Differential phosphorylation of high mobility group protein hmg 14 from calf thymus and avian erythrocytes by a cyclic gmp-dependent protein kinase

HMG modifications and nuclear function

High mobility group (HMG) proteins assume important roles in regulating chromatin dynamics, transcriptional activities of genes and other cellular processes. Post-translational modifications of HMG proteins can alter their interactions with DNA and proteins, and consequently, affect their biological activities. Although the mechanisms through which these modifications are involved in regulating biological processes in different cellular contexts are not fully understood, new insights into these modification "codes" have emerged from the increasing appreciation of the functions of these proteins. In this review, we focus on the chemical modifications of mammalian HMG proteins and highlight their roles in nuclear functions.

High mobility group proteins and their post-translational modifications

The high mobility group (HMG) proteins, including HMGA, HMGB and HMGN, are abundant and ubiquitous nuclear proteins that bind to DNA, nucleosome and other multi-protein complexes in a dynamic and reversible fashion to regulate DNA processing in the context of chromatin. All HMG proteins, like histone proteins, are subjected to extensive post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as lysine acetylation, arginine/lysine methylation and serine/threonine phosphorylation, to modulate their interactions with DNA and other proteins. There is a growing appreciation for the complex relationship between the PTMs of HMG proteins and their diverse biological activities. Here, we reviewed the identified covalent modifications of HMG proteins, and highlighted how these PTMs affect the functions of HMG proteins in a variety of cellular processes.

Phosphorylation of human high mobility group N1 protein by protein kinase CK2

High mobility group (HMG) N1 protein, formerly known as HMG 14, is a member of the chromosomal HMG protein family. Protein kinase CK2 was previously reported to be able to phosphorylate bovine HMGN1 in vitro; Ser89 and Ser99, corresponding to Ser88 and Ser98 in human HMGN1, were shown to be major and minor recognition sites, respectively. In this report, we employed mass spectrometry and examined both the extent and the sites of phosphorylation in HMGN1 protein catalyzed by recombinant human protein kinase CK2. We found that five serine residues, i.e., Ser6, Ser7, Ser85, Ser88, and Ser98, in HMGN1 can be phosphorylated by the kinase in vitro. All five sites were previously shown to be phosphorylated in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vivo. Among these five sites, Ser6, Ser7, and Ser85 were new sites of phosphorylation induced by protein kinase CK2 in vitro.

Phosphorylation and subcellular redistribution of high mobility group proteins 14 and 17, analyzed by mass spectrometry

High mobility group (HMG) proteins 14 and 17 are nonhistone nuclear proteins that have been implicated in control of transcription and chromatin structure. To examine the posttranslational modifications of HMG-14 and -17 in vivo, HMG proteins were prepared from nuclear vs. cytosolic fractions of human K562 cells treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) or okadaic acid (OA) and examined by electrospray mass spectrometry. Analysis of full-length masses demonstrated mono-, di-, and triphosphorylation of HMG-14 and mono- and diphosphorylation of HMG-17 from OA treated cells, whereas HMG-14 and -17 from TPA treated cells were monophosphorylated. Peptide mass and sequence analysis showed major and minor phosphorylation sites, respectively, at Ser24 and Ser28 in HMG-17, and Ser20 and Ser24 in HMG-14. These sites were found in the consensus sequence RRSARLSAK, within the nucleosomal binding domain of each protein. A third phosphorylation site in HMG-14 was located at either Ser6 or Ser7. Interestingly, the proportion of HMG-14 and -17 found in cytosolic pools increased significantly after 1 h of treatment compared to control cells and showed preferential phosphorylation compared with proteins from nuclear fractions. These results suggest that phosphorylation of HMG-14 and -7 interferes with nuclear localization mechanisms in a manner favoring release from nuclei.

Effects of spermine and sodium butyrate on the in vitro phosphorylation of HMG non-histone proteins of the liver of young and old rats

The in vitro phosphorylation of high mobility group (HMG) proteins and its modulation by spermine and sodium butyrate were studied in the liver of young (15 week) and old (138 week) male rats. Except HMG 1 which remained unchanged, the phosphorylation of other proteins (HMG 2, 14 and 17) decreased drastically in old age. Spermine stimulated the phosphorylation of HMG 1 and 17 in young but HMG 1, 2 and 14 in old rats. The incorporation of (32)P into total HMG proteins was enhanced by butyrate in the liver of both ages. However, the degree of stimulation was higher in young rats. Particularly, the HMG 1 and 17 of young and HMG 2 and 17 of old rats showed increased phosphorylation. Furthermore, butyrate also inhibited the phosphorylation of HMG 2 in young and HMG 1 and 14 in old rats. Such alteration in the phosphorylation of major HMG proteins modulates their interaction with DNA and other components of chromatin. This may account for changes in the higher order organization of chromatin and expression of genes during aging.

Binding of high-mobility-group proteins HMG 14 and HMG 17 to DNA and histone H1 as influenced by phosphorylation

We have used affinity chromatography to study the effects of phosphorylation of calf thymus high-mobility-group proteins HMG 14 and HMG 17 on their binding properties towards calf thymus single- and double-stranded DNA and histone H1. Without in vitro phosphorylation, HMG 14 and HMG 17 eluted from double-stranded DNA-columns at 200 mM NaCl. HMG 14 was released from single-stranded DNA-column at 300 mM NaCl and from H1-column at 130 mM NaCl, whereas the corresponding values for HMG 17 were 230 mM and 20 mM, respectively. Phosphorylation of HMG 14 and HMG 17 by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase) decreased markedly their affinity (270 mM and 200 mM NaCl, respectively) for single-stranded DNA, whereas HMG 14 phosphorylated by nuclear protein kinase II (NII-kinase) eluted only slightly (290 mM NaCl) ahead of the unphosphorylated protein. HMG 14 phosphorylated by both A-kinase and NII-kinase eluted from double-stranded DNA-columns almost identically (190 mM NaCl) with the unphosphorylated protein. Interestingly, phosphorylation of HMG 14 by NII-kinase increased considerably its affinity for histone H1 and the phosphorylated protein eluted at 200 mM NaCl. Phosphorylation of HMG 14 by A-kinase did not alter its interaction towards histone H1. These results indicate that modification of HMG 14 by phosphorylation at specific sites may have profound effects on its binding properties towards DNA and histone H1, and that HMG 17 has much weaker affinity for single-stranded DNA and histone H1 than HMG 14.

