Synthesis of phosphopeptides containing O-phosphoserine or O-phosphothreonine

Dissecting the role of protein phosphorylation: a chemical biology toolbox

Protein phosphorylation is a crucial regulator of protein and cellular function, yet, despite identifying an enormous number of phosphorylation sites, the role of most is still unclear. Each phosphoform, the particular combination of phosphorylations, of a protein has distinct and diverse biological consequences. Aberrant phosphorylation is implicated in the development of many diseases. To investigate their function, access to defined protein phosphoforms is essential. Materials obtained from cells often are complex mixtures. Recombinant methods can provide access to defined phosphoforms if site-specifically acting kinases are known, but the methods fail to provide homogenous material when several amino acid side chains compete for phosphorylation. Chemical and chemoenzymatic synthesis has provided an invaluable toolbox to enable access to previously unreachable phosphoforms of proteins. In this review, we selected important tools that enable access to homogeneously phosphorylated protein and discuss examples that demonstrate how they can be applied. Firstly, we discuss the synthesis of phosphopeptides and proteins through chemical and enzymatic means and their advantages and limitations. Secondly, we showcase illustrative examples that applied these tools to answer biological questions pertaining to proteins involved in signal transduction, control of transcription, neurodegenerative diseases and aggregation, apoptosis and autophagy, and transmembrane proteins. We discuss the opportunities and challenges in the field.

Multiphosphorylated peptides: importance, synthetic strategies, and applications for studying biological mechanisms

Advances in the synthesis of multiphosphorylated peptides and peptide libraries: tools for studying the effects of phosphorylation patterns on protein function and regulation.

Random and sequential copolypeptides containing O-phospho-L-threonine and L-aspartic acid; roles in CaCO3 biomineralization

The present study describes the synthesis of novel polypeptides containing O-phospho-L-threonine [Thr(PO(3)H(2))] and L-aspartic acid. Random copolypeptides copoly[Thr(PO(3)H(2))(X)Asp(Y)] (X:Y = 25:75, 50:50, 75:25), were conventionally prepared by copolymerization of Thr(PO(3)Ph(2)) N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) and Asp(OBzl) NCA followed by deprotection of the phenyl and benzyl groups by catalytic hydrogenolysis over PtO(2). Polycondensation of the protected peptide p-nitrophenyl esters [Thr(PO(3)Ph(2))](Z)-Asp(OBzl)-ONp and subsequent deprotection yielded the sequential polypeptides poly[Thr(PO(3)H(2))(Z)-Asp] (Z = 1-4). By using the synthetic polypeptides, their effects on the growth of CaCO(3) crystals were examined. In the poly[Thr(PO(3)H(2))(Z)-Asp]/CaCO(3) systems, brushlike calcite and spherical vaterite were formed, with the former being found at [Ca(2+)]/[Res] ratios of > or =180, > or =140, > or =120, and > or =100 for Z = 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. These results indicate that an increase of Thr(PO(3)H(2)) residues in the repetitive unit induces the characteristic brushlike calcite, a fact indicating that Thr(PO(3)H(2)) residues can modify the CaCO(3) crystal morphology.

The solution structure and activation of visual arrestin studied by small-angle X-ray scattering

Visual arrestin is converted from a 'basal' state to an 'activated' state by interaction with the phosphorylated C-terminus of photoactivated rhodopsin (R*), but the conformational changes in arrestin that lead to activation are unknown. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to investigate the solution structure of arrestin and characterize changes attendant upon activation. Wild-type arrestin forms dimers with a dissociation constant of 60 micro m. Small conformational changes, consistent with local movements of loops or the mobile N- or C-termini of arrestin, were observed in the presence of a phosphopeptide corresponding to the C-terminus of rhodopsin, and with an R175Q mutant. Because both the phosphopeptide and the R175Q mutation promote binding to unphosphorylated R*, we conclude that arrestin is activated by subtle conformational changes. Most of the arrestin will be in a dimeric state in vivo. Using the arrestin structure as a guide [Hirsch, J.A., Schubert, C., Gurevich, V.V. & Sigler, P.B. (1999) Cell 97, 257-269], we have identified a model for the arrestin dimer that is consistent with our SAXS data. In this model, dimerization is mediated by the C-terminal domain of arrestin, leaving the N-terminal domains free for interaction with phosphorylated R*.

