Phosphorylation of p53 in normal and simian virus 40-transformed NIH 3T3 cells

Understanding p53 functions through p53 antibodies

TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene across all cancer types. Our understanding of its functions has evolved since its discovery four decades ago. Initially thought to be an oncogene, it was later realized to be a critical tumour suppressor. A significant amount of our knowledge about p53 functions have come from the use of antibodies against its various forms. The early anti-p53 antibodies contributed to the recognition of p53 accumulation as a common feature of cancer cells and to our understanding of p53 DNA-binding and transcription activities. They led to the concept that conformational changes can facilitate p53’s activity as a growth inhibitory protein. The ensuing p53 conformational-specific antibodies further underlined p53’s conformational flexibility, collectively forming the basis for current efforts to generate therapeutic molecules capable of altering the conformation of mutant p53. A subsequent barrage of antibodies against post-translational modifications on p53 has clarified p53’s roles further, especially with respect to the mechanistic details and context-dependence of its activity. More recently, the generation of p53 mutation-specific antibodies have highlighted the possibility to go beyond the general framework of our comprehension of mutant p53—and promises to provide insights into the specific properties of individual p53 mutants. This review summarizes our current knowledge of p53 functions derived through the major classes of anti-p53 antibodies, which could be a paradigm for understanding other molecular events in health and disease.

Small changes huge impact: the role of protein posttranslational modifications in cellular homeostasis and disease

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) modulate protein function in most eukaryotes and have a ubiquitous role in diverse range of cellular functions. Identification, characterization, and mapping of these modifications to specific amino acid residues on proteins are critical towards understanding their functional significance in a biological context. The interpretation of proteome data obtained from the high-throughput methods cannot be deciphered unambiguously without a priori knowledge of protein modifications. An in-depth understanding of protein PTMs is important not only for gaining a perception of a wide array of cellular functions but also towards developing drug therapies for many life-threatening diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Many of the protein modifications like ubiquitination play a decisive role in various drug response(s) and eventually in disease prognosis. Thus, many commonly observed PTMs are routinely tracked as disease markers while many others are used as molecular targets for developing target-specific therapies. In this paper, we summarize some of the major, well-studied protein alterations and highlight their importance in various chronic diseases and normal development. In addition, other promising minor modifications such as SUMOylation, observed to impact cellular dynamics as well as disease pathology, are mentioned briefly.

Serine 312 phosphorylation is dispensable for wild-type p53 functions in vivo

Cellular stimulation results in phosphorylation of the tumor suppressor p53 on multiple residues, though the functional relevance is not always clear. It is noteworthy that the serine (S) 315 residue is unique, as it has been suggested to be phosphorylated not only by genotoxic signals, but also during cell-cycle progression and by endoplasmic-reticulum stress. However, in vitro data have been conflicting as phosphorylation at this site was shown to both positively and negatively regulate p53 functions. We have thus generated knock-in mice expressing an unphosphorylable S312 (equivalent to human S315), by substitution with an alanine (A) residue, to clarify the conflicting observations and to evaluate its functional relevance in vivo. Born at Mendelian ratios, the p53(S312A/S312A) mice show no anomalies during development and adulthood. p53 activation, stability, localization and ability to induce apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest and prevent centrosome amplification are not compromised in p53(S312A/S312A) cells. p53(S312A/S312A) mice are unable to rescue mdm2(-/-) lethality, and tumorigenesis--both spontaneous and irradiation/oncogene-induced--is not accentuated. Taken together, the results show that the S312 phosphorylation site is not in itself necessary for efficient p53 function, and advocates the possibility that it is neither relevant in the mouse context nor important for p53 functions in vivo.

Towards inferring time dimensionality in protein-protein interaction networks by integrating structures: the p53 example

Structural data, efficient structural comparison algorithms and appropriate datasets and filters can assist in getting an insight into time dimensionality in interaction networks; in predicting which interactions can and cannot co-exist; and in obtaining concrete predictions consistent with experiment.

