High Cooperativity, Specificity, and Multiplicity in the Protein Kinase C-Lipid Interaction

Protein kinase Cα gain-of-function variant in Alzheimer's disease displays enhanced catalysis by a mechanism that evades down-regulation

Conventional protein kinase C (PKC) family members are reversibly activated by binding to the second messengers Ca²⁺ and diacylglycerol, events that break autoinhibitory constraints to allow the enzyme to adopt an active, but degradation-sensitive, conformation. Perturbing these autoinhibitory constraints, resulting in protein destabilization, is one of many mechanisms by which PKC function is lost in cancer. Here, we address how a gain-of-function germline mutation in PKCα in Alzheimer's disease (AD) enhances signaling without increasing vulnerability to down-regulation. Biochemical analyses of purified protein demonstrate that this mutation results in an ∼30% increase in the catalytic rate of the activated enzyme, with no changes in the concentrations of Ca²⁺ or lipid required for half-maximal activation. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that this mutation has both localized and allosteric effects, most notably decreasing the dynamics of the C-helix, a key determinant in the catalytic turnover of kinases. Consistent with this mutation not altering autoinhibitory constraints, live-cell imaging studies reveal that the basal signaling output of PKCα-M489V is unchanged. However, the mutant enzyme in cells displays increased sensitivity to an inhibitor that is ineffective toward scaffolded PKC, suggesting the altered dynamics of the kinase domain may influence protein interactions. Finally, we show that phosphorylation of a key PKC substrate, myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate, is increased in brains of CRISPR-Cas9 genome-edited mice containing the PKCα-M489V mutation. Our results unveil how an AD-associated mutation in PKCα permits enhanced agonist-dependent signaling via a mechanism that evades the cell's homeostatic down-regulation of constitutively active PKCα.

The Ligand Binding Landscape of Diacylglycerol Kinases

Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) are integral components of signal transduction cascades that regulate cell biology through ATP-dependent phosphorylation of the lipid messenger diacylglycerol. Methods for direct evaluation of DGK activity in native biological systems are lacking and needed to study isoform-specific functions of these multidomain lipid kinases. Here, we utilize ATP acyl phosphate activity-based probes and quantitative mass spectrometry to define, for the first time, ATP and small-molecule binding motifs of representative members from all five DGK subtypes. We use chemical proteomics to discover an unusual binding mode for the DGKα inhibitor, ritanserin, including interactions at the atypical C1 domain distinct from the ATP binding region. Unexpectedly, deconstruction of ritanserin yielded a fragment compound that blocks DGKα activity through a conserved binding mode and enhanced selectivity against the kinome. Collectively, our studies illustrate the power of chemical proteomics to profile protein-small molecule interactions of lipid kinases for fragment-based lead discovery.

Interfacial partitioning of a loop hinge residue contributes to diacylglycerol affinity of conserved region 1 domains

Conventional and novel isoenzymes of PKC are activated by the membrane-embedded second messenger diacylglycerol (DAG) through its interactions with the C1 regulatory domain. The affinity of C1 domains to DAG varies considerably among PKCs. To gain insight into the origin of differential DAG affinities, we conducted high-resolution NMR studies of C1B domain from PKCδ (C1Bδ) and its W252Y variant. The W252Y mutation was previously shown to render C1Bδ less responsive to DAG (Dries, D. R., Gallegos, L. L., and Newton, A. C. (2007) A single residue in the C1 domain sensitizes novel protein kinase C isoforms to cellular diacylglycerol production. J. Biol. Chem. 282, 826-830) and thereby emulate the behavior of C1B domains from conventional PKCs that have a conserved Tyr at the equivalent position. Our data revealed that W252Y mutation did not perturb the conformation of C1Bδ in solution but significantly reduced its propensity to partition into a membrane-mimicking environment in the absence of DAG. Using detergent micelles doped with a paramagnetic lipid, we determined that both the residue identity at position 252 and complexation with diacylglycerol influence the geometry of C1Bδ-micelle interactions. In addition, we identified the C-terminal helix α1 of C1Bδ as an interaction site with the head groups of phosphatidylserine, a known activator of PKCδ. Taken together, our studies (i) reveal the identities of C1Bδ residues involved in interactions with membrane-mimicking environment, DAG, and phosphatidylserine, as well as the affinities associated with each event and (ii) suggest that the initial ligand-independent membrane recruitment of C1B domains, which is greatly facilitated by the interfacial partitioning of Trp-252, is responsible, at least in part, for the differential DAG affinities.

Intramolecular conformational changes optimize protein kinase C signaling

Optimal tuning of enzyme signaling is critical for cellular homeostasis. We use fluorescence resonance energy transfer reporters in live cells to follow conformational transitions that tune the affinity of a multidomain signal transducer, protein kinase C (PKC), for optimal response to second messengers. This enzyme comprises two diacylglycerol sensors, the C1A and C1B domains, that have a sufficiently high intrinsic affinity for ligand so that the enzyme would be in a ligand-engaged, active state if not for mechanisms that mask its domains. We show that both diacylglycerol sensors are exposed in newly synthesized PKC and that conformational transitions following priming phosphorylations mask the domains so that the lower affinity sensor, the C1B domain, is the primary diacylglycerol binder. The conformational rearrangements of PKC serve as a paradigm for how multimodule transducers optimize their dynamic range of signaling.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate decreases the concentration of Ca2+, phosphatidylserine and diacylglycerol required for protein kinase C α to reach maximum activity