Phosphorylation of acid-soluble chromatin proteins from tissues of different species by purified cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase

1. Phosphorylation of acid-soluble chromatin proteins from thymus or liver of calf, rabbit, pig, rat, rooster and trout by purified cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase was studied in vitro using acetic acid-urea slab gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. 2. HMG 14, histone H1 and an unknown band representing probably a proteolytic fragment of histone H1 were phosphorylated in all mammals studied. 3. In avian liver, HMG 14 showed no phosphorylation and histone H1 was replaced by a H1(0)/H5-like heavily phosphorylated protein. 4. The only 32P-acceptor in trout liver apparently belongs to the C/D-family of acid-soluble chromatin proteins. H6-protein was not phosphorylated.

Phosphorylation of high-mobility-group chromatin proteins by protein kinase C from rat brain

Chromosomal high-mobility-group (HMG) proteins have been examined as substrates for calcium/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C. Protein kinase C from rat brain phosphorylated efficiently both HMG 14 and HMG 17 derived from calf thymus and the reactions were calcium/phospholipid-dependent. About 1 mol of 32P was incorporated per mol of HMG 14 and HMG 17. Phosphopeptide mapping suggested that the same major site was phosphorylated in both proteins at serine. The apparent Km values for HMG 14 and HMG 17 were about 5 microM. HMG 14, HMG 17 and the five histone H1 subtypes prepared from rat thymus, liver and spleen were phosphorylated by the kinase. HMG 14 and HMG 17 from transformed human lymphoblasts (Wi-L2) were also phosphorylated in a calcium/phospholipid-dependent manner. HMG 1 and HMG 2 from the tissues examined were found to be poor substrates for the kinase.

Phosphorylation of a low Mr high mobility group protein in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Phosphorylation of high mobility group (HMG) chromatin proteins was studied both in intact Chinese hamster ovary cells (strain CHO-P22) and in vitro conditions using isolated HMG proteins from the same cells and purified protein kinases. Prominent phosphorylation of serine in a low Mr HMG protein designated as HMG P was observed in unsynchronized cells. Of the three protein kinases tested, only nuclear type II protein kinase phosphorylated HMG P in vitro. The phosphorylated amino acid was phosphoserine. Cyclic nucleotide dependent protein kinases did not phosphorylate HMG P but phosphorylated HMG 14 with a preference for cGMP-dependent protein kinase. 32P-labeling of HMG 17 was not observed in intact cells or in vitro.

Phosphorylation alters the affinity of high mobility group protein HMG 14 for single-stranded DNA

The effect of phosphorylation on the affinity of HMG 14 from calf thymus for single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was studied, using a cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase from bovine lung and a nuclear protein kinase II from rat liver. When phosphorylated by G-kinase, HMG 14 eluted at 0.27 M NaCl from the ssDNA-column, whereas the native protein eluted at 0.30 M salt concentration. In contrast, phosphorylation by nuclear protein kinase II did not alter dissociation of HMG 14 from ssDNA and the phosphoprotein consequently coeluted with the native HMG 14. Thus, addition of a negative charge by phosphorylation of the Ser-6 residue by G-kinase presumably weakens the interaction between the DNA-binding amino acids of HMG 14 and the negatively charged phosphate groups of DNA.

Thiophosphorylation and phosphorylation of chromatin proteins from calf thymus in vitro

Thiophosphorylation and phosphorylation of 5% perchloric acid extractable proteins from calf thymus chromatin were studied using a cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase from bovine lung and a nuclear protein kinase II from rat liver. The phosphorylation reaction catalyzed by nuclear protein kinase II utilized [gamma -35S]ATP as a phosphate donor almost as efficiently as [gamma -32P]ATP, but the cGMP-dependent protein kinase mediated phosphorylation by [35S]ATP was about 20 times less effective than that by [32P]ATP. In addition, using [35S]ATP instead of [32P]ATP changed markedly the cGMP-dependent phosphorylation pattern of the PCA-extractable proteins as examined by gel electrophoresis. Thus, depending on the type of protein kinase, the results from thiophosphorylation and phosphorylation reactions may vary considerably.

Polyamines and heparin do not appreciably influence phosphorylation of chromatin proteins HMG 14 and HMG 17 by nuclear protein kinase II

Phosphorylation of acidic substrates such as casein and phosvitin by nuclear protein kinase II is stimulated by polyamines and inhibited by heparin, which mimics an endogenous proteoglycan inhibitor. The phosphorylation in vitro of the chromatin proteins HMG 14 and HMG 17 by nuclear protein kinase II were examined in this study focusing on the modifying effects of polyamines and heparin. Both HMG proteins were phosphorylated by the enzyme, but polyamines did not appreciably influence the extent of their phosphorylation. In addition, heparin did not inhibit the kinase reaction with the HMG proteins as substrates. These results indicate that the nuclear protein kinase II does actively phosphorylate HMG 14 and HMG 17 in vitro but that in contrast to some model substrates, polyamines and heparin do not appreciably affect their phosphorylation.