Inspection of protein–protein interaction maps illustrates that a hub protein can interact with a very large number of proteins, reaching tens and even hundreds. Since a single protein cannot interact with such a large number of partners at the same time, this presents a challenge: can we figure out which interactions can occur simultaneously and which are mutually excluded? Addressing this question adds a fourth dimension into interaction maps: that of time. Including the time dimension in structural networks is an immense asset; time dimensionality transforms network node-and-edge maps into cellular processes, assisting in the comprehension of cellular pathways and their regulation. While the time dimensionality can be further enhanced by linking protein complexes to time series of mRNA expression data, current robust, network experimental data are lacking. Here we outline how, using structural data, efficient structural comparison algorithms and appropriate datasets and filters can assist in getting an insight into time dimensionality in interaction networks; in predicting which interactions can and cannot co-exist; and in obtaining concrete predictions consistent with experiment. As an example, we present p53-linked processes.

Posttranslational modification of p53: cooperative integrators of function

The p53 protein is modified by as many as 50 individual posttranslational modifications. Many of these occur in response to genotoxic or nongenotoxic stresses and show interdependence, such that one or more modifications can nucleate subsequent events. This interdependent nature suggests a pathway that operates through multiple cooperative events as opposed to distinct functions for individual, isolated modifications. This concept, supported by recent investigations, which provide exquisite detail as to how various modifications mediate precise protein-protein interactions in a cooperative manner, may explain why knockin mice expressing p53 proteins substituted at one or just a few sites of modification typically show only subtle effects on p53 function. The present article focuses on recent, exciting progress and develops the idea that the impact of modification on p53 function is achieved through collective and integrated events.

p53-independent endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated cytotoxicity of a Newcastle disease virus strain in tumor cell lines

While Newcastle disease virus (NDV) causes serious infections in birds, it is apparently nonpathogenic in mammalian species, including humans. Previous observations and small-scale clinical trials indicated that NDV exerts oncolytic effects. Isolates of NDV were found to have selective affinity to transformed cells. We previously showed that the attenuated NDV strain MTH-68/H causes apoptotic cell death in cultures of PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells. The aim of the present study was to extend MTH-68/H cytotoxicity testing with human tumor cell lines and to analyze certain biochemical aspects of its oncolytic effect. MTH-68/H was found to be able to kill a wide range of transformed cells by apoptosis. While caspase-8 and caspase-9 are not involved in MTH-68/H-induced apoptosis, activation of caspase-3 and caspase-12 was detected in virus-infected PC12 cells. A human glioblastoma cell line with repressible expression of the p53 protein did not show any difference in MTH-68/H sensitivity in its p53-expressing and p53-depleted states, indicating that the apoptotic process induced by MTH-68/H does not depend on p53. Apoptosis was accompanied by virus replication in two tumor cell lines tested (PC12 cells and HeLa human cervical cells), and signs of endoplasmic reticulum stress (phosphorylation of protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase and eIF2alpha) were also detected in transformed cells. In contrast, proliferation of nontransformed mouse and rat fibroblast cell lines and human primary fibroblasts was not affected by MTH-68/H treatment. MTH-68/H thus selectively kills tumor cell cultures by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress leading to p53-independent apoptotic cell death.

Characterization of cells and gene-targeted mice deficient for the p53-binding kinase homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 1 (HIPK1)

The tumor suppressor p53 is regulated in part by binding to cellular proteins. We used p53 as bait in the yeast two-hybrid system and isolated homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 1 (HIPK1) as a p53-binding protein. Deletion analysis showed that amino acids 100-370 of p53 and amino acids 885-1093 of HIPK1 were sufficient for HIPK1-p53 interaction. HIPK1 was capable of autophosphorylation and specific serine phosphorylation of p53. The HIPK1 gene was highly expressed in human breast cancer cell lines and oncogenically transformed mouse embryonic fibroblasts. HIPK1 was localized to human chromosome band 1p13, a site frequently altered in cancers. Gene-targeted HIPK1-/- mice were grossly normal but oncogenically transformed HIPK1 -/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts exhibited reduced transcription of Mdm2 and were more susceptible than transformed HIPK1+/+ cells to apoptosis induced by DNA damage. Carcinogen-treated HIPK1 -/- mice developed fewer and smaller skin tumors than HIPK1+/+ mice. HIPK1 may thus play a role in tumorigenesis, perhaps by means of the regulation of p53 and/or Mdm2.

