1 isoform could be required for regulation of a specific set of Mcm1's target genes, are discussed. We also show here that Mcm1 plays an important role in the response to stress caused by NaCl. G. Yu, R. J. Deschenes, and J. S. Fassler (J. Biol. Chem. 270:8739-8743, 1995) showed that Mcm1 function is affected by mutations in the SLN1 gene, a signal transduction component implicated in the response to osmotic stress. We find that mcm1 mutations can confer either reduced or enhanced survival on high-salt medium; deletion of the N terminus or mutation in the primary phosphorylation site results in impaired growth on high-salt medium. Furthermore, Mcm1 protein is a target of a signal transduction system responsive to osmotic stress: a new isoform of Mcm1 is induced by NaCl or KCl; this result establishes that Mcm1 itself is regulated.

The recombinant alpha isoform of protein kinase CK1 from Xenopus laevis can phosphorylate tyrosine in synthetic substrates

The cDNA coding for protein kinase CK1 alpha has been cloned from a Xenopus laevis cDNA library. The derived amino acid sequence of the protein contains 337 amino acids and has a calculated molecular mass of 38874 Da. The sequence is identical to that of the human CK1 alpha and to the bovine CK1 alpha, except that it is 12 amino acids longer than the latter protein. Southern blotting with a 264-bp probe demonstrates that four or more fragments are obtained upon digestion of genomic DNA with EcoR1 and Hind3, suggesting that X. laevis possesses a family of related CK1 genes. CK1 alpha was expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione transferase fusion protein (GT-CK1 alpha) and certain of its characteristics were determined. The recombinant GT-CK1 alpha fusion protein was found to have apparent Km values for ATP (12 microM), casein (1.5 mg/ml) and the specific peptide substrate RRKDLHDDEEDEAMSITA (180 microM) which are similar to those of the rat liver CK1 enzyme. The recombinant CK1 alpha activity is weakly inhibited by heparin, but strongly inhibited by poly(Glu80:Tyr20). This inhibition is competitive and shows an approximate K1 of 5 microM. CK1 alpha can phosphorylate the tyrosine residues of poly(Glu80:Tyr20) and the tyrosine residue in the synthetic peptide RRREEEYEEEE. This kinase preparation also autophosphorylates in serine, threonine and weakly in tyrosine.

Tyrosine phosphorylation of myelin protein PO

Po (M(r) 30 kDa), the major protein component of peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelin, is known to be phosphorylated by protein kinase C on serine residues at multiple sites. This study was conducted to assess whether other amino acids might be phosphorylated in the protein. Segments of rat sciatic nerve were incubated with 32P in either the presence or absence of phorbol ester. Labeled Po was isolated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and subjected to partial acid hydrolysis. Upon separation of the hydrolysis products by either thin-layer electrophoresis or thin-layer chromatography, a radioactive spot was detected which comigrated with authentic phosphotyrosine. In other experiments, nerves were incubated with the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors vanadate or vanadyl hydroperoxide (pervanadate). When the nerve homogenate proteins were separated on gels and probed with a monoclonal antibody to phosphotyrosine on Western blots, a positive immune reaction was obtained for a protein species which migrated with the same mobility as PO on Coomassie Blue-stained gels. In the absence of 2-mercaptoethanol, this immunoreactive band displayed increased mobility on gels which is characteristic of the migration pattern of Po. The same immunostaining results were obtained using a purified peripheral myelin fraction prepared from nerve homogenates. Furthermore, the positions of immunoreactive bands produced by anti-Po and antiphosphotyrosine antibodies coincided on the same immunoblot of myelin proteins and purified Po. These data indicate that one or more tyrosyl residues in Po can be phosphorylated in intact sciatic nerve.

Acrosome membrane associated protein kinase activity in hamster spermatozoa

Acrosomal membranes isolated from the caput and cauda epididymal spermatozoa of hamster exhibited protein kinase activity and the endogenous protein substrates that were phosphorylated in the acrosomal membranes of caput and cauda spermatozoa were not all the same. The kinase activity was identified as a cAMP independent type and the use of specific stimulators and inhibitors indicated that the activity was not due to casein kinase, protein kinase A or protein kinase C but due to a tyrosine specific protein kinase that was not inhibited by Genistein. Phosphotyrosine was identified as the predominant phosphorylated residue in the proteins.