The C2 domain of PKCα possesses two different binding sites, one for Ca(2+) and phosphatidylserine and a second one that binds PIP2 with very high affinity. The enzymatic activity of PKCα was studied by activating it with large unilamellar lipid vesicles, varying the concentration of Ca(2+) and the contents of dioleylglycerol (DOG), phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and phosphadidylserine (POPS) in these model membranes. The results showed that PIP2 increased the Vmax of PKCα and, when the PIP2 concentration was 5 mol% of the total lipid in the membrane, the addition of 2 mol% of DOG did not increase the activity. In addition PIP2 decreases K0.5 of Ca(2+) more than 3-fold, that of DOG almost 5-fold and that of POPS by a half. The K0.5 values of PIP2 amounted to only 0.11 µM in the presence of DOG and 0.39 in its absence, which is within the expected physiological range for the inner monolayer of a mammalian plasma membrane. As a consequence, PKCα may be expected to operate near its maximum capacity even in the absence of a cell signal producing diacylglycerol. Nevertheless, we have shown that the presence of DOG may also help, since the K0.5 for PIP2 notably decreases in its presence. Taken together, these results underline the great importance of PIP2 in the activation of PKCα and demonstrate that in its presence, the most important cell signal for triggering the activity of this enzyme is the increase in the concentration of cytoplasmic Ca(2+).

Inhibitory Effects of Resveratrol on Platelet Activation Induced by Thromboxane A2Receptor Agonist in Human Platelets

Resveratrol (RSVL), a polyphenolic compound found in red wine is believed to be a contributor in decreasing the incidence of coronary heart disease. Although its primary target is unknown, it blocks platelet aggregation by an ill-defined mechanism. Protein kinase C (PKC), which would redistribute from the cytosol to the platelet membrane upon platelet stimulation, plays a key role in the signal transduction system of platelets in human. In this study, we investigated the effect of RSVL and a PKC inhibitor (DL-erythro-1,3-Dihydroxy-2-aminooctadecane, PKCI) on platelet aggregation induced by a thromboxane A2receptor agonist (U46619, 9,11-Dideoxy-11α, 9α-epoxymethanoprostaglandin F2α) using a platelet aggregometer. We also studied the platelet membranebound fibrinogen (PFig) content and the activity of protein kinase C (PKC) in platelets from healthy volunteers using flow cytometry, and a phosphorimaging system, respectively. Our results showed that RSVL blocked platelet aggregation and PFig content induced by U46619 in a concentration-dependent manner. PKCI and RSVL had an additive effect in inhibiting platelet aggregation and PFig content. Furthermore, RSVL (final concentration 50 μM) remarkably depressed the activity of PKC in the membrane of platelets and the percentage of membrane PKC activity in total PKC activity. Taken together, these results suggested that RSVL suppressed U46619-induced platelet aggregation and PFig content partially through the inhibition of the activity of PKC in platelets.

Curcumin modulates PKCα activity by a membrane-dependent effect

Curcumin modulates the activity of protein kinase Cα (PKCα) when assayed in the presence of vesicles including phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine and diacylglycerol. Increasing concentrations of curcumin progressively increased PKCα activity at concentrations lower than 20μM, but at higher concentrations of curcumin the activity decreased although, at concentrations of curcumin of up to 100μM the activity was always higher than the basal one (in the absence of curcumin). The maximum activity was reached at 3μM curcumin, at 20 and 30mol% of phosphatidylserine, 10μM Ca(2+) and 2mol% diacylglycerol. The same type of modulation was observed when changing the concentration of phosphatidylserine, diacylglycerol and Ca(2+). No effect of curcumin was found when the activity was assayed in the presence of Triton X-100 mixed micelles which included phosphatidylserine and diacylglycerol, indicating that the effect of curcumin was membrane-dependent. The pattern of binding of PKCα to membrane vesicles as a function of curcumin concentration closely correlated with the pattern of activating effect. It was concluded that the effect of curcumin on PKCα activity was related to its effect on the membrane, which may modulate the binding of the enzyme to the membrane.

Kinetic analysis of the interaction of the C1 domain of protein kinase C with lipid membranes by stopped-flow spectroscopy

The diacylglycerol (DG)/phorbol ester-dependent translocation of conventional protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes is mediated by the C1 domain, a membrane-targeting module that also selectively binds phosphatidylserine (PS). Using stopped-flow spectroscopy, we dissect the contribution of DG/phorbol esters (C1 ligand) and PS in driving the association and dissociation of the C1 domain from membranes. Specifically, we examine the binding to membranes of the C1B domain of PKCbeta with a substituted Trp (Y123W) whose fluorescence is quenched upon binding to membranes. Binding of this construct (C1Bbeta-Y123W) to phospholipid vesicles is cooperative with respect to PS content and dependent on C1 ligand, as previously characterized. Stopped-flow analysis reveals that the apparent association rate (k(on)(app)), but not the apparent dissociation rate (k(off)(app)), is highly sensitive to PS content: the 60-fold increase in membrane affinity for vesicles containing no PS compared with 40 mol % PS results primarily from a robust (30-fold) increase in k(on)(app) with little effect (2-fold) on k(off)(app). Membrane affinity is also controlled by the content and structure of the C1 ligand. In contrast to PS, these ligands markedly alter k(off)(app) with smaller effects on k(on)(app). We also show that the affinity for phorbol ester-containing membranes is 2 orders of magnitude higher than that for DG-containing membranes primarily resulting from differences in k(off)(app). Our data are consistent with a model in which the C1 domain is recruited to the membrane via an initial weak electrostatic interaction with PS, followed by a rapid two-dimensional search for ligand, the binding of which retains the domain at the membrane. Thus, PS drives the initial encounter, and DG/phorbol esters retain the domain on membranes. The decreased effectiveness of DG compared with phorbol esters in retaining the C1 domain on membranes contributes to the molecular dichotomy of the rapid, transient nature of DG-dependent PKC signaling versus the chronic hyperactivity of phorbol ester-activated PKC.