p53 is phosphorylated by CDK7-cyclin H in a p36MAT1-dependent manner

The tumor suppressor protein p53 acts as a transcriptional activator that can mediate cellular responses to DNA damage by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. p53 is a nuclear phosphoprotein, and phosphorylation has been proposed to be a means by which the activity of p53 is regulated. The cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-activating kinase (CAK) was originally identified as a cellular kinase required for the activation of a CDK-cyclin complex, and CAK is comprised of three subunits: CDK7, cyclin H, and p36MAT1. CAK is part of the transcription factor IIH multiprotein complex, which is required for RNA polymerase II transcription and nucleotide excision repair. Because of the similarities between p53 and CAK in their involvement in the cell cycle, transcription, and repair, we investigated whether p53 could act as a substrate for phosphorylation by CAK. While CDK7-cyclin H is sufficient for phosphorylation of CDK2, we show that p36MAT1 is required for efficient phosphorylation of p53 by CDK7-cyclin H, suggesting that p36MAT1 can act as a substrate specificity-determining factor for CDK7-cyclin H. We have mapped a major site of phosphorylation by CAK to Ser-33 of p53 and have demonstrated as well that p53 is phosphorylated at this site in vivo. Both wild-type and tumor-derived mutant p53 proteins are efficiently phosphorylated by CAK. Furthermore, we show that p36 and p53 can interact both in vitro and in vivo. These studies reveal a potential mechanism for coupling the regulation of p53 with DNA repair and the basal transcriptional machinery.

The CDK7-cycH-p36 complex of transcription factor IIH phosphorylates p53, enhancing its sequence-specific DNA binding activity in vitro

Phosphorylation is believed to be one of the mechanisms by which p53 becomes activated or stabilized in response to cellular stress. Previously, p53 was shown to interact with three components of transcription factor IIH (TFIIH): excision repair cross-complementing types 2 and 3 (ERCC2 and ERCC3) and p62. This communication demonstrates that p53 is phosphorylated by the TFIIH-associated kinase in vitro. The phosphorylation was found to be catalyzed by the highly purified kinase components of TFIIH, the CDK7-cycH-p36 trimeric complex. The phosphorylation sites were mapped to the C-terminal amino acids located between residues 311 and 393. Serines 371, 376, 378, and 392 may be the potential sites for this kinase. Phosphorylation of p53 by this kinase complex enhanced the ability of p53 to bind to the sequence-specific p53-responsive DNA element as shown by gel mobility shift assays. These results suggest that the CDK7-cycH-p36 trimeric complex of TFIIH may play a role in regulating p53 functions in cells.

Human DNA-activated protein kinase phosphorylates serines 15 and 37 in the amino-terminal transactivation domain of human p53

Human DNA-PK is a nuclear, serine/threonine protein kinase that, when activated by DNA, phosphorylates several DNA-binding substrates, including the tumor suppressor protein p53. To identify which p53 residues are phosphorylated, we examined DNA-PK's ability to phosphorylate synthetic peptides corresponding to human p53 sequences. Serines 15 and 37 in the amino-terminal transactivation domain of human p53, and serines 7 and 18 of mouse p53, were phosphorylated by DNA-PK in the context of synthetic peptides. Other serines in these p53 peptides, and serines in other p53 peptides, including peptides containing the serine 315 p34cdc2 site and the serine 392 casein kinase II site, were not recognized by DNA-PK or were phosphorylated less efficiently. Phosphorylation of the conserved serine 15 in human p53 peptides depended on the presence of an adjacent glutamine, and phosphorylation was inhibited by the presence of a nearby lysine. Phosphorylation of recombinant wild-type mouse p53 was inhibited at high DNA concentrations, suggesting that DNA-PK may phosphorylate p53 only when both are bound to DNA at nearby sites. Our study suggests that DNA-PK may have a role in regulating cell growth and indicates how phosphorylation of serine 15 in DNA-bound p53 could alter p53 function.