Noncovalent associations of T lymphocyte surface proteins

A number of T cell surface transmembrane molecules such as CD2, CD4, CD8, lymphocyte functional antigen (LFA)-1 and CD45 are known to interact functionally with the T cell receptor (TCR) complex during T cell activation. Several previous communications have also reported physical associations between some of these molecules. On the other hand, there are indications that signaling through T cell surface molecules anchored via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI), such as Thy-1, Ly-6 or CD59, is dependent on the TCR. Therefore, it was of interest to determine in a systematic way which T cell surface molecules are noncovalently associated with the TCR/CD3 complex and with the major intracellular signaling molecules, the protein tyrosine kinases of the Src family. To this aim, membrane proteins of human thymoma HPB-ALL cells were solubilized in a solution of the mild detergent Brij-58 and subjected to immunoprecipitation followed by in vitro kinase assays. Two types of large complexes containing protein tyrosine kinases were observed: the first one contained CD3 and the transmembrane proteins CD2, CD4, CD5, CD6, CD7, CD8, CD11a, CD38, CD43, CD45, CD71, CD98 and CD99 and the other contained mainly the GPI-anchored proteins CD48, CD55, CD59 and CDw108 as well as a fraction of CD4 and CD8. The GPI-anchored protein complexes were of larger size and lower buoyant density than the CD3 complexes. In agreement with these biochemical data, co-cross-linking of CD3 with most of the relevant transmembrane proteins on the surface of another T cell line, Jurkat, markedly enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of several intracellular proteins. These data indicate the existence of at least two types of membrane microdomains of very different composition in the membranes of T cells which may play a role in signaling through different types of receptors and in functional cooperation between TCR/CD3 and various accessory molecules.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Nef associates with a member of the p21-activated kinase family

Although human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Nef is essential for the induction of AIDS, its biochemical function has remained an enigma. In this study, HIV Nef protein is shown to associate with a serine-threonine kinase that recognizes histone H4 as a substrate, is serologically related to rat p21-activated kinase (PAK), and is specifically activated by Rac and Cdc42. These characteristics define the Nef-associated kinase as belonging to the PAK family. PAKs initiate kinase cascades in response to environmental stimuli, and their identification as a target of Nef implicates these signaling molecules in HIV pathogenesis and provides a novel target for clinical intervention.

In vivo phosphorylation of the purine/cytosine permease from the plasma membrane of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The purine/cytosine permease, encoded by the FCY2 gene, is a carrier located in the plasma membrane of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Polyclonal antibodies were raised against two peptides that corresponded to the sub-N-terminal and C-terminal sequences of the putative protein deduced from the FCY2 gene. Immunoprecipitation experiments performed with protein extracts labelled in vivo with 35S showed that purine/cytosine permease is specifically detected as a broad and diffuse band. The apparent molecular mass of this protein was 45-50 kDa. By means of in vivo pulse/chase 35S-labelling experiments, we observed a slight increase in the apparent molecular mass of purine/cytosine permease during the chase. This shift in electrophoretic mobility of the protein suggested a post-translational modification. This molecular mass increase was eliminated by alkaline phosphatase treatment of the immunoprecipitate, which strongly suggested phosphorylation of the carrier. This proposal was confirmed by in vivo [32P]P(i) labelling and immunoprecipitation of purine/cytosine permease with purified anti-(sub-N-terminal peptide) IgG or anti-(C-terminal peptide) IgG. Phosphoamino acid analysis indicated that phosphorylation occurred on seryl residues of purine/cytosine permease. By means of thermosensitive secretory-pathway-mutant strains, we demonstrated that purine/cytosine permease phosphorylation occurred either between the Golgi apparatus and the plasma membrane or in the plasma membrane itself.

The insulin receptor: a protein kinase with dual specificity?

We have studied serine phosphorylation of the beta-subunit of highly purified human placental insulin receptors. Each purification step was analyzed with respect to phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine content, incorporated in the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor. Independent of the purification state the analysis of the phosphoamino acids of the insulin receptor beta-subunit showed tyrosine and serine phosphorylation in an insulin dependent manner. In the presence of insulin up to seven phosphates per alpha beta-half receptor, indicating a ratio of Tyr(P) and Ser(P) of approximate 3:1 were incorporated, while in the absence of the hormone this ratio did not exceed 1:10. Comparison of the phosphorylation reactions on tyrosine and serine residues makes it highly probable that both phosphoryltransfer reactions obey the same hormone dependence. Half maximal incorporation of total phosphate in the receptor protein was about 5 minutes in contrast to the half maximal serine phosphorylation of about 8 minutes. Our data corroborate that autophosphorylation of serine residues is an intrinsic activity of the receptor kinase itself suggesting a dual-specificity type protein kinase.