A comparison of the alpha-helix forming propensities and hydrogen bonding properties of serine phosphate and alpha-amino-gamma-phosphonobutyric acid

The ability of serine phosphate (SerP) or alpha-amino-gamma-phosphonobutyric acid (AbuP) and arginine to form a salt bridge between their side chains appears to be much greater when they are spaced i/i+4 than when they are spaced i/i+3. The side chain-side chain interaction between SerP/Arg and AbuP/Arg, positioned i/i+4, contribute 0.45 and 0.62 kcal mol(-1), respectively, toward stabilizing the alpha-helical conformation of a peptide.

The synthesis and compositional analysis of phosphopeptides

Protein phosphorylation plays a critical role in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. There is considerable interest, therefore, in the facile synthesis of peptides that possess selectively phosphorylated residues for use as molecular probes in mechanistic studies of the biological consequences of phosphorylation. This work will review the various synthetic protocols used in the generation of phosphopeptides and will discuss their characterization by amino acid compositional analysis.

Separation of phospho- and non-phosphopeptides using reverse phase column chromatography

Peptides containing phosphoserine, phosphothreonine or phosphotyrosine and their parent non-phosphorylated forms were chromatographed using standard C18 reverse phase chromatography in the presence of a water/acetonitrile gradient supplemented with different counter ions. We obtained the best separation of phosphorylated from non-phosphorylated peptides in the presence of heptafluorobutyric acid, with differences in retention times as large as approximately 20 min. The chromatographic method was reliable in separation of the same peptides phosphorylated at different positions, acidic or basic phospho-Ser/Thr-peptides or phospho-Tyr-containing peptides. The described separation conditions are useful in studying the kinetics of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation and in analysis of phosphorylation sites in vivo.

Synthetic phosphopeptide from rhodopsin sequence induces retinal arrestin binding to photoactivated unphosphorylated rhodopsin

A synthetic heptaphosphopeptide comprising the fully phosphorylated carboxyl terminal phosphorylation region of bovine rhodopsin, residues 330-348, was found to induce a conformational change in bovine arrestin. This caused an alteration of the pattern of limited proteolysis of arrestin similar to that induced by binding phosphorylated rhodopsin or heparin. Unlike heparin, the phosphopeptide also induced light-activated binding of arrestin to both unphosphorylated rhodopsin in disk membranes as well as to endoproteinase Asp-N-treated rhodopsin (des 330-348). These findings suggest that one function of phosphorylation of rhodopsin is to activate arrestin which can then bind to other regions of the surface of the photoactivated rhodopsin.

Chemical phosphorylation of the peptides GGXA (X = S, T, Y): an evaluation of different chemical approaches

An evaluation was made of the two methods most commonly used for phosphorylation of hydroxyamino acids in peptides, i.e. the tetrazole-catalysed phosphitylation by di-tert-butyl-N,N-diethylphosphoramidite followed by oxidation and the phosphorylation by dibenzylphosphochloridate. As model system the sequence GGXA (X = S, T, Y) was used which represents a random-coil sequence avoiding the influence on the reaction kinetics of secondary structure formation. In the case of serine- and threonine-containing peptides, both synthetic methods gave comparable yields of the desired phosphopeptides. The phosphorylation of tyrosine was achieved more favorably via the phosphoramidite method. However, phosphotyrosine peptides are most easily obtained by peptide synthesis using Fmoc-Tyr(PO3Me2)OH as building block. The dibenzylphosphochloridate method yields the expected phosphopeptides as the only peptide derivative and in addition, a great number of unidentified by-products which can be removed by ion-exchange chromatography. The phosphoramidite method consistently resulted in three peptide derivatives, i.e. the desired phosphopeptide, the phosphitylated peptide and a bridged derivative with two GGXA fragments linked through a phosphodiester bridge. The derivatives were characterised by RP and ion-exchange chromatography, 31P- and 1H-NMR spectroscopy, and ion-spray and electrospray mass spectrometry. Interestingly, even these mild ionisation techniques resulted in partial fragmentation. The observed fragmentation pathways seem to be a diagnostic tool for the identification of phosphorylation sites in peptides. Both the phosphorylated serine and threonine peptide lost phosphoric acid (98 mass units), the tyrosine peptide lost phenyl phosphate (174 mass units).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Further studies into the Boc/solid-phase synthesis of Ser(P)- and Thr(P)-containing peptides