p53 is covalently linked to 5.8S rRNA

We report here the isolation and identification of the RNA specifically immunoprecipitated and covalently linked to the tumor suppressor gene product p53. After treatment with proteinase K, the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) band of p53 yields a single, discrete 157-nucleotide RNA, which was cloned, sequenced, and identified as 5.8S rRNA. 5.8S rRNA was obtained only after proteolysis of the p53 SDS-PAGE band. Free 5.8S rRNA did not comigrate with p53 in SDS-PAGE. This RNA was only immunoprecipitated from cells containing p53. Protein-free RNA obtained by proteolysis of the p53 band hybridized to the single-stranded DNA vector containing the antisense sequence of 5.8S rRNA. The covalence of the p53-5.8S rRNA linkage was demonstrated by the following findings: (i) p53 and the linked 5.8S rRNA comigrated in SDS-PAGE; (ii) only after treatment of the p53-RNA complex with proteinase K did the 5.8S rRNA migrate differently from p53-linked 5.8S rRNA; and (iii) this isolated RNA was found linked to phosphoserine, presumably at the 5' end. Covalent linkage to the single, specific RNA suggests that p53 may be involved in regulating the expression or function of 5.8S rRNA.

Mutation of the casein kinase II phosphorylation site abolishes the anti-proliferative activity of p53

The p53 tumour suppressor protein is phosphorylated by several protein kinases, including casein kinase II. In order to understand the functional significance of phosphorylation by casein kinase II, we have introduced mutations at serine 386 in mouse p53, the residue phosphorylated by this kinase, and investigated their effects on the ability of p53 to arrest cell growth. Replacement of serine 386 by alanine led to loss of growth suppressor activity, while aspartic acid at this position partially retained suppressor function. These data suggest that the anti-proliferative activity of p53 is activated by phosphorylation at serine 386, and establish a direct link between the covalent modification of a growth suppressor protein and regulation of its activity in mammalian cells.

Human DNA-activated protein kinase phosphorylates serines 15 and 37 in the amino-terminal transactivation domain of human p53

Human DNA-PK is a nuclear, serine/threonine protein kinase that, when activated by DNA, phosphorylates several DNA-binding substrates, including the tumor suppressor protein p53. To identify which p53 residues are phosphorylated, we examined DNA-PK's ability to phosphorylate synthetic peptides corresponding to human p53 sequences. Serines 15 and 37 in the amino-terminal transactivation domain of human p53, and serines 7 and 18 of mouse p53, were phosphorylated by DNA-PK in the context of synthetic peptides. Other serines in these p53 peptides, and serines in other p53 peptides, including peptides containing the serine 315 p34cdc2 site and the serine 392 casein kinase II site, were not recognized by DNA-PK or were phosphorylated less efficiently. Phosphorylation of the conserved serine 15 in human p53 peptides depended on the presence of an adjacent glutamine, and phosphorylation was inhibited by the presence of a nearby lysine. Phosphorylation of recombinant wild-type mouse p53 was inhibited at high DNA concentrations, suggesting that DNA-PK may phosphorylate p53 only when both are bound to DNA at nearby sites. Our study suggests that DNA-PK may have a role in regulating cell growth and indicates how phosphorylation of serine 15 in DNA-bound p53 could alter p53 function.

p53 is covalently linked to 5.8S rRNA

We report here the isolation and identification of the RNA specifically immunoprecipitated and covalently linked to the tumor suppressor gene product p53. After treatment with proteinase K, the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) band of p53 yields a single, discrete 157-nucleotide RNA, which was cloned, sequenced, and identified as 5.8S rRNA. 5.8S rRNA was obtained only after proteolysis of the p53 SDS-PAGE band. Free 5.8S rRNA did not comigrate with p53 in SDS-PAGE. This RNA was only immunoprecipitated from cells containing p53. Protein-free RNA obtained by proteolysis of the p53 band hybridized to the single-stranded DNA vector containing the antisense sequence of 5.8S rRNA. The covalence of the p53-5.8S rRNA linkage was demonstrated by the following findings: (i) p53 and the linked 5.8S rRNA comigrated in SDS-PAGE; (ii) only after treatment of the p53-RNA complex with proteinase K did the 5.8S rRNA migrate differently from p53-linked 5.8S rRNA; and (iii) this isolated RNA was found linked to phosphoserine, presumably at the 5' end. Covalent linkage to the single, specific RNA suggests that p53 may be involved in regulating the expression or function of 5.8S rRNA.