Diacylglycerol, when simplicity becomes complex

Diacylglycerol (DAG) has unique functions as a basic component of membranes, an intermediate in lipid metabolism and a key element in lipid-mediated signaling. In eukaryotes, for example, impaired DAG generation and/or consumption have severe effects on organ development and cell growth associated with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, immune system disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Although DAG has been studied intensively as a signaling lipid, early models of its function are no longer adequate to explain its numerous roles. The interplay between enzymes that control DAG levels, the identification of families of DAG-regulated proteins, and the overlap among DAG metabolic and signaling processes are providing new interpretations of DAG function. Recent discoveries are also delineating the complex and strategic role of DAG in regulating biochemical networks.

Protein kinase C regulatory domains: the art of decoding many different signals in membranes

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a member of a family of Ser/Thr phosphotransferases that are involved in many cellular signaling pathways. These enzymes possess two regulatory domains, C1 and C2, that are the targets of different second messengers. The purpose of this review is to describe in molecular terms the diverse mechanisms of activation of PKCs in the light of very significant advances made in this field over recent years. The role of some critical amino acid residues concerning activation of the enzymes and their location within known structures of isolated domains will be presented. For example, the recently deduced 3D structures of the C2 domains show that these domains can additionally act as PtdIns(4,5)P(2)-binding or phosphotyrosine-binding modules depending on the isoenzyme. All these capacities to play different roles in the cell wide web of signals underline the notion that we are dealing with a multifunctional family of enzymes which, after 30 years of investigation, we are just beginning to understand.

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) 4, insertion into model membranes and inhibition of activity by phosphatidic acid

Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are critical for attenuating G protein-coupled signaling pathways. The membrane association of RGS4 has been reported to be crucial for its regulatory activity in reconstituted vesicles and physiological roles in vivo. In this study, we report that RGS4 initially binds onto the surface of anionic phospholipid vesicles and subsequently inserts into, but not through, the membrane bilayer. Phosphatidic acid, one of anionic phospholipids, could dramatically inhibit the ability of RGS4 to accelerate GTPase activity in vitro. Phosphatidic acid is an effective and potent inhibitor of RGS4 in a G alpha(i1)-[gamma-(32)P]GTP single turnover assay with an IC(50) approximately 4 microm and maximum inhibition of over 90%. Furthermore, phosphatidic acid was the only phospholipid tested that inhibited RGS4 activity in a receptor-mediated, steady-state GTP hydrolysis assay. When phosphatidic acid (10 mol %) was incorporated into m1 acetylcholine receptor-G alpha(q) vesicles, RGS4 GAP activity was markedly inhibited by more than 70% and the EC(50) of RGS4 was increased from 1.5 to 7 nm. Phosphatidic acid also induced a conformational change in the RGS domain of RGS4 measured by acrylamide-quenching experiments. Truncation of the N terminus of RGS4 (residues 1-57) resulted in the loss of both phosphatidic acid binding and lipid-mediated functional inhibition. A single point mutation in RGS4 (Lys(20) to Glu) permitted its binding to phosphatidic acid-containing vesicles but prevented lipid-induced conformational changes in the RGS domain and abolished the inhibition of its GAP activity. We speculate that the activation of phospholipase D or diacylglycerol kinase via G protein-mediated signaling cascades will increase the local concentration of phosphatidic acid, which in turn block RGS4 GAP activity in vivo. Thus, RGS4 may represent a novel effector of phosphatidic acid, and this phospholipid may function as a feedback regulator in G protein-mediated signaling pathways.

The lipid/protein interface as xenobiotic target site: kinetic analysis of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Membrane proteins are known to be solvated and functionally activated by a fixed number of lipid molecules whose multiple binding can be described by Adair-type binding equations. Lipophilic xenobiotics such as general anesthetics may act by competitive displacement of protein-bound lipids. A kinetic equation is now presented for various binding stoichiometries of lipid and xenobiotic, and microscopic binding constants of anesthetics and organic solvents are derived from two independent assay systems for the enhancement of agonist binding to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. These constants lead to the first available free energy estimate (-6.4 kcal/mol) for the binding of membrane lipid to an integral membrane protein.

Regulation of protein kinase D by multisite phosphorylation. Identification of phosphorylation sites by mass spectrometry and characterization by site-directed mutagenesis

Activation of the serine/threonine kinase, protein kinase D (PKD/PKC mu) via a phorbol ester/PKC-dependent pathway involves phosphorylation events. The present study identifies five in vivo phosphorylation sites by mass spectrometry, and the role of four of them was investigated by site-directed mutagenesis. Four sites are autophosphorylation sites, the first of which (Ser(916)) is located in the C terminus; its phosphorylation modifies the conformation of the kinase and influences duration of kinase activation but is not required for phorbol ester-mediated activation of PKD. The second autophosphorylation site (Ser(203)) lies in that region of the regulatory domain, which in PKC mu interacts with 14-3-3tau. The last two autophosphorylation sites (Ser(744) and Ser(748)) are located in the activation loop but are only phosphorylated in the isolated PKD-catalytic domain and not in the full-length PKD; they may affect enzyme catalysis but are not involved in the activation of wild-type PKD by phorbol ester. We also present evidence for proteolytic activation of PKD. The fifth site (Ser(255)) is transphosphorylated downstream of a PKC-dependent pathway after in vivo stimulation with phorbol ester. In vivo phorbol ester stimulation of an S255E mutant no longer requires PKC-mediated events. In conclusion, our results show that PKD is a multisite phosphorylated enzyme and suggest that its phosphorylation may be an intricate process that regulates its biological functions in very distinct ways.