The Ser(P)-containing peptide corresponding to phospholamban 11-19, Ac-Ala-Ile-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser(P)-Thr-Ile-Glu-NH2, was prepared by the use of Boc-Ser(PO3Ph2)-OH in Boc/solid-phase peptide synthesis followed by HF cleavage of the peptide from the polystyrene resin and subsequent platinum-mediated hydrogenolytic cleavage of the phenyl phosphate groups. A study of the HF deprotection step showed that extensive dephosphorylation of the Ser(PO3Ph2)-residue occurred using three commonly used HF conditions and gave rise to large quantities of the Ser-containing peptide. The subsequent study of model peptide systems under standard HF conditions established firstly that the extent of dephosphorylation was dependent on the HF-contact time, and secondly that the Ser(PO3Ph2) residue underwent dephosphorylation at a slightly higher rate than the Thr(PO3Ph2) residue.

Synthesis of phosphotyrosine-containing peptides by the solid-phase method. A re-examination of the use of Boc-Tyr(PO3Bzl2)-OH

A practical and convenient procedure for making phosphotyrosine-containing peptides by the solid-phase method was developed. Phosphotyrosine was incorporated via Boc-Tyr(PO3Bzl2)-OH. The completed peptide was cleaved from the solid support by treatment with 1 M TMSBr-thioanisole-TFA. By gel-phase 31P-NMR spectroscopy we found that one of the benzyl protecting groups on phosphate was completely removed by two consecutive runs of Boc deprotection with 50% TFA-DCM. However, the other benzyl group remained intact throughout the synthesis (35 cycles).

Efficient solution phase synthesis and use of multiple O-phosphothreonyl-containing peptides for calcium phosphate binding studies

The protected phosphothreonine derivative Boc-Thr(PO3Ph2)-OH was prepared in high yield from Boc-Thr-OH by a simple three-step procedure which involved 4-nitrobenzylcarboxyl protection, either phosphorotriester (diphenyl phosphorochloridate) or "phosphite-triester" (diphenyl N,N-diethylphosphoramidite) phosphorylation of the threonine hydroxyl group of Boc-Thr-ONb followed by hydrogenolytic carboxyl deprotection. The three Thr(P)-containing peptides, H-Thr(P)-Glu-Glu-NHMe.TFA, H-Thr(P)-Thr(P)-Glu-Glu-NHMe.TFA and H-Thr(P)-Thr(P)-Thr(P)-Glu-Glu-NHMe.TFA, were prepared in high yield by the use of Boc-Thr(PO3Ph2)-OH in the Boc mode of peptide synthesis (mixed anhydride method) followed by platinum-mediated hydrogenolytic deprotection of the Thr(PO3Ph2)-containing peptides. The use of the phosphopeptides in calcium phosphate binding studies showed that the triple Thr(P)-cluster was a basic structural requirement, since only the pentapeptide was able to bind calcium phosphate efficiently.

Ca(2+)-induced conformational transitions of phosphorylated peptides

CD spectroscopic studies on protected peptides containing lysine and serine, or phosphoserine, and on serine-containing fragments of the neurofilament protein midsized subunit, both in the unphosphorylated and phosphorylated form, are reported. The introduction of the phosphoryl group was not found to have a significant spectral effect in aqueous solution. In trifluoroethanol (TFE), spectral shifts toward unordered (type U) spectra or the appearance of distorted spectra likely reflect the adoption of aperiodic polypeptide conformations due to salt bridge(s) between negatively charged phosphoserine and positive lysine side-chain groups. A turn-stabilizing effect of phosphorylation was also observed. CD-monitored titration experiments in TFE revealed a high conformational sensitivity of phosphopeptides toward Ca2+ ions. The appearance of the unordered spectra or spectral shifts were the sign of a bulk disordering effect of Ca2+ ions. Spectra with specific spectroscopic features reflect the formation of Ca2+ complexes and the adoption of ordered unique backbone conformations. When ordered structures were obtained on addition of Ca2+ ions, the observed CD curves showed a resemblance to the spectrum of beta-pleated sheets. This may originate from chain extension and the formation of beta-pleated sheet segments fixed by Ca2+ bridges between PO3H-1 groups of adjacent peptide chains. The data clearly show that the effect of the Ca2+ ions is highly specific: the sequence, chain length, presence and distribution of charged side-chain groups, degree and site of phosphorylation, and environmental factors appear to be determining in the process of chain extension or beta-sheet formation.