Nuclear protein phosphorylation and growth control

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Phosphorylation sites in the amino-terminal region of mouse p53

Phosphorylation is an attractive mechanism for regulating the functions of p53. The p34cdc2 kinase, which is involved in regulation of the cell cycle, phosphorylates serine-315 of human p53 in vitro. Casein kinase II phosphorylates serine-389 of mouse p53 in vitro. The amino-terminal region of mouse p53 contains a cluster of potential serine phosphorylation sites. Those sites have been proposed to be sites for phosphorylation by a double-stranded DNA-dependent kinase (DNA-PK) from HeLa cells and can be dephosphorylated by protein phosphatase 2A. To identify in vivo phosphorylation sites in the amino-terminal region of mouse p53, we mutated potential phosphorylation sites and analyzed the mutant proteins by tryptic phosphopeptide mapping. We identified serine-7, -9, -18, and -37 as in vivo phosphorylation sites. We further showed that mouse p53 expressed in bacteria is phosphorylated by DNA-PK on amino-terminal serine residues in vitro.

Human p53 inhibits growth in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Overexpression of wild-type p53 in mammalian cells blocks growth. We show here that the overexpression of wild-type human p53 in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe also blocks growth, whereas the overexpression of mutant forms of p53 does not. The p53 polypeptide is located in the nucleus and is phosphorylated at both the cdc2 site and the casein kinase II site in S. pombe. A new dominant mutation of p53, resulting in the change of a cysteine to an arginine at amino acid residue 141, was identified. The results presented here demonstrate that S. pombe could provide a simple system for studying the mechanism of action of human p53.

Human p53 and CDC2Hs genes combine to inhibit the proliferation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Human wild-type and mutant p53 genes were expressed under the control of a galactose-inducible promoter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The growth rate of the yeast was reduced in cells expressing wild-type p53, whereas cells transformed with mutant p53 genes derived from human tumors were less affected. Coexpression of the normal p53 protein with the human cell cycle-regulated protein kinase CDC2Hs resulted in much more pronounced growth inhibition that for p53 alone. Cells expressing p53 and CDC2Hs were partially arrested in G1, as determined by morphological analysis and flow cytometry. p53 was phosphorylated when expressed in the yeast, but differences in phosphorylation did not explain the growth inhibition attributable to coexpression of p53 and CDC2Hs. These results suggest that wild-type p53 has a growth-inhibitory activity in S. cerevisiae similar to that observed in mammalian cells and suggests that this yeast may provide a useful model for defining the pathways through which p53 acts.

Human p53 inhibits growth in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Overexpression of wild-type p53 in mammalian cells blocks growth. We show here that the overexpression of wild-type human p53 in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe also blocks growth, whereas the overexpression of mutant forms of p53 does not. The p53 polypeptide is located in the nucleus and is phosphorylated at both the cdc2 site and the casein kinase II site in S. pombe. A new dominant mutation of p53, resulting in the change of a cysteine to an arginine at amino acid residue 141, was identified. The results presented here demonstrate that S. pombe could provide a simple system for studying the mechanism of action of human p53.

Human p53 and CDC2Hs genes combine to inhibit the proliferation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Human wild-type and mutant p53 genes were expressed under the control of a galactose-inducible promoter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The growth rate of the yeast was reduced in cells expressing wild-type p53, whereas cells transformed with mutant p53 genes derived from human tumors were less affected. Coexpression of the normal p53 protein with the human cell cycle-regulated protein kinase CDC2Hs resulted in much more pronounced growth inhibition that for p53 alone. Cells expressing p53 and CDC2Hs were partially arrested in G1, as determined by morphological analysis and flow cytometry. p53 was phosphorylated when expressed in the yeast, but differences in phosphorylation did not explain the growth inhibition attributable to coexpression of p53 and CDC2Hs. These results suggest that wild-type p53 has a growth-inhibitory activity in S. cerevisiae similar to that observed in mammalian cells and suggests that this yeast may provide a useful model for defining the pathways through which p53 acts.

Protein phosphatases and DNA tumor viruses: transformation through the back door?

Cellular transformation by many oncogenic viruses is mediated by alterations in signal transduction pathways that control normal growth and proliferation. Common targets for many transforming viruses are pathways regulated by protein phosphorylation. The biochemical control of proteins in these pathways is a dynamic process that is regulated by the relative activities of protein kinases and phosphatases. Although there are numerous examples of viral oncogenes that encode protein kinases (Hunter, 1991), until recently there has been no evidence linking altered phosphatase activity to transformation. In this review we describe a novel mechanism, utilized by small DNA tumor viruses, in which viral oncogenes bind to and regulate a cellular protein serine/threonine phosphatase. The currently available evidence indicates that alteration of phosphatase activity and subsequent changes in phosphorylation levels is an important step in transformation by these viruses.