Human acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase-1 is a homotetrameric enzyme in intact cells and in vitro

Acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) is a key enzyme in cellular cholesterol homeostasis and in atherosclerosis. ACAT-1 may function as an allosteric enzyme. We took a multifaceted approach to investigate the subunit composition of ACAT-1. When ACAT-1 with two different tags were co-expressed in the same Chinese hamster ovary cells, antibody specific to one tag caused co-immunoprecipitation of both types of ACAT-1 proteins. Radioimmunoprecipitations of cells expressing the untagged ACAT-1 or the 6-histidine-tagged ACAT-1 yielded a single radiolabeled band of predicted size on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results show that ACAT-1 exists as homo-oligomers in intact Chinese hamster ovary cells. We solubilized HisACAT-1 with the detergent deoxycholate or CHAPS (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonic acid), performed gel filtration chromatography and sucrose density gradient centrifugations in H(2)O and D(2)O, and determined the Stokes radii and sedimentation coefficients of the HisACAT1-detergent complexes. The estimated molecular mass of HisACAT-1 is 263 kDa, which is 4 times that of the HisACAT-1 monomer (69 kDa). Finally, cross-linking experiments in intact cells and in vitro show that the increase in cross-linker concentrations causes an increase in size of the HisACAT-1-positive signals, forming material(s) 4 times the size of the monomer, supporting the conclusion that ACAT-1 is a homotetrameric enzyme.

Protein kinase C phosphorylated at a conserved threonine is retained in the cytoplasm

Phosphorylation of calcium-activated protein kinase Cs (PKCs) at threonine 634 and/or threonine 641 increases during long term potentiation or associative learning in rodents. In the marine mollusk Aplysia, persistent activation of the calcium-activated PKC Apl I occurs during long term facilitation. We have raised an antibody to a peptide from PKC Apl I phosphorylated at threonines 613 and 620 (sites homologous to threonines 634 and 641). This antibody recognizes PKC Apl I only when it is phosphorylated at threonine 613. Both phorbol esters and serotonin increase the percentage of kinase phosphorylated at threonine 613 in Aplysia neurons. Furthermore, the pool of PKC that is phosphorylated at threonine 613 in neurons is resistant to both membrane translocation and down-regulation. Replacement of threonine 613 with alanine increased the affinity of PKC Apl I for calcium, suggesting that phosphorylation of this site may reduce the ability of PKC Apl I to translocate to membranes in the presence of calcium. We propose that phosphorylation of this site is important for removal of PKC from the membrane and may be a mechanism for negative feedback of PKC activation.

Recombinant acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase-1 (ACAT-1) purified to essential homogeneity utilizes cholesterol in mixed micelles or in vesicles in a highly cooperative manner

Acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) is an integral membrane protein located in the endoplasmic reticulum. It catalyzes the formation of cholesteryl esters from cholesterol and long-chain fatty acyl coenzyme A. The first gene encoding the enzyme, designated as ACAT-1, was identified in 1993 through an expression cloning approach. We isolated a Chinese hamster ovary cell line that stably expresses the recombinant human ACAT-1 protein bearing an N-terminal hexahistidine tag. We purified this enzyme approximately 7000-fold from crude cell extracts by first solubilizing the cell membranes with the zwitterionic detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate, then proceeding with an ACAT-1 monoclonal antibody affinity column and an immobilized metal affinity column. The final preparation is enzymologically active and migrates as a single band at 54 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Pure ACAT-1 dispersed in mixed micelles containing sodium taurocholate, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol remains catalytically active. The cholesterol substrate saturation curves of the enzyme assayed either in mixed micelles or in reconstituted vesicles are both highly sigmoidal. The oleoyl-coenzyme A substrate saturation curves of the enzyme assayed under the same conditions are both hyperbolic. These results support the hypothesis that ACAT is an allosteric enzyme regulated by cholesterol.

Regional changes of membrane phospholipid concentrations in rabbit spinal cord following brief repeated ischemic insults

Changes in the concentration of membrane-bound phospholipids following single (25-min) spinal cord ischemia and 3 h of reperfusion were determined. These were compared with the changes following brief repeated (8-, 8-, and 9-min) ischemia followed each time by reperfusion for 1 h, or the same periods of ischemia followed by 8 h, 8 h, and 24 h of reperfusion, respectively. Phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and sphingomyelin (SM) were assayed in regions of the spinal cord of the rabbit, including gray matter, white matter, dorsal horns, intermediate zone, and ventral horns. The brief repeated ischemia with 1-h reperfusions produced more extensive degradation of phospholipids in almost all regions compared with the equivalent time of ischemia (25 min) in a single period. After a lengthy reperfusion after repeated ischemia, the phospholipids were resynthesized with the exception of the phosphatidylinositol in the gray matter. The resynthesis was most pronounced in the dorsal horns and in the white matter.

