Phosphorylation of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase

Ca2+ sensitivity of smooth muscle and nonmuscle myosin II: modulated by G proteins, kinases, and myosin phosphatase

Ca2+ sensitivity of smooth muscle and nonmuscle myosin II reflects the ratio of activities of myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) to myosin light-chain phosphatase (MLCP) and is a major, regulated determinant of numerous cellular processes. We conclude that the majority of phenotypes attributed to the monomeric G protein RhoA and mediated by its effector, Rho-kinase (ROK), reflect Ca2+ sensitization: inhibition of myosin II dephosphorylation in the presence of basal (Ca2+ dependent or independent) or increased MLCK activity. We outline the pathway from receptors through trimeric G proteins (Galphaq, Galpha12, Galpha13) to activation, by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), from GDP. RhoA. GDI to GTP. RhoA and hence to ROK through a mechanism involving association of GEF, RhoA, and ROK in multimolecular complexes at the lipid cell membrane. Specific domains of GEFs interact with trimeric G proteins, and some GEFs are activated by Tyr kinases whose inhibition can inhibit Rho signaling. Inhibition of MLCP, directly by ROK or by phosphorylation of the phosphatase inhibitor CPI-17, increases phosphorylation of the myosin II regulatory light chain and thus the activity of smooth muscle and nonmuscle actomyosin ATPase and motility. We summarize relevant effects of p21-activated kinase, LIM-kinase, and focal adhesion kinase. Mechanisms of Ca2+ desensitization are outlined with emphasis on the antagonism between cGMP-activated kinase and the RhoA/ROK pathway. We suggest that the RhoA/ROK pathway is constitutively active in a number of organs under physiological conditions; its aberrations play major roles in several disease states, particularly impacting on Ca2+ sensitization of smooth muscle in hypertension and possibly asthma and on cancer neoangiogenesis and cancer progression. It is a potentially important therapeutic target and a subject for translational research.

Purification of myosin light chain kinase from Limulus muscle

It has previously been shown that the regulatory light chains of myosin from Limulus, the horseshoe crab, can be phosphorylated either by purified turkey gizzard smooth muscle myosin light chain (MLC) kinase or by a crude kinase fraction prepared from Limulus muscle [Sellers, J. R. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 9274-9278]. This phosphorylation was shown to be associated with a 20-fold increase in the actin-activated MgATPase activity of the myosin. We have now purified the Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent MLC kinase from Limulus muscle to near homogeneity by using a combination of low ionic strength extraction, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and chromatography on Sephacryl S-300 and DEAE-Sephacel. The final purification was achieved by affinity chromatography on a calmodulin-Sepharose 4B column. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed 95% of the protein to be comprised of a doublet with Mr = 39000 and 37000. Electrophoresis of the kinase fraction under nondenaturing conditions resulted in a partial separation of the two major bands and demonstrated that each had catalytic activity. An SDS-polyacrylamide gel overlayed with 125I-calmodulin demonstrated that both the Mr 39K and the Mr 37K proteins bind calmodulin. Neither of the bands could be phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. With Limulus myosin light chains as a substrate, the Vmax was 15.4 mumol min-1 mg-1, and the Km was 15.6 microM. The KD for calmodulin was determined to be 6 nM. The enzyme did not phosphorylate histones, casein, actin, or tropomyosin.

Effect of adrenaline on the post-tetanic potentiation in mouse skeletal muscle

We report the influence of adrenergic stimulation on the amplitude and time course of post-tetanic potentiation of twitch contraction. This was complemented by measurements of the peak of [Ca2+]i transients in twitches and of the level of myosin light chain 2 (LC2) phosphorylation, before, 20 and 300 s after the conditioning tetanus. Soon after the tetanus, twitch potentiation and increases of LC2 phosphorylation and of [Ca2+]i peak were similar in control conditions and in the presence of adrenaline. In control conditions, twitch potentiation, LC2 phosphorylation and [Ca2+]i peak returned to, or close to, pre-tetanic values in 300 s. On the contrary, in the presence of adrenaline, twitch potentiation and LC2 phosphorylation were partially or fully maintained respectively, while the increase of [Ca2+]i peak was not. This situation allowed us to analyse the relative contributions of elevated LC2 phosphorylation and [Ca2+]i peak in the twitch post-tetanic potentiation phenomenon. Moreover, it was shown that the increase of LC2 phosphorylation (up to 0.5 mol P/mol LC2) affected neither the kinetic parameters of the twitch nor the maximal velocity of shortening. It is proposed that the maintenance of LC2 phosphorylation in the presence of adrenaline results from the inhibition of myosin light chain phosphatase. This could be achieved through the production of the active, phosphorylated form of the inhibitor-1, an endogenous inhibitor, which binds to the catalytic sub-units common to class 1 protein phosphatases.