A purine analog-sensitive protein kinase activity associates with Trk nerve growth factor receptors

Previous studies showed that purine analogs block with varying efficiency and specificity certain effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) on PC12 cells. These compounds also inhibit protein kinase activities. The analog 6-thioguanine has thus far been shown to inhibit only protein kinase N, an NGF-activated protein kinase, whereas 2-aminopurine also blocks other kinases. In the present study, immunoprecipitates of Trk NGF receptors from PC12 cells (+/- NGF treatment) were assayed for protein kinase activity by using the substrates myelin basic protein and histone HF1 under phosphorylating conditions optimal for protein kinase N and in the presence or absence of purine analogs. Activity was detected and approximately 50-80% was inhibited by these compounds. The purine analog-sensitive activity was maximally stimulated by NGF within 5 min, was partially decreased by 10 min, and still remained over basal levels after 15 h of NGF treatment. Analysis of myelin basic protein phosphorylated by anti-Trk immunoprecipitates revealed an NGF-stimulated increase in phosphothreonine and phosphotyrosine. Phosphorylation of threonine, but not of tyrosine residues, was inhibited by 6-thioguanine, which therefore inhibits a serine/threonine kinase associated with NGF receptor rather than the receptor kinase itself. Neither 2-aminopurine nor 6-thioguanine inhibited the NGF-dependent induction of Trk-associated kinase activity. Our findings thus indicate association of a purine analog-sensitive serine/threonine protein kinase activity with Trk NGF receptors.

Thy-1 glycoprotein and src-like protein-tyrosine kinase p53/p56lyn are associated in large detergent-resistant complexes in rat basophilic leukemia cells

Thy-1 is a surface glycoprotein that is attached to the plasma membrane by a glycosyl-phosphatidyl-inositol anchor. Crosslinking of Thy-1 in rat mast cells and basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) induces cell activation including histamine release and tyrosine phosphorylation of several proteins. Here we show that glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked Thy-1 forms noncovalent complexes with src-related protein-tyrosine kinase p53/p56lyn and other protein-tyrosine kinases and/or their substrates. These complexes are resistant to solubilization by a nonionic detergent, sedimentable at 200,000 x g, and very large ( > 10 MDa) as determined by gel chromatography. Activation of RBL-2H3 cells by crosslinking of the high-affinity IgE receptors resulted in decreased recovery of the complexes. The combined data indicate the existence of large detergent-resistant domains in the surface membrane of mast cells that may play an important role in their activation.

A protein histidine kinase induced in rat liver by peroxisome proliferators. In vitro activation by Ras protein and guanine nucleotides

A novel protein kinase is induced in rat liver plasma membrane by the administration of peroxisome proliferators. A 36 kDa protein (P36) on the membrane was rapidly phosphorylated in vitro by the kinase and the phosphorylated amino acid was identified as phosphohistidine. Histidine phosphorylation of P36 was activated in vitro by recombinant Ras protein and GTP; both decreased Michaelis constant (Km) for ATP from 1.25 to 0.25 microM. The novel histidine kinase, products of which have been overlooked due to their acid lability, may participate in cellular signaling and peroxisome proliferators may perturb the pathway.

Antiserum to carcinoembryonic antigen recognizes a phosphotyrosine-containing protein in human colon cancer cell lines

Members of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family include CEA, non-specific cross reacting antigen (NCA), and biliary glycoprotein (BGP), and appear to function as cell adhesion molecules. Immunoprecipitation and subsequent gel electrophoresis of proteins from several colon cancer cell lines labeled with [gamma-32P]ATP, under conditions designed to detect ecto-kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation of cellular proteins, revealed that polyclonal anti-CEA antiserum recognized a 175-190 kDa phosphoprotein on the surface of colon cancer cells. The ability to detect this phosphoprotein did not correlate with CEA production, and immunoprecipitation studies suggested that the phosphoprotein is BGP. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the 175-190 kDa protein showed that it contained predominantly phosphotyrosine.

Association of a purine-analogue-sensitive protein kinase activity with p75 nerve growth factor receptors

Purine analogues are protein kinase inhibitors, and they block with varying potency and specificity certain of the biological actions of nerve growth factor (NGF). The analogue 6-thioguanine (6-TG) has been shown to inhibit with high specificity protein kinase N (PKN), a serine/threonine protein kinase activated by NGF in several cellular systems. In the present work, immunoprecipitates of p75 NGF receptors from PC12 cells (+/-NGF treatment) were assayed for protein kinase activity using the substrate myelin basic protein under phosphorylating conditions optimal for PKN and in the presence or absence of purine analogues. An NGF-inducible activity was detected, and approximately 80% was inhibited by purine analogues. This activity was maximally stimulated by NGF within 5-10 min, partially decreased by 60 min, and returned to basal levels after 15 h of NGF treatment. The analogue 6-TG inhibited the NGF-inducible p75-associated kinase activity with an IC50 in the range of 15-35 microM. In mutant PC12 nnr-5 cells that lack the Trk NGF receptor, the purine-analogue-sensitive p75-associated kinase activity was not inducible by NFG. In normal PC12 cells, cyclic AMP analogues and epidermal growth factor failed to induce the same activity. Application of either 2-aminopurine or 6-TG to intact cells only slightly inhibit the NGF-dependent induction of the purine-analogue-inhibited p75-associated kinase activity. This activity shares many similarities but also displays some significant differences with cytosolic PKN. Our findings therefore indicate the association of a purine-analogue-sensitive protein kinase with p75 NGF receptors.