Dephosphorylation of simian virus 40 large-T antigen and p53 protein by protein phosphatase 2A: inhibition by small-t antigen

Simian virus 40 (SV40) large-T antigen and the cellular protein p53 were phosphorylated in vivo by growing cells in the presence of 32Pi. The large-T/p53 complex was isolated by immunoprecipitation and used as a substrate for protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) consisting of the catalytic subunit (C) and the two regulatory subunits, A and B. Three different purified forms of PP2A, including free C, the AC form, and the ABC form, could readily dephosphorylate both proteins. With both large-T and p53, the C subunit was most active, followed by the AC form, which was more active than the ABC form. The activity of all three forms of PP2A toward these proteins was strongly stimulated by manganese ions and to a lesser extent by magnesium ions. The presence of complexed p53 did not affect the dephosphorylation of large-T antigen by PP2A. The dephosphorylation of individual phosphorylation sites of large-T and p53 were determined by two-dimensional peptide mapping. Individual sites within large-T and p53 were dephosphorylated at different rates by all three forms of PP2A. The phosphates at Ser-120 and Ser-123 of large-T, which affect binding to the origin of SV40 DNA, were removed most rapidly. Three of the six major phosphopeptides of p53 were readily dephosphorylated, while the remaining three were relatively resistant to PP2A. Dephosphorylation of most of the sites in large-T and p53 by the AC form was inhibited by SV40 small-t antigen. The inhibition was most apparent for those sites which were preferentially dephosphorylated. Inhibition was specific for the AC form; no effect was observed on the dephosphorylation of either protein by the free C subunit or the ABC form. The inhibitory effect of small-t on dephosphorylation by PP2A could explain its role in transformation.

Dephosphorylation of simian virus 40 large-T antigen and p53 protein by protein phosphatase 2A: inhibition by small-t antigen

Simian virus 40 (SV40) large-T antigen and the cellular protein p53 were phosphorylated in vivo by growing cells in the presence of 32Pi. The large-T/p53 complex was isolated by immunoprecipitation and used as a substrate for protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) consisting of the catalytic subunit (C) and the two regulatory subunits, A and B. Three different purified forms of PP2A, including free C, the AC form, and the ABC form, could readily dephosphorylate both proteins. With both large-T and p53, the C subunit was most active, followed by the AC form, which was more active than the ABC form. The activity of all three forms of PP2A toward these proteins was strongly stimulated by manganese ions and to a lesser extent by magnesium ions. The presence of complexed p53 did not affect the dephosphorylation of large-T antigen by PP2A. The dephosphorylation of individual phosphorylation sites of large-T and p53 were determined by two-dimensional peptide mapping. Individual sites within large-T and p53 were dephosphorylated at different rates by all three forms of PP2A. The phosphates at Ser-120 and Ser-123 of large-T, which affect binding to the origin of SV40 DNA, were removed most rapidly. Three of the six major phosphopeptides of p53 were readily dephosphorylated, while the remaining three were relatively resistant to PP2A. Dephosphorylation of most of the sites in large-T and p53 by the AC form was inhibited by SV40 small-t antigen. The inhibition was most apparent for those sites which were preferentially dephosphorylated. Inhibition was specific for the AC form; no effect was observed on the dephosphorylation of either protein by the free C subunit or the ABC form. The inhibitory effect of small-t on dephosphorylation by PP2A could explain its role in transformation.

The tumor suppressor p53 is bound to RNA by a stable covalent linkage

We have previously shown that the carboxyl-terminal tryptic peptide of the tumor suppressor p53 coeluted from reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ribonucleotides, suggesting the possible linkage of RNA to p53. In this report, we establish that p53 is covalently linked to RNA, using biochemical criteria at the levels of both tryptic peptide and intact protein: the electrophoretic properties of a tryptic peptide containing phosphorylated Ser-389 and the HPLC chromatographic properties of p53 depend on the linked RNA, p53, purified through urea-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and HPLC, copurifies with RNA, and Ser-389 liberates ribonucleotides upon RNase or alkali treatment. Wild-type and mutant p53s from both simian virus 40 (SV40)-transformed and SV40-nontransformed cells are RNA linked, indicating that RNA linkage may be a general property of p53. The RNA is labeled in vivo with 3H-uridine and in vitro by RNA ligase, suggesting that the RNA is bound by a 5' linkage. The RNA is a long-lived, integral component of p53 rather than a transient reaction intermediate. RNA linkage occurs at an evolutionarily conserved site on p53. We propose that RNA-linked p53 is a major biologically active form of p53 and that its interaction with RNA-linked SV40 T antigen reflects a role in RNA metabolism.