Inhibitory effect of phosphorylated myosin light chain kinase on the ATP-dependent actin-myosin interaction

Myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) phosphorylates the regulatory light chain of myosin in the presence of Ca(2+) and calmodulin (Ca(2+)-CaM) so that myosin can interact with actin filaments. MLCK has another activity that is not attributable to this kinase activity, i.e., it inhibits the ATP-dependent movement of actin filaments on a myosin-coated glass surface. MLCK itself can be phosphorylated at site A and site B with a few kinases. The phosphorylation at site A reduces kinase activity. However, we have no knowledge as to how phosphorylation of MLCK affects the inhibitory activity of MLCK. When MLCK was phosphorylated at site B, it exerted an inhibitory effect on the movement in much lower concentrations. When Ca(2+)-CaM or ML-9 was present, the inhibition was reduced. The reduction was less when the movement was arrested by the MLCK phosphorylated at site B. This observation was explained by the increase in the affinity of MLCK to myosin upon the phosphorylation at site B.

Autophosphorylation: a salient feature of protein kinases

Most protein kinases catalyze autophosphorylation, a process which is generally intramolecular and is modulated by regulatory ligands. Either serine/threonine or tyrosine serves as the phosphoacceptor, and several sites on the same kinase subunit are usually autophosphorylated. Autophosphorylation affects the functional properties of most protein kinases. Members of the protein kinase family exhibit diversity in the characteristics and functions of autophosphorylation, but certain common themes are emerging.

Myosin light chain kinase is expressed in neurons and glia: immunoblotting and immunocytochemical studies

The contractile protein myosin is thought to subserve motility-related functions in a wide range of eukaryotic non-muscle cells including both neurons and glia. To determine if the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent enzyme, myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) is involved in the regulation of neural myosin we investigated the presence and localization of MLCK in a variety of neural tissues by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. A specific immunoreactive protein (M(r) = 146,000) was detected in blotted homogenates from many regions of rat brain and from primary cultures of either astrocytes or cerebellar granule cells grown in the absence of other cell types. At the light microscopic level, MLCK-immunoreactivity was evident in many regions of rat brain, as well as in the cultured astrocytes and cerebellar granule cells. MLCK-immunoreactivity was observed to be largely cytosolic in astrocytes but with a proportion associated with the cytoskeleton. In the cerebellar granule cells immunoreactivity was present in neuronal processes as well as somata. The detection of MLCK in neural cells suggests that MLCK-catalyzed myosin phosphorylation may couple changes in intracellular calcium concentrations to motility-related functions of neurons and glia.

Regulation of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase. Allosteric effects and co-operative activation by calmodulin

The activation of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (MLCKase) by calcium and calmodulin (CM) was investigated over a wide range of concentrations of the enzyme using myosin (MY) or its isolated phosphorylatable light chain (L20) as substrates. The enzyme showed allosteric behavior. The specific phosphorylation activity was dependent on the concentration of MLCKase as well as on the concentrations of both substrates. However, at the lower (nanomolar) range of kinase the corresponding substrate rate relationships were hyperbolic. A high positive level of co-operativity of kinase was also observed for activation by CM in the presence of Ca2+. There was a pronounced CM/Ca-dependent inhibition of MLCKase activity when its molar ratio to CM was four to one or more. These kinetic data suggested that MLCKase could exist in several oligomeric forms, with an inactive high molecular size form and an active low molecular size form (protomers and/or dimers). This conclusion was confirmed by gel filtration studies. CM was not directly involved in the oligomerization process but instead, the oligomeric kinase shared an increased affinity for CM.

Phosphorylation of smooth muscle myosin by type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase

Brain type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase was found to phosphorylate smooth muscle myosin, incorporating maximally approximately 2 mol of phosphoryl per mol of myosin, exclusively on the 20,000 dalton light chain subunit. After maximal phosphorylation of myosin or the isolated 20,000 dalton light chain subunit by myosin light chain kinase, the addition of type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase led to no further incorporation indicating the two kinases phosphorylated a common site. This conclusion was supported by two dimensional mapping of tryptic digests of myosin phosphorylated by the two kinases. By phosphoamino acid analysis the phosphorylated residue was identified as a serine. The phosphorylation by type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase of myosin resulted in enhancement of its actin-activated Mg2(+)-ATPase activity. Taken together, these data strongly support the conclusion that type II Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates the same amino acid residue on the 20,000 dalton light chain subunit of smooth muscle myosin as is phosphorylated by myosin light chain kinase and suggest an alternative mechanism for the regulation of actin-myosin interaction.

