Endogenous protein phosphorylation and casein kinase activity during seed development in Araucaria angustifolia

Phosphorylation of TIP3 Aquaporins during Phaseolus vulgaris Embryo Development

The membrane phosphoproteome in plant seed changes dynamically during embryo development. We examined the patterns of Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) seed membrane protein phosphorylation from the mid-maturation stage until two days after germination. Serine and threonine phosphorylation declined during seed maturation while tyrosine phosphorylation remained relatively constant. We discovered that the aquaporin PvTIP3;1 is the primary seed membrane phosphoprotein, and PvTIP3;2 shows a very low level of expression. The level of phosphorylated Ser7 in PvTIP3;1 increased four-fold after seed maturation. Since phosphorylation increases water channel activity, we infer that water transport by PvTIP3;1 is highest in dry and germinating seeds, which would be optimal for seed imbibition. By the use of isoform-specific, polyclonal peptide antibodies, we found that PvTIP3;2 is expressed in a developmental pattern similar to PvTIP3;1. Unexpectedly, PvTIP3;2 is tyrosine phosphorylated following seed maturation, which may suggest a mechanism for the regulation of PvTIP3;2 following seed germination. Analysis of protein secondary structure by circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that the amino-terminal domain of PvTIP3;1 is generally unstructured, and phosphorylation increases polyproline II (PPII) helical structure. The carboxy-terminal domain also gains PPII character, but in a pH-dependent manner. These structural changes are a first step to understand TIP3 aquaporin regulation.

Analysis of tyrosine phosphorylation and phosphotyrosine-binding proteins in germinating seeds from Scots pine

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation in angiosperms has been implicated in various physiological processes, including seed development and germination. In conifers, the role of tyrosine phosphorylation and the mechanisms of its regulation are yet to be investigated. In this study, we examined the profile of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in Scots pine seeds at different stages of germination. We detected extensive protein tyrosine phosphorylation in extracts from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) dormant seeds. In addition, the pattern of tyrosine phosphorylation was found to change significantly during seed germination, especially at earlier stages of post-imbibition which coincides with the initiation of cell division, and during the period of intensive elongation of hypocotyls. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of phosphotyrosine signaling, we employed affinity purification and mass spectrometry for the identification of pTyr-binding proteins from the extracts of Scots pine seedlings. Using this approach, we purified two proteins of 10 and 43 kDa, which interacted specifically with pTyr-Sepharose and were identified by mass spectrometry as P. sylvestris defensin 1 (PsDef1) and aldose 1-epimerase (EC:5.1.3.3), respectively. Additionally, we demonstrated that both endogenous and recombinant PsDef1 specifically interact with pTyr-Sepharose, but not Tyr-beads. As the affinity purification approach did not reveal the presence of proteins with known pTyr binding domains (SH2, PTB and C2), we suggest that plants may have evolved a different mode of pTyr recognition, which yet remains to be uncovered.

Casein kinase activity in etiolated Cucumis sativus cotyledons

Two calcium- and light-dependent protein kinases have been reported in etiolated Cucumis sativus cotyledons (Vidal et al. 2007). In the present work, we studied casein kinase (CK) activity in etiolated cucumber cotyledons of in-gel and in vitro kinase assays, using specific CK inhibitors, and ATP and GTP as phosphate donors. Two proteins with CK activity were detected in both casein gels and autophosphorylation assays. One of them, with a molecular mass of approximately 36 kDa, showed biochemical CK1 characteristics: it was inhibited by specific CK1 inhibitors and only used ATP as phosphate donor. The second, with a molecular mass of approximately 38 kDa, had CK2 characteristics; it used both ATP and GTP as phosphate donors, was inhibited by all specific CK2 inhibitors, and was recognized by a polyclonal antibody directed against the alpha catalytic subunit of a CK2 from tobacco. The kinase activity of the CK2 detected in etiolated cucumber cotyledons showed circadian rhythmicity in both in vitro and in-gel casein phosphorylation and in autophosphorylation assays. Thus, our results suggest that the CK2 of approximately 38 kDa could be related to the circadian oscillator of C. sativus cotyledons.

Responses of wheat seedlings to cadmium, mercury and trichlorobenzene stresses

The molecular response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Yangmai 13) seedlings to heavy metal (Cd, Hg) and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB) stresses were examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, image analysis, and peptide mass fingerprinting. The results showed inhibitions of root and shoot growth by Cd, Hg, and TCB. These stresses led to water deficit and lipid phosphorylation in the seedling which also promoted protein phophorylation in the leaves. Hg stress inhibited protein synthesis while Cd and TCB stresses induced or up-regulated more proteins in the leaves. Most of these induced proteins played important roles in the biochemical reactions involved in tolerance of wheat to Cd and TCB stresses. The primary functions of Cd- and TCB-induced proteins included methionine metabolism, Rubisco modification, protein phosphorylation regulation, protein configuration protection, H+ transmembrane transportation and also the synthesis of ethylene, defense substances and cell wall compounds.

Ki-1/57 interacts with RACK1 and is a substrate for the phosphorylation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-activated protein kinase C

Ki-1/57, the 57-kDa human protein antigen recognized by the CD30 antibody Ki-1, is a cytoplasmic and nuclear protein that is phosphorylated on serine and threonine residues. When isolated from the Hodgkin's lymphoma analogous cell line L540 Ki-1/57 co-immunoprecipitated with a Thr/Ser protein kinase activity. It has been also found to interact with hyaluronic acid and has therefore been termed intracellular IHABP4 (hyaluronan-binding protein 4). Recent studies demonstrated, however, that Ki-1/57 engages in specific interaction with the chromo-helicase-DNA-binding domain protein 3, a nuclear protein involved in chromatin remodeling and transcription regulation. We used the yeast two-hybrid system to find proteins interacting with Ki-1/57 and identified the adaptor protein RACK1 (receptor of activated kinase 1). Next, we confirmed this interaction in vitro and in vivo, performed detailed mapping studies of the interaction sites of Ki-1/57 and RACK-1, and demonstrated that Ki-1/57 also co-precipitates with protein kinase C (PKC) when isolated from phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-activated L540 tumor cells and is a substrate for PKC phosphorylation in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, the interaction of Ki-1/57 with RACK1 is abolished upon activation of L540 cells with PMA, which results in the phosphorylation of Ki-1/57 and its exit from the nucleus. Taken together, our data suggest that Ki-1/57 forms a stable complex with RACK-1 in unstimulated cells and upon PMA stimulation gets phosphorylated on threonine residues located at its extreme C terminus. These events associate Ki-1/57 with the RACK1/PKC pathway and may be important for the regulation of its cellular functions.