The role of C2 domains in Ca2+-activated and Ca2+-independent protein kinase Cs in aplysia

In the nervous system of the marine mollusk Aplysia there are two protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms, the Ca2+-activated PKC Apl I and the Ca2+-independent PKC Apl II. PKC Apl I, but not PKC Apl II is activated by a short-term application of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This may be explained by the fact that purified PKC Apl II requires a higher mole percentage of phosphatidylserine to stimulate enzyme activity than does PKC Apl I. In order to understand the molecular basis for this difference, we have compared the ability of lipids to interact with the purified kinases and with regulatory domain fusion proteins derived from the kinases using a variety of assays including kinase activity, phorbol dibutyrate binding, and liposome binding. We found that a C2 domain fusion protein derived from PKC Apl I binds to lipids constitutively, while a C2 domain fusion protein derived from PKC Apl II does not. In contrast, fusion proteins containing the C1 domains of PKC Apl I and PKC Apl II showed only small differences in lipid interactions. Thus, while the presence of a C2 domain assists lipid-mediated activation of PKC Apl I, it inhibits activation of PKC Apl II.

Ca2+ differentially regulates conventional protein kinase Cs' membrane interaction and activation

The regulation of conventional protein kinase Cs by Ca2+ was examined by determining how this cation affects the enzyme's 1) membrane binding and catalytic function and 2) conformation. In the first part, we show that significantly lower concentrations of Ca2+ are required to effect half-maximal membrane binding than to half-maximally activate the enzyme. The disparity between binding and activation kinetics is most striking for protein kinase C betaII, where the concentration of Ca2+ promoting half-maximal membrane binding is approximately 40-fold higher than the apparent Km for Ca2+ for activation. In addition, the Ca2+ requirement for activation of protein kinase C betaII is an order of magnitude greater than that for the alternatively spliced protein kinase C betaI; these isozymes differ only in 50 amino acids at the carboxyl terminus, revealing that residues in the carboxyl terminus influence the enzyme's Ca2+ regulation. In the second part, we use proteases as conformational probes to show that Ca2+dependent membrane binding and Ca2+-dependent activation involve two distinct sets of structural changes in protein kinase C betaII. Three separate domains spanning the entire protein participate in these conformational changes, suggesting significant interdomain interactions. A highly localized hinge motion between the regulatory and catalytic halves of the protein accompanies membrane binding; release of the carboxyl terminus accompanies the low affinity membrane binding mediated by concentrations of Ca2+ too low to promote catalysis; and exposure of the amino-terminal pseudosubstrate and masking of the carboxyl terminus accompany catalysis. In summary, these data reveal that structural determinants unique to each isozyme of protein kinase C dictate the enzyme's Ca2+-dependent affinity for acidic membranes and show that, surprisingly, some of these determinants are in the carboxyl terminus of the enzyme, distal from the Ca2+-binding site in the amino-terminal regulatory domain.

Okadaic acid interferes with phorbol-ester-mediated down-regulation of protein kinase C-alpha, C-delta and C-epsilon

A prolonged cell exposure of all examined cell types to tumour-promoting phorbol esters leads to a substantial inactivation and degradation of protein kinase C (PKC), a phenomenon known as down-regulation. With a combination of one- and two-dimensional immunoblot analyses we have previously shown the existence in PC12 cells of distinct PKC-alpha forms that differentially respond to cell treatment with phorbol ester [Gatti, A. & Robinson, P. J. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 31 718-31722]. Using the same experimental model, in the present study we investigated a possible relationship between PKC-alpha phosphorylation and its down-regulation. The exposure of PC12 cells to okadaic acid, a potent inhibitor of biologically relevant protein phosphatases, was found to partially protect PKC-alpha against phorbol-ester-mediated down-regulation. Further, a similar protective effect of okadaic acid was observed for PKC-delta and PKC-epsilon, which are also expressed in PC12 cells. These results indicate that the tumour-promoting activity of okadaic acid itself may be due to a sustained phosphorylation of PKC.

Synergistic activation of protein kinase C by arachidonic acid and diacylglycerols in vitro: generation of a stable membrane-bound, cofactor-independent state of protein kinase C activity

The present study examines the synergistic activation of PKC by arachidonic acid and diacylglycerols in phospholipid vesicles and demonstrates that this combination of activators leads to the formation of a constitutively active, phospholipid-bound form of the enzyme. Activation of PKC was almost entirely calcium-dependent with vesicles containing dioleoylglycerol alone. In contrast, considerable calcium-independent activity was observed when vesicles contained both a diacylglycerol and free arachidonic acid. High-affinity association of enzyme activity with diacylglycerol-containing vesicles was calcium dependent and reversible. However, addition of arachidonic acid to diacylglycerol-containing vesicles resulted in irreversible PKC binding in the absence of calcium. Immunoblot analysis indicated that the calcium-independent binding was not isozyme-specific. The activity of the vesicle-associated PKC, bound to vesicles in the absence of calcium, was predominantly calcium-dependent. On the other hand, when the binding and isolation of vesicle-bound enzyme was conducted in the presence of calcium, the subsequent activity was almost entirely resistant to calcium chelation. This vesicle-associated form of the enzyme, when detergent extracted and recombined with phospholipid vesicles, maintained significant 'constitutive' activity (activity in the absence of both diacylglycerol and calcium). The data from this in vitro system provide the basis for a model of the physiological regulation of PKC in which the combined actions of arachidonate and diacylglycerol facilitate the stable formation of a tightly membrane-associated, intrinsically active form of PKC.