Steady-state kinetics of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase indicate a strong down regulation by products

The kinetic behaviour of myosin light chain kinase isolated from skeletal muscle was studied under steady-state conditions using highly purified phosphorylatable light chains 2 (LC2). Forward reaction, product inhibition, and reverse reaction data indicate a sequential mechanism which can be interpreted best by a rapid-equilibrium random bi-bi reaction model. The forward reaction parameters are KATP = 150 microM, KLC2 = 5.3 microM, and Ki LC2 = 7.6 microM. The enzyme forms a dead-end complex with ADP and light chain 2; Kd, ADP of this complex is 50 microM. The forward reaction is also strongly inhibited by the phosphorylated light chain 2, Ki, LC2P is 1.5 microM. An equilibrium constant Keq of about 70 can be calculated from the kinetic parameters which agrees with the directly measured value of about 60. The role of the two inhibitory mechanisms in the regulation of the enzyme and of the high energy of the light chain phosphate bond as deducible from Keq are discussed.

Amino acid sequence of an active fragment of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase

The amino acid sequence of a 368-residue segment at the carboxyl-terminus of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) has been determined. The sequence was derived primarily from analysis of two complementary sets of fragments obtained by cleavage at methionyl and arginyl bonds in S-carboxymethylated MLCK. The segment included a 360-residue fragment produced by limited tryptic digestion of MLCK. This fragment was both catalytically active and dependent on Ca2+-calmodulin. Unique structural features of MLCK have been identified, and a likely calmodulin interaction site is suggested. Sequence comparisons of MLCK to other protein kinases indicate close structural relationships in spite of marked differences in physicochemical properties, enzymatic characteristics, and regulatory response among these enzymes.

Potentiation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced increases in myocardial contractility in Mercenaria mercenaria ventricle by forskolin

Forskolin (10(-5) M), an activator of adenylate cyclase in many mammalian cell types, potentiated the positive inotropic effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on the bivalve, Mercenaria mercenaria, myocardium. Forskolin (10(-5) M) also significantly increased intracellular cyclic AMP concentrations when compared to 5-HT controls. Ro 20-1724 (10(-5) M), a putative inhibitor of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, had no effect on myocardial contractility or cyclic AMP concentration. A positive correlation between intracellular cyclic AMP concentration and the efficacy of 5-HT was obtained.

The calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of cardiac myosin

Cardiac myosin light chains are phosphorylated in vivo and in vitro. The enzyme myosin light-chain kinase, has been purified and found to be very specific for cardiac myosin light chains. Experiments with skinned cardiac fibers suggest that phosphorylation of myosin light chain-2-decreases ATP consumption, presumably by lowering the cross-bridge cycle. These results are discussed in this chapter.

Structure and function of a calmodulin-dependent smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase

In smooth muscle the Mr 20,000 light chain of myosin is phosphorylated by a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. It consists of 2 subunits: calmodulin, an acidic protein of Mr 17,000 that binds 4 moles of Ca2+; and a larger protein of Mr circa 130,000. Activation of the kinase is dependent upon their association in the presence of Ca2+. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation of the myosin light chain kinase occurs at 2 sites. It decreases the affinity of the kinase for calmodulin and a reduction in the rate of light chain phosphorylation occurs. The kinase has an overall asymmetric shape composed of a globular head and tail region for the skeletal muscle enzyme. Trypsin digestion of this kinase releases a fragment of Mr 36,000 from the globular region that contains the catalytic and calmodulin binding sites. Chymotrypsin digestion of the kinase from smooth muscle generates a fragment of Mr 80,000 that does not contain the calmodulin binding or cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation sites. It is a Ca2+-independent form of the kinase that phosphorylates the light chain of myosin. These structural features indicate a regulatory role for the kinase in smooth muscle phosphorylation and contraction.