Autophosphorylation of type II CaM kinase in hippocampal neurons: localization of phospho- and dephosphokinase with complementary phosphorylation site-specific antibodies

We have visualized the distribution of autophosphorylated type II CaM kinase in neural tissue with the use of two complementary antibodies: a monoclonal antibody that binds to the alpha and beta subunits of the kinase only when they are autophosphorylated at threonine-286 (287 in beta) and affinity-purified rabbit antibodies that bind to both subunits only when they are not phosphorylated at these residues. We used these antibodies to double-label organotypic hippocampal cultures, detecting the mouse monoclonal antibody with rhodamine and the rabbit polyclonal antibodies with fluorescein. In double-exposed photographs, the ratios of intensities of the two fluorophores revealed the relative proportion of autophosphorylated and nonphosphorylated kinase in individual neurons throughout the cultures. We found that autophosphorylated and nonphosphorylated kinase are colocalized throughout most neurons rather than segregated within distinct cells or subcellular domains. However, the variations in intensity of the two fluorophores indicated that the proportion of autophosphorylated kinase is consistently higher in neuronal somas than in the neuropil. Incubation of the cultures in Ca2+ free medium dramatically reduced both the level of autophosphorylated kinase detected biochemically and the relative intensity of fluorescent staining with the phosphokinase specific monoclonal antibody. These results support the hypothesis that regulation of Ca(2+)-independent CaM kinase activity in vivo occurs by a dynamic equilibrium between autophosphorylation and dephosphorylation and that this equilibrium is maintained, at varying steady-state levels, in all parts of neurons.

Efficient solution-phase synthesis of multiple O-phosphoseryl-containing peptides related to casein and statherin

The multiple Ser(P)-containing peptides, H-Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Glu-Glu-NHMe.TFA, H-Asp-Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Glu-Glu-NHMe.TFA and H-Glu-Ser(P)-Ser(P)-Glu-Glu-NHMe.TFA were prepared by the use of Boc-Ser(PO3Ph2)-OH in the Boc mode of solution phase peptide synthesis followed by platinum-mediated hydrogenolytic de-protection of the Ser(PO3Ph2)-containing peptides. The protected peptides were assembled using the mixed anhydride coupling methods with 40% TFA/CH2Cl2 used for removal of the Boc group from intermediate Boc-protected peptides.

Further studies on the use of 2,2,2-trichloroethyl groups for phosphate protection in phosphoserine peptide synthesis

Boc-Ser(PO3Tc2)-OH, Z-Ser(PO3Tc2)-OH and Fmoc-Ser(PO3Tc2)-OH, derivatives useful for peptide synthesis, have been obtained in high yields by acylation of H-Ser(PO3Tc2)-OH.CF3COOH. The latter was obtained from Boc- or Z-Ser(PO3Tc2)-OBzl by simultaneous removal of the amino- and carboxy-protecting groups by Pd-catalyzed hydrogenolysis in acetic acid-trifluoroacetic acid solution. Removal of the Tc-protecting group was efficiently achieved by hydrogenolysis in aqueous ethanol.

Anti-rhodopsin monoclonal antibodies of defined specificity: characterization and application

A panel of anti-bovine rhodopsin monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) of defined site-specificity has been prepared and used for functional and topographic studies of rhodopsins. In order to select these antibodies, hybridoma supernatants that contained anti-rhodopsin antibodies have been screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the presence of synthetic peptides from rhodopsin's cytoplasmic regions. We selected for antibodies against predominantly linear determinants (as distinct from complex assembled determinants) and have isolated antibodies that recognize rhodopsin's amino terminus, its carboxyl terminus, as well as the hydrophilic helix-connecting regions 61-75, 96-115, 118-203, 230-252 and 310-321. Detailed specificities have been further determined by using a series of overlapping peptides and chemically modified rhodopsins as competitors. A group of seven antibodies with epitopes clustered within the amino terminal region of rhodopsin and a group of 15 antibodies with epitopes within the carboxyl terminal region are described. These MAbs have high affinities for rhodopsin with Kas in the range of 10(8)-10(10) M-1. Some MAbs specific for the carboxyl and amino terminal regions were used to compare these bovine rhodopsin sequences to those of different vertebrates. The MAbs cross-reacted with the different species tested to different extents indicating that there is some similarity in the sequences of these regions. However, some differences in the sequences were indicated by a reduced or absent cross-reactivity with some MAbs. In membrane topographic studies the MAbs showed both the presence and the accessibility of rhodopsin sequences 330-348, 310-321 and 230-252 on the cytoplasmic surface of the disk membrane. Similarly, sequences 1-20 and 188-203 were shown to reside on the lumenal surface of the disk and to be accessible to a macromolecular (antibody) probe. Antibodies directed against rhodopsin's carboxyl terminal sequence did not bind well to highly phosphorylated rhodopsin. Similarly, these antibodies as well as those against the V-VI loop inhibited phosphorylation of rhodopsin. Antibody A11-82P, specific for phosphorylated rhodopsin, recognized rhodopsin containing two or more phosphates and inhibited its further phosphorylation.