Raf-1 kinase possesses distinct binding domains for phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid. Phosphatidic acid regulates the translocation of Raf-1 in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-stimulated Madin-Darby canine kidney cells

Previous studies demonstrated that the cysteine-rich amino-terminal domain of Raf-1 kinase interacts selectively with phosphatidylserine (Ghosh, S., Xie, W. Q., Quest, A. F. G., Mabrouk, G. M., Strum, J. C., and Bell, R. M. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 10000-10007). Further analysis showed that full-length Raf-1 bound to both phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid (PA). Specifically, a carboxyl-terminal domain of Raf-1 kinase (RafC; residues 295 648 of human Raf-1) interacted strongly with phosphatidic acid. The binding of RafC to PA displayed positive cooperativity with Hill numbers between 3.3 and 6.2; the apparent Kd ranged from 4.9 +/- 0.6 to 7.8 +/- 0.9 mol % PA. The interaction of RafC with PA displayed a pH dependence distinct from the interaction between the cysteine-rich domain of Raf-1 and PA. Also, the RafC-PA interaction was unaffected at high ionic strength. Of all the lipids tested, only PA and cardiolipin exhibited high affinity binding; other acidic lipids were either ineffective or weakly effective. By deletion mutagenesis, the PA binding site within RafC was narrowed down to a 35-amino acid segment between residues 389 and 423. RafC did not bind phosphatidyl alcohols; also, inhibition of PA formation in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells by treatment with 1% ethanol significantly reduced the translocation of Raf-1 from the cytosol to the membrane following stimulation with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. These results suggest a potential role of the lipid second messenger, PA, in the regulation of translocation and subsequent activation of Raf-1 in vivo.

Biochemical characterization of the stimulatory effects of halothane and propofol on purified brain protein kinase C

Halothane and propofol stimulate activation of protein kinase C (PKC) in the presence of physiologically relevant lipid bilayer vesicles in vitro. The mechanism of this stimulation was characterized by analyzing the effects of halothane and propofol on the activation of purified rat brain PKC by its three essential activators, phosphatidylserine, diacylglycerol, and Ca2+, each of which is known to interact with the regulatory domain. Clinically relevant concentrations of halothane (2.4 vol%) and propofol (200 microM) increased the Vmax without affecting the Km for phosphorylation of the artificial substrate histone H1 by PKC, and increased the sensitivity of PKC to activation by phosphatidylserine, diacylglycerol, and Ca2+. Halothane reduced the EC50 values for phosphatidylserine from 18 +/- 2.5 to 11 +/- 0.6 mol% (P < 0.05), for diacylglycerol from 1.6 +/- 0.3 to 0.87 +/- 0.2 mol% (P < 0.05) and for free Ca2+ from 4.5 +/- 1.0 to 2.8 +/- 0.4 microM (P < 0.05). Propofol reduced the EC50 values for phosphatidylserine from 18 +/- 1.9 to 11 +/- 1.2 mol% (P < 0.01), for diacylglycerol from 2.5 +/- 0.3 to 1.2 +/- 0.4 mol% (P < 0.01) and for free Ca2+ from 2.8 +/- 0.7 to 1.9 +/- 0.2 microM (P < 0.05). The IC50 values for inhibition of PKC activity by the regulatory domain-specific PKC inhibitor sphingosine were increased from 20 +/- 1.5 to 26 +/- 0.6 microM (P < 0.01) by halothane and from 24 +/- 4.8 to 34 +/- 4.8 microM (P < 0.05) by propofol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

"In vitro" phosphorylation of annexin 2 heterotetramer by protein kinase C. Comparative properties of the unphosphorylated and phosphorylated annexin 2 on the aggregation and fusion of chromaffin granule membranes

Heterotetrameric annexin 2 phosphorylated "in vitro" by rat brain protein kinase C is purified and obtained devoid of unphosphorylated protein; it contains 2 mol of phosphate/mol of heterotetramer. The aggregative and binding properties of the phosphorylated annexin 2 toward purified chromaffin granules are compared with those of the unphosphorylated annexin 2. Annexin 2 binds to chromaffin granules with high affinity. Phosphorylation of annexin 2 decreases the affinity of this binding without affecting the maximum binding capacity. The binding curves are strongly cooperative. It is suggested that a surface oligomerization of the proteins may take place upon binding. Besides, phosphorylation of annexin 2 is followed by a dissociation of the light chains from the heavy chains in the heterotetramer. Whereas annexin 2 induces the aggregation of chromaffin granules at microM calcium concentration, the phosphorylated annexin 2 does not induce aggregation at any concentration of calcium either at pH 6 or 7. The phosphorylation of annexin 2 by protein kinase C, MgATP, and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate on chromaffin granules induces a fusion of chromaffin granules membranes observed in electron microscopy. The fusion requires the activation of protein kinase C by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Given these results and since annexin 2 is phosphorylated by protein kinase C under stimulation of chromaffin cells, it is suggested that phosphorylated annexin 2 may be implicated in the fusion step during exocytosis of chromaffin granules.