Calmodulin binding proteins of the cholinergic electromotor synapse: synaptosomes, synaptic vesicles, receptor-enriched membranes, and cytoskeleton

Calmodulin binding proteins (CBPs) have been identified using a gel overlay technique for fractions isolated from Torpedo electromotor nerve endings. Different fractions possessed characteristic patterns of CBPs. Synaptosomes showed five major CBPs--Mr 220,000, 160,000, 125,000, 55,000, and 51,000. Polypeptides of Mr 55,000 and 51,000 were found in the cytoplasm and the others are membrane-associated. The Triton X-100-insoluble cytoskeleton of synaptosomes was isolated in the presence or absence of calcium. The major CBPs had Mr of 19,000, 18,000, and 16,000. In the presence of calcium, no other CBPs were seen. In the absence of calcium, an Mr 160,000 polypeptide was present in the Triton cytoskeleton. Synaptic vesicles showed CBPs of Mr 160,000, 25,000, and 20,000. Membrane fragments enriched in acetylcholine receptors contained two major CBPs, Mr 160,000 and 125,000, together with a less prominent protein at Mr 26,000. A protein of Mr similar to that of fodrin was present in synaptosomes and acetylcholine receptor membrane fragments, but only in small amounts relative to the other polypeptides observed. The heavy and light chains of clathrin-coated vesicles from pig brain did not bind calmodulin, although strong labelling of an Mr 47,000 polypeptide was found. Results showed that calelectrin does not bind calmodulin. The possible identity of the calmodulin binding proteins is discussed.

Purification and characterization of myosin light-chain kinase from porcine myometrium and its phosphorylation and modulation by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase

Myosin light-chain kinase was purified from porcine myometrium to apparent homogeneity at about 262-fold with an Mr of 130 000 as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a sedimentation coefficient of 4.5 S. The approximate content of the soluble myosin light-chain kinase was estimated to be about 0.85 microM. The purified enzyme exhibited strict substrate specificity only for 20-kDa myosin light chain and Ka values of 0.6 nM and 0.3 microM for calmodulin and Ca2+, respectively. The enzyme was phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, which resulted in a decrease in the affinity for calmodulin of 4-7-fold without effect on the Vmax. The maximal amount of phosphate incorporated into the enzyme was 0.5-0.8 and 1.0-1.4 mol per mol of the enzyme in the presence and absence of Ca2+ and calmodulin, respectively. In the presence of a subsaturating concentration of calmodulin, the enzyme showed a lower sensitivity for Ca2+ by phosphorylation.

Shape and substructure of skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase

To evaluate the shape and substructure of calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase from skeletal muscle, the apo- and holoenzyme and three well-characterized proteolytic fragments were studied by enzymatic measurements, by hydrodynamic techniques, and by CD spectroscopy. For the native apoenzyme, a molecular weight of 70 300 was established by sedimentation equilibrium in contrast to greater than 80 000 estimated by electrophoresis. A highly asymmetric structure was evidenced from sedimentation and viscosity data. Examination of two slightly different calmodulin binding fragments of Mr approximately 36 000 showed that both are fairly globular, high in alpha-helix content, enzymatically active, and calmodulin regulated. They have been termed head fragments. The third fragment of Mr approximately 33 000 could be demonstrated to represent the remaining part of the native enzyme by its amino acid composition and CD spectrum. This enzymatically inactive fragment, although low in alpha-helix content and rich in proline, was shown to be highly asymmetric (a/b greater than 10). From the latter, termed tail fragment and one of the head fragments, a more active enzyme could be partially reconstituted. Modeling by spherical beads [Bloomfield, V., Dalton, W. O., & Van Holde, K. E. (1967) Biopolymers 5, 135-148] led to a close agreement in observed and calculated frictional ratios for all fragments as well as the apoenzyme built up by end to end arrangement of head and tail fragment, suggesting this headed structure for the enzyme. Holoenzyme formation by calmodulin binding to the head was accompanied by an increase in asymmetry and alpha-helix content and a decrease in apparent partial specific volume.

Conversion of a Ca2+-dependent myosin light chain kinase from skeletal muscle to a Ca2+-independent form

The Ca2+- and calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain kinase of rabbit skeletal muscle was converted to a Ca2+-independent form by limited proteolysis with alpha-chymotrypsin. The conditions prevailing during proteolysis are important and the loss of Ca2+-dependence was achieved best by hydrolysis of the Ca2+-calmodulin-kinase complex. The lack of Ca2+- and calmodulin-dependence was found using both myosin and isolated light chains as substrates. The specific activity of the Ca2+-independent form (Mr approximately 65,000) was similar to that of the native enzyme, i.e., 2 to 5 mumol phosphate transferred min-1 mg-1 kinase. The 65,000-dalton fragment was phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase and approximately 0.8 moles phosphate were incorporated per fragment.