NGF and other growth factors induce an association between ERK1 and the NGF receptor, gp140prototrk

As detected by coimmunoprecipitation from PC12 cells, NGF induces rapid association between ERK1 (a growth factor-activated serine/threonine protein kinase) and gp140prototrk NGF receptors. In contrast, no such association is found with the closely related ERK2. Anti-trk immunocomplexes generated from NGF-treated cells also contain protein kinase activity that shares many properties with soluble ERK1. The association of both ERK1 protein and ERK-like kinase activity with gp140prototrk is maximal by 5 min of NGF treatment, persists for approximately 1 hr, and subsequently declines by 18 hr. Treatment with either basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, or orthovanadate also leads to association of ERK1 with gp140prototrk without tyrosine phosphorylation of the latter. The interaction between ERK1 and gp140prototrk may prove relevant to the NGF mechanism.

Association of protein-tyrosine kinase with phospholipase C-gamma 1 in bone marrow-derived mouse mast cells

Bone marrow-derived mouse mast cells contain phospholipase C-gamma 1 (PLC-gamma 1), which is phosphorylated at tyrosine residues upon cross-linking of cell-bound IgE antibodies with multivalent antigen. It was found that immune complexes formed from digitonin lysates of the mast cells by monoclonal anti-PLC-gamma 1 antibodies contained protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK), which phosphorylated PLC-gamma 1 in vitro. The tyrosine kinase activity coprecipitated with PLC-gamma 1-anti-PLC-gamma 1 complexes markedly increased when the cell lysates were obtained immediately after antigen challenge. The results indicate that PTK is associated with PLC-gamma 1 in the mast cells and that the kinase is activated upon cross-linking of Fc epsilon RI. Neither beta nor gamma subunit of Fc epsilon RI nor src family PTK was coprecipitated with the PLC-gamma 1-anti-PLC-gamma 1 complexes. In situ denaturation/renaturation experiments, which detect autophosphorylated kinases, indicated that the PTK associated with PLC-gamma 1 was a 44-kDa protein.

Bistratene A: a novel compound causing changes in protein phosphorylation patterns in human leukemia cells

Bistratene A, a polyether toxin isolated from the colonial ascidian Lissoclinum bistratum, causes incomplete differentiation of human leukemia (HL-60) cells apparently through a mechanism not involving protein kinase C. In view of the importance of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in cellular growth and differentiation we have investigated protein phosphorylation in these cells following exposure to bistratene A, using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Marked increases in the phosphorylation of a protein of 20 kDa, pl 6.7, and a basic protein of 25 kDa were observed after incubation with bistratene A. A comparison was made with cells treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate and bryostatin 5. While changes in phosphorylation patterns were observed with these two compounds, the 20 kDa and 25 kDa proteins did not undergo phosphorylation changes. The 20 kDa protein was induced rapidly by very low concentrations of bistratene A reaching near maximal levels with 10 nM at 15 min exposure. This protein was found to be localised to the cytoplasm. Phosphoaminoacid analysis demonstrated that the majority of 32P was present in serine and tyrosine residues. The increased phosphorylation of the 20 kDa protein appeared to be due to hyperphosphorylation of existing protein although there was some increase in the amount of the protein. These results suggest that bistratene A will be a useful tool with which to investigate cellular differentiation mechanisms.

GPI-anchored cell-surface molecules complexed to protein tyrosine kinases

Binding of ligand or antibody to certain cell-surface proteins that are anchored to the membrane by glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI) can cause activation of leukocytes. However, it is not known how these molecules, which lack intracellular domains, can transduce signals. The GPI-linked human molecules CD59, CD55, CD48, CD24, and CD14 as well as the mouse molecules Thy-1 and Ly-6 were found to associate with protein tyrosine kinases, key regulators of cell activation and signal transduction. A protein tyrosine kinase associated with the GPI-linked proteins CD59, CD55, and CD48 in human T cells, and with Thy-1 in mouse T cells was identified as p56lck, a protein tyrosine kinase related to Src. This interaction of GPI-linked molecules with protein tyrosine kinases suggests a potential mechanism of signal transduction in cells.