Characterization of the phosphatidylserine-binding region of rat MARCKS (myristoylated, alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate). Its regulation through phosphorylation of serine 152

We reported previously that recombinant myristoylated, alanine-rich protein kinase C substrate (MARCKS) expressed in Escherichia coli as well as MARCKS purified from rat brain specifically bound to phosphatidylserine (PS) in a calcium-independent manner and that the binding was regulated through phosphorylation of MARCKS (Nakaoka, T., Kojima, N., Hamamoto, T., Kurosawa, N., Lee, Y. C., Kawasaki, H., Suzuki, K., and Tsuji, S. (1993) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 114, 449-452). In this study, to identify the minimum PS-binding region of MARCKS and the regulatory phosphorylation site, the binding of MARCKS to PS was examined in deletion mutants producing glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins. The mutant proteins GST-6-180 and GST-127-160 had almost the same ability to bind to immobilized PS as MARCKS purified from rat brain, whereas GST-127-152 did not bind to it. In addition, the binding of GST-6-156 to immobilized PS was 62% of that of GST-6-180, but that of GST-6-152 was only 8% and that of GST-6-135 was not detected. The effect of phosphorylation by protein kinase C was examined in several mutants of GST-6-180 whose serine residues were substituted with alanine. After phosphorylation, the mutants GST-6-180[S156A and S163A], GST-6-180]S156A], and GST-6-180[S163A] did not bind to immobilized PS like native MARCKS and GST-6-180. However, even after phosphorylation, GST-6-180-[S152A] and GST-6-180[S152A and S156A] could bind to immobilized PS. These results strongly suggest that MARCKS binds to PS molecules in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane through residues 127-156, with residues 153-156 (FKKS) being particularly important in the binding of MARCKS to PS, and that the binding is regulated through the protein kinase C-catalyzed phosphorylation of the serine at residue 152.

Role of rat liver plasma membrane phospholipids in regulation of protein kinase activities

The role of rat liver plasma membrane phospholipids in the regulation of protein kinase A, protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase activities was investigated. Plasma membrane composition was modified by phospholipase A2, phospholipase C and phospholipase D treatment and subsequent incorporation of various phospholipids. Phospholipase A2 deactivated the three types of protein kinases, while phospholipase C and D affected the enzymes in a different manner. Phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin were found to be the most effective activators of protein kinase A and tyrosine kinase. Incorporation of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylserine into partially delipidated plasma membranes resulted in a significant stimulation of protein kinase C activity. Since sphingomyelin appeared to be a specific effector of the three types of protein kinases under investigation, one might suggest that its role in cellular signaling could be manifested via regulation of protein kinase C as well as via modulation of protein kinase A and tyrosine kinase activities.

Kinetics and localization of the phosphorylation of rhodopsin by protein kinase C

Protein kinase C isolated from retina catalyzes the stoichiometric phosphorylation of bovine rhodopsin. Enzymological studies using receptor in rod outer segment membranes stripped of peripheral proteins reveal that the phosphorylation is independent of receptor conformation or liganded state; the half-time for phosphorylation of unbleached (dark-adapted) rhodopsin, bleached (light-activated) rhodopsin, and opsin (chromophore removed) is the same. The phosphorylation by protein kinase C is Ca2+ and lipid regulated; the Km for Ca2+ decreases with increasing concentrations of membrane, consistent with known properties of Ca(2+)-regulated protein kinase Cs. The Km for ATP is 27 microM, with an optimal concentration for MgCl2 of approximately 1 mM. The phosphorylation of rhodopsin by protein kinase C is inhibited by the protein kinase C-selective inhibitor sangivamycin. Proteolysis by Asp-N reveals that all the protein kinase C phosphorylation sites are on the carboxyl terminus of the receptor. Cleavage with trypsin indicates that Ser338, the primary phosphorylation site of rhodopsin kinase, is not phosphorylated significantly; rather, the primary phosphorylation site of protein kinase C is on the membrane proximal half of the carboxyl terminus. The protein kinase C-catalyzed phosphorylation of rhodopsin is analogous to the ligand-independent phosphorylation of other G protein-coupled receptors that is catalyzed by second messenger-regulated kinases.

Selective phosphorylation of cationic polypeptide aggregated with phosphatidylserine/diacylglycerol/Ca2+/detergent mixed micelles by Ca(2+)-independent but not Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase C isozymes

Mixed micelles containing Nonidet P40 (NP-40) (829 microM or 4.8 mM), phosphatidylserine (PS) (14.5 or 8 mol%), and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DG) (0.5 or 1 mol%) when preincubated with protein kinase C (PKC) assay mixture containing cationic substrate and CaCl2 (400 microM) formed aggregates in a time-, temperature-, and substrate concentration-dependent manner with a t1/2 approximately 3-12 min (22 degrees C). Concomitant with the formation of these aggregates there was a substantial loss of substrate phosphorylation catalyzed by the Ca(2+)-dependent PKC alpha, beta, and gamma but not the Ca(2+)-independent PKC, delta and epsilon. All cationic PKC substrates tested, neurogranin peptide analog, neurogranin, and histone III-S, formed aggregates with PS/DG/NP-40/Ca2+ mixed micelles in a time-dependent fashion. The poly(cationic-anionic) PKC substrate protamine sulfate also forms aggregates with the mixed micelles in the presence of Ca2+, but without affecting the substrate phosphorylation by the kinase. Under similar conditions, but at 4 degrees C, neither aggregation nor loss of cationic substrate phosphorylation was observed. Another nonionic detergent, octyl glucoside, behaved similarly to NP-40. Phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylglycerol like PS, were effective in forming aggregates with NP-40/cationic polypeptide/DG/Ca2+ as monitored by light scattering, yet without affecting substrate phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of cationic substrates by M-kinase, derived from trypsinized PKC beta, was also greatly diminished by the aggregation. In contrast, [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate binding to PKC beta was unaffected. Formation of the aggregates that were selectively utilized by the Ca(2+)-independent PKCs was dependent on the ratio of cationic substrate to the number of mixed micelles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Characterization of activators and inhibitors of protein kinase C mu