Synthesis of phosphotyrosyl-containing phosphopeptides by solid-phase peptide synthesis

The synthesis of phosphotyrosine-containing phosphopeptides using solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) techniques is described. We present the synthesis of a Boc-phosphotyrosine derivative, which when used with modifications of the conventional SPPS protocol permits the incorporation of phosphotyrosine into synthetic peptides. The resulting phosphopeptides were authenticated by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, amino acid analysis, and phosphate assay. Alkaline phosphatase was found to dephosphorylate synthetic phosphopeptides at different rates, supporting the potential use of these synthetic substrates for studies of phosphoprotein phosphatases. Synthesis of a phosphopeptide using the described protocol has several advantages over the preparation of phosphopeptides via enzymatic phosphorylation.

Solid-phase synthesis of peptides containing phosphoserine using phosphate tert.-butyl protecting group

In this paper, we report the solid-phase synthesis of peptides containing O-phosphonoserine using BOP as coupling reagent. Commercially available Fmoc amino-acids linked to p-alkoxybenzyl resin were used in the first step and Alloc amino acids in the following. Alloc group was removed by catalytic hydrostannolytic cleavage. Acid-labile side-chain protecting groups (including phosphate residue) were used. Thus, both removal of side-chain protecting groups and cleavage of the phosphopeptide from the resin were achieved in one step by treatment with TFA. Alloc serine was phosphorylated by the phosphoramidite method. This strategy enables the preparation of peptides with selectively phosphorylated residue and overcomes problems due to repetitive treatments with TFA and final cleavage with HF.

Synthetic phosphopeptides are substrates for casein kinase II

Casein kinase II is a protein serine/threonine kinase that exhibits a preference for acidic substrates. Previous studies have demonstrated that a glutamic acid 3 amino acids C-terminal (+3) to a serine or threonine is required for phosphorylation. To examine the ability of phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues to serve as specificity determinants for casein kinase II, phosphopeptides containing either of these phosphoamino acids in the +3 position were synthesized and tested as substrates. Phosphopeptides containing phosphoserine in the +3 position were readily phosphorylated. In contrast, corresponding phosphothreonine-containing peptides were very poorly phosphorylated. These results imply that prior phosphorylation of substrate proteins on serine, but not threonine residues, may II.

Substrate recognition determinants for rhodopsin kinase: studies with synthetic peptides, polyanions, and polycations

Rhodopsin kinase phosphorylates serine- and threonine-containing peptides from bovine rhodopsin's carboxyl-terminal sequence. Km's for the peptides decrease as the length of the peptide is increased over the range 12-31 amino acids, reaching 1.7 mM for peptide 318-348 from the rhodopsin sequence. The Km for phosphorylation of rhodopsin is about 10(3) lower than that for the peptides, which suggests that binding of rhodopsin kinase to its substrate, photolyzed rhodopsin, involves more than just binding to the carboxyl-terminal peptide region that is to be phosphorylated. A synthetic peptide from the rhodopsin sequence that contains both serines and threonines is improved as a substrate by substitution of serines for the threonines, suggesting that serine residues are preferred as substrates. Analogous 25 amino acid peptides from the human red or green cone visual pigment, a beta-adrenergic receptor, or M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors are better substrates for bovine rhodopsin kinase than is the peptide from bovine rhodopsin. An acidic serine-containing peptide from a non-receptor protein, alpha s1B-casein, is also a good substrate for rhodopsin kinase. However, many basic peptides that are substrates for other protein kinases--histone IIA, histone IIS, clupeine, salmine, and a neurofilament peptide--are not phosphorylated by rhodopsin kinase. Polycations such as spermine or spermidine are nonessential activators of phosphorylation of rhodopsin or its synthetic peptide 324-348. Polyanions such as poly(aspartic acid), dextran sulfate, or poly(adenylic acid) inhibit the kinase. Poly(L-aspartic acid) is a competitive inhibitor with respect to rhodopsin (KI = 300 microM) and shows mixed type inhibition with respect to ATP.