The tumor suppressor p53 is bound to RNA by a stable covalent linkage

We have previously shown that the carboxyl-terminal tryptic peptide of the tumor suppressor p53 coeluted from reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ribonucleotides, suggesting the possible linkage of RNA to p53. In this report, we establish that p53 is covalently linked to RNA, using biochemical criteria at the levels of both tryptic peptide and intact protein: the electrophoretic properties of a tryptic peptide containing phosphorylated Ser-389 and the HPLC chromatographic properties of p53 depend on the linked RNA, p53, purified through urea-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and HPLC, copurifies with RNA, and Ser-389 liberates ribonucleotides upon RNase or alkali treatment. Wild-type and mutant p53s from both simian virus 40 (SV40)-transformed and SV40-nontransformed cells are RNA linked, indicating that RNA linkage may be a general property of p53. The RNA is labeled in vivo with 3H-uridine and in vitro by RNA ligase, suggesting that the RNA is bound by a 5' linkage. The RNA is a long-lived, integral component of p53 rather than a transient reaction intermediate. RNA linkage occurs at an evolutionarily conserved site on p53. We propose that RNA-linked p53 is a major biologically active form of p53 and that its interaction with RNA-linked SV40 T antigen reflects a role in RNA metabolism.

Human cells contain a DNA-activated protein kinase that phosphorylates simian virus 40 T antigen, mouse p53, and the human Ku autoantigen

HeLa cells contain a serine/threonine protein kinase (DNA-PK) that is strongly activated in vitro by low concentrations of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Activation was specific for dsDNA; both natural DNAs and synthetic oligonucleotides functioned as kinase activators. The fact that DNA-PK activity was rapidly inhibited by incubation with dsDNA and ATP suggests that DNA-PK activity also may be regulated by autophosphorylation. During gel filtration, DNA-PK activity behaved as a 350-kDa protein, and highly purified DNA-PK contained a dsDNA-binding, 350-kDa polypeptide that was phosphorylated in a dsDNA-dependent manner. We conclude that this 350-kDa polypeptide is likely to be DNA-PK. Previously we showed that the dsDNA-activated kinase phosphorylates two threonines at the N terminus of hsp90 alpha (S. P. Lees-Miller and C. W. Anderson, J. Biol. Chem. 264:17275-17280, 1989). Here we show that DNA-PK also phosphorylates the simian virus 40 large tumor antigen, the mouse tumor-suppressor protein p53, the human Ku autoantigen, and two unidentified HeLa DNA-associated polypeptides of 52 and 110 kDa. Identification of these and other newly identified DNA-binding substrates suggest that the dsDNA-activated kinase may regulate transcription, DNA replication, or cell growth.

p53 functions as a cell cycle control protein in osteosarcomas

Mutations in the p53 gene have been associated with a wide range of human tumors, including osteosarcomas. Although it has been shown that wild-type p53 can block the ability of E1a and ras to cotransform primary rodent cells, it is poorly understood why inactivation of the p53 gene is important for tumor formation. We show that overexpression of the gene encoding wild-type p53 blocks the growth of osteosarcoma cells. The growth arrest was determined to be due to an inability of the transfected cells to progress into S phase. This suggests that the role of the p53 gene as an antioncogene may be in controlling the cell cycle in a fashion analogous to the check-point control genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Human cells contain a DNA-activated protein kinase that phosphorylates simian virus 40 T antigen, mouse p53, and the human Ku autoantigen