In order to investigate regulatory mechanisms and to identify potential substrates of a novel member of the protein kinase C (PKC) family, PKC mu, specific antibodies have been raised against unique amino- and carboxy-terminal regions. PKC mu kinase activity was studied upon immunoprecipitation from stably transfected cell lines as well as from the A549 carcinoma cell line expressing the endogenous PKC mu gene. Cell fractionation revealed that PKC mu is predominantly found in the particulate fraction, suggesting an association with the membrane or membrane-bound structures. In vitro kinase assays with immunoprecipitated PKC mu demonstrated a Ca2+ independent enhancement of constitutive autophosphorylation activity by phosphatidylserine. Despite a limited in vitro phorbol ester response, an apparent phorbol ester activation of PKC mu was observed when cell cultures, instead of immunoprecipitated enzyme, were treated with either phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or 1,2 dioleoyl-sn-glycerol. Both in vitro autophosphorylation and substrate phosphorylation of myelin basic protein and histone III were enhanced under these conditions. However, long-term treatment with the phorbol ester did not result in downregulation of PKC mu protein levels and kinase activity. Studies with several protein kinase inhibitors revealed a novel sensitivity profile of PKC mu, with no inhibition by calphostin C, reduced sensitivity to staurosporine but, compared to other PKCs, an approximately 60-fold higher sensitivity to the selective PKA inhibitor H89. Together, the data presented here show that localization of PKC mu and regulation of its kinase activity differ from that of other PKCs suggesting a novel function of PKC mu in intracellular signal pathways.

Does the binding of clusters of basic residues to acidic lipids induce domain formation in membranes?

Several proteins that are important components of the calcium/phospholipid second messenger system (e.g. phospholipase C, protein kinase C, myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) and pp60src) contain clusters of basic residues that can interact with acidic lipids on the cytoplasmic surface of plasma membranes. We have studied the membrane binding of MARCKS and pp60src, peptides that mimic the basic regions of these proteins, and simple model peptides. Specifically, we determined how the binding of these model peptides depends on (1) the number of basic residues in the peptide (2) the fraction of acidic lipids in the membrane (3) the ionic strength of the solution (4) the chemical nature of the basic residues (Arg versus Lys) and the acidic phospholipids [phosphatidylglycerol (PG) versus phosphatidylserine (PS)] (5) the pressure and (6) the temperature. The results are consistent with a simple theoretical model: each basic residue in a peptide binds independently to an acidic lipid with an intrinsic microscopic association constant of 1-10 M-1 (binding energy congruent to 1 kcal/mol). The binding is described with a mass action formalism and the non-specific electrostatic accumulation of the peptides in the aqueous diffuse double layer is described with the Gouy-Chapman theory. This Gouy-Chapman/mass action model accounts surprisingly well for the sigmoidal dependence of binding on the percentage of acidic lipids in the membrane (apparent co-operativity or Hill coefficient > 1); the model assumes that the multivalent basic peptides bind > 1 acidic lipids and thus induce or stabilize domain formation.

Characterization of apocytochrome C binding to human erythrocytes

The binding of 125I-labeled apocytochrome c to human erythrocytes was determined for free apocytochrome c concentrations at 10(-10)-10(-6) M. At about 2 x 10(-9) M, maximum cell association of apocytochrome c occurs at 50 mM NaCl and at 22 degrees C. Intact erythrocytes at 22 degrees C have three classes of apocytochrome c binding sites: one high-affinity noncooperative site (n1 = 728 per cell, Kd1 = 1.5 x 10(-9) M) and two positively cooperative sites (n2 = 3.7 x 10(4) per cell, Kd2 = 1.2 x 10(-7) M, alpha 2 = 2.0, and n3 = 2.5 x 10(5) per cell, Kd3 = 7.1 x 10(-7) M, alpha 3 = 12). Erythrocytes at 37 degrees C, and erythrocyte ghosts at 22 degrees C, also have three classes of apocytochrome c binding sites, and most sites are positively cooperative.

Anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody recognizes a consensus recognition site for phosphatidylserine in phosphatidylserine-specific monoclonal antibody and protein kinase C

In order to elucidate the molecular mechanisms responsible for the specific lipid-protein interactions, we have undertaken structural and idiotypic analyses of a monoclonal antibody, PS4A7, which binds specifically to phosphatidylserine (PS). Here we showed that one of the anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibodies raised against PS4A7 cross-reacted extensively with protein kinase C (PKC) and inhibited the activation of the enzymatic activity. The binding of the anti-idiotypic antibody to PKC was inhibited specifically by PS, but not by other phospholipids including 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-D-serine or 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-homoserine. In contrast, the binding of the anti-idiotypic mAb to the enzyme was significantly enhanced in the presence of either diacylglycerol or sphingosine. These findings indicate that the PS-specific monoclonal antibody and PKC share a consensus structure which is responsible for the specific interaction with PS and both diacylglycerol and sphingosine may induce a similar conformational change which exposes the PS-specific binding site of the enzyme.