HeLa cells contain a serine/threonine protein kinase (DNA-PK) that is strongly activated in vitro by low concentrations of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Activation was specific for dsDNA; both natural DNAs and synthetic oligonucleotides functioned as kinase activators. The fact that DNA-PK activity was rapidly inhibited by incubation with dsDNA and ATP suggests that DNA-PK activity also may be regulated by autophosphorylation. During gel filtration, DNA-PK activity behaved as a 350-kDa protein, and highly purified DNA-PK contained a dsDNA-binding, 350-kDa polypeptide that was phosphorylated in a dsDNA-dependent manner. We conclude that this 350-kDa polypeptide is likely to be DNA-PK. Previously we showed that the dsDNA-activated kinase phosphorylates two threonines at the N terminus of hsp90 alpha (S. P. Lees-Miller and C. W. Anderson, J. Biol. Chem. 264:17275-17280, 1989). Here we show that DNA-PK also phosphorylates the simian virus 40 large tumor antigen, the mouse tumor-suppressor protein p53, the human Ku autoantigen, and two unidentified HeLa DNA-associated polypeptides of 52 and 110 kDa. Identification of these and other newly identified DNA-binding substrates suggest that the dsDNA-activated kinase may regulate transcription, DNA replication, or cell growth.

Wild-type, but not mutant, human p53 proteins inhibit the replication activities of simian virus 40 large tumor antigen

Murine p53 blocks many of the replication activities of simian virus 40 (SV40) large tumor antigen (T antigen) in vitro. As murine cells do not replicate SV40 DNA, it was of interest to determine how p53 from permissive human cells functions. Recombinant baculoviruses encoding either the wild-type form of human p53 or a mutant p53 cloned from a human tumor cell line were constructed, and p53 proteins were purified from infected insect cells. Surprisingly, we found that wild-type human p53 was as inhibitory to the ability of T antigen to mediate replication of an SV40 origin-containing (ori DNA) plasmid in vitro as was murine p53. Wild-type human p53 also blocked the DNA unwinding activity of T antigen, as did its murine counterpart. In contrast to murine and wild-type human p53, the mutant human p53 did not block ori DNA replication or DNA unwinding. Murine p53 formed a complex with mutant human p53 in vivo. Furthermore, mutant human p53 reduced the inhibition of SV40 ori DNA replication by murine p53 in vitro. These results provide a model for the way in which mutant p53 proteins can affect normal functions of p53.

p53 functions as a cell cycle control protein in osteosarcomas

Mutations in the p53 gene have been associated with a wide range of human tumors, including osteosarcomas. Although it has been shown that wild-type p53 can block the ability of E1a and ras to cotransform primary rodent cells, it is poorly understood why inactivation of the p53 gene is important for tumor formation. We show that overexpression of the gene encoding wild-type p53 blocks the growth of osteosarcoma cells. The growth arrest was determined to be due to an inability of the transfected cells to progress into S phase. This suggests that the role of the p53 gene as an antioncogene may be in controlling the cell cycle in a fashion analogous to the check-point control genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Human p53 is phosphorylated by p60-cdc2 and cyclin B-cdc2

The human anti-oncoprotein p53 is shown to be a substrate of cdc2. The primary site of phosphorylation is serine-315. Serine-315 is phosphorylated by both p60-cdc2 and cyclin B-cdc2 enzymes. The phosphorylation of p53 is cell cycle-dependent. The abundance of p53 also oscillates during the cell cycle. The protein is largely absent from cells that have just completed division but accumulates in cells during G1 phase. Phosphorylation by cdc2 might regulate the antiproliferative activity of p53.

Evidence for allosteric variants of wild-type p53, a tumour suppressor protein

A tumour suppressor function for p53 is indicated in human lung cancer and in carcinoma of the colorectum. Loss of suppressor function, by mutation of the p53 gene, is associated with activation of p53 as an oncogene. The suppressor (wild type) and oncogenic (mutant) forms of the murine p53 protein are distinguishable at the molecular level by reactivity with anti-p53 monoclonal antibodies. For example, activated mutant p53 fails to react with PAb246 (p53-246 degrees). We now demonstrate that wild type p53 mRNA can be expressed either as p53-246+ or p53-246 degrees. We propose that p53-246 degrees may represent an allosteric variant of wild type p53 compatible with positive growth control. Thus, for wild type p53 the variants p53-246+ and p53-246 degrees may reflect suppressor and activator functions of p53 in the normal control of cell proliferation. For human p53 we present evidence that the epitope recognised by PAb1620 is analogous to that for PAb246 on murine p53. Thus the epitope for PAb1620 may prove to be of use as a marker for wild type human p53 with anti-oncogenic function.