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PubMed1998

Mitotic phosphorylation of tau protein in neuronal cell lines resembles phosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease.

Tau protein, a neuronal microtubule-associated protein is phosphorylated on several sites when extracted from brain tissue and is a substrate for many protein kinases in vitro. In Alzheimer's disease it becomes hyperphosphorylated, notably at Ser-Pro or Thr-Pro motifs, and forms the paired helical filaments (PHFs). The increased phosphorylation can be detected by several antibodies raised against Alzheimer tau. We show here that a similar type of phosphorylation can be observed in cells of neuronal origin during mitosis. Murine neuroblastoma cells (N2a) were stably transfected with htau40, the largest of the six human tau isoforms in the brain. We used several antibodies reporting on the state of phosphorylation of tau (Tau-1, AT8, AT180, PHF-1, and T46) and the antibody MPM-2 that recognizes phosphorylated mitotic proteins. The results show that tau is in a state of low phosphorylation in interphase cells, whereas during mitosis it becomes highly phosphorylated. This behavior was also found for endogenous tau protein in human neuroblastoma cells (LAN-5). The similarity between tau phosphorylation in dividing neuronal cells and Alzheimer degenerating neurons may indicate that aging neurons exposed to inappropriate signals respond by an attempt to activate their machinery for regeneration.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed2001

cAMP potentiates H(2)O(2)-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation without the requirement for MEK1/2 phosphorylation.

In Jurkat T lymphocytes, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) potentiates the phosphorylation level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) caused by T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 or anti-CD3 alone. Submillimolar concentrations of H(2)O(2)-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and MAP/ERK kinase 1 and 2 (MEK1/2) without antigenic stimulation. H(2)O(2) also induced the electrophoretic mobility shift of Lck from 56 to 60 kDa. The MEK inhibitor, PD98059 attenuated ERK1/2 and MEK1/2 phosphorylation, as well as the migration shift of Lck induced by H(2)O(2). The phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, U73122, and EGTA reduced the phosphorylation of both ERK1/2 and MEK1/2 induced by H(2)O(2). Interestingly, an increase of intracellular cAMP level with forskolin or 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP augmented ERK1/2 phosphorylation by H(2)O(2), while inhibiting MEK1/2 phosphorylation by H(2)O(2). These results demonstrate an alternative pathway that results in augmentation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation without concomitant MEK1/2 phosphorylation in T cells.

Colforsin↗
PubMed2001

The structure of phosphorylated GSK-3beta complexed with a peptide, FRATtide, that inhibits beta-catenin phosphorylation.

BACKGROUND: Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) sequentially phosphorylates four serine residues on glycogen synthase (GS), in the sequence SxxxSxxxSxxx-SxxxS(p), by recognizing and phosphorylating the first serine in the sequence motif SxxxS(P) (where S(p) represents a phosphoserine). FRATtide (a peptide derived from a GSK-3 binding protein) binds to GSK-3 and blocks GSK-3 from interacting with Axin. This inhibits the Axin-dependent phosphorylation of beta-catenin by GSK-3. RESULTS: Structures of uncomplexed Tyr216 phosphorylated GSK-3beta and of its complex with a peptide and a sulfate ion both show the activation loop adopting a conformation similar to that in the phosphorylated and active forms of the related kinases CDK2 and ERK2. The sulfate ion, adjacent to Val214 on the activation loop, represents the binding site for the phosphoserine residue on 'primed' substrates. The peptide FRATtide forms a helix-turn-helix motif in binding to the C-terminal lobe of the kinase domain; the FRATtide binding site is close to, but does not obstruct, the substrate binding channel of GSK-3. FRATtide (and FRAT1) does not inhibit the activity of GSK-3 toward GS. CONCLUSIONS: The Axin binding site on GSK-3 presumably overlaps with that for FRATtide; its proximity to the active site explains how Axin may act as a scaffold protein promoting beta-catenin phosphorylation. Tyrosine 216 phosphorylation can induce an active conformation in the activation loop. Pre-phosphorylated substrate peptides can be modeled into the active site of the enzyme, with the P1 residue occupying a pocket partially formed by phosphotyrosine 216 and the P4 phosphoserine occupying the 'primed' binding site.

Amino Acid Motifs↗
PubMed1994

Phosphorylation of rabbit reticulocyte guanine nucleotide exchange factor in vivo. Identification of putative casein kinase II phosphorylation sites.

The guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) is a multi-subunit protein which catalyzes the exchange of GDP for GTP in eukaryotic chain initiation factor 2. Phosphorylation of the 82-kDa subunit of GEF in vitro by casein kinase II (CK-II) is associated with a 5-fold increase in nucleotide exchange activity. However, phosphorylation of GEF in vivo has not been studied, and the kinase(s) that phosphorylate GEF have not been identified. The 82-kDa subunit of GEF was partially sequenced, and a synthetic peptide was used to generate polyclonal anti-peptide antibodies that react specifically with this subunit. To examine the phosphorylation of GEF in intact cells, the protein was isolated and purified extensively from metabolically 32P-labeled rabbit reticulocytes. Only the 82-kDa subunit was found to be phosphorylated, and on Western blots the anti-peptide antisera reacted specifically with the labeled subunit. Phosphoamino acid analysis indicated that phosphorylation occurred exclusively on Ser residues. Digestion with cyanogen bromide of in vivo labeled protein and GEF phosphorylated in vitro by CK-II produced comparable phosphopeptide maps. However, additional phosphopeptide bands were also observed with GEF derived from intact cells. Sequence analysis obtained by Edman degradation of the phosphopeptides was compared with the deduced amino acid sequence of a cloned 82-kDa subunit of GEF [Bushman, J. L., Asuru, A. I., Matts, R. L., & Hinnenbusch, A. G. (1993) Mol. Cell. Biol. 13, 1920-1932]. Putative sites of phosphorylation were identified at Ser 703 and/or 704, which contain the sequence S(P)XXD, a CK-II consensus recognition motif.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Phosphorylation of the human Fhit tumor suppressor on tyrosine 114 in Escherichia coli and unexpected steady state kinetics of the phosphorylated forms.

The human tumor suppressor Fhit is a homodimeric histidine triad (HIT) protein of 147 amino acids which has Ap(3)A hydrolase activity. We have recently discovered that Fhit is phosphorylated in vivo and is phosphorylated in vitro by Src kinase [Pekarsky, Y., Garrison, P. N., Palamarchuk, A., Zanesi, N., Aqeilan, R. I., Huebner, K., Barnes, L. D., and Croce, C. M. (2004) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 101, 3775-3779]. Now we have coexpressed Fhit with the elk tyrosine kinase in Escherichia coli to generate phosphorylated forms of Fhit. Unphosphorylated Fhit, Fhit phosphorylated on one subunit, and Fhit phosphorylated on both subunits were purified to apparent homogeneity by column chromatography on anion-exchange and gel filtration resins. MALDI-TOF and HPLC-ESI tandem mass spectrometry of intact Fhit and proteolytic peptides of Fhit demonstrated that Fhit is phosphorylated on Y(114) on either one or both subunits. Monophosphorylated Fhit exhibited monophasic kinetics with K(m) and k(cat) values approximately 2- and approximately 7-fold lower, respectively, than the corresponding values for unphosphorylated Fhit. Diphosphorylated Fhit exhibited biphasic kinetics. One site had K(m) and k(cat) values approximately 2- and approximately 140-fold lower, respectively, than the corresponding values for unphosphorylated Fhit. The second site had a K(m) approximately 60-fold higher and a k(cat) approximately 6-fold lower than the corresponding values for unphosphorylated Fhit. The unexpected kinetic patterns for the phosphorylated forms suggest the system may be enzymologically novel. The decreases in the values of K(m) and k(cat) for the phosphorylated forms in comparison to those of unphosphorylated Fhit favor the formation and lifetime of the Fhit-Ap(3)A complex, which may enhance the tumor suppressor activity of Fhit.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases↗
PubMed2005

Phosphorylation of Grb10 by mitogen-activated protein kinase: identification of Ser150 and Ser476 of human Grb10zeta as major phosphorylation sites.

Grb10 is a Src-homology 2 (SH2) and Pleckstrin-homology (PH) domain-containing protein that binds to several autophosphorylated receptor tyrosine kinases including the insulin receptor (IR). Our previous studies showed that Grb10 underwent insulin-stimulated serine phosphorylation, yet the kinase(s) responsible for phosphorylation and the sites of the phosphorylation remain unknown. In this report, we show that Grb10 is a direct substrate of the p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). In addition, we found that inhibition of the MAPK signaling pathway reduced Grb10 phosphorylation in cells. Using site-directed mutagenesis, phosphopeptide mapping, and capillary HPLC-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, we identified Ser(150), Ser(418), and Ser(476) of human Grb10zeta as MAPK-mediated in vitro phosphorylation sites. In vivo labeling and two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping studies revealed that Ser(150) and Ser(476) of human Grb10zeta are phosphorylated in intact cells. Replacing Ser(150) and Ser(476) with alanines reduced the inhibitory effect of human Grb10zeta on insulin-stimulated IRS1 tyrosine phosphorylation. Taken together, our findings suggest that phosphorylation of the adaptor protein may provide a feedback inhibitory mechanism by which Grb10 regulates insulin signaling.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Phosphorylation and activation of phospholipase D1 by protein kinase C in vivo: determination of multiple phosphorylation sites.

Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important regulator of phospholipase D1 (PLD1). Currently there is some controversy about a phosphorylation-dependent or -independent mechanism of the activation of PLD1 by PKC. To solve this problem, we examined whether PLD1 is phosphorylated by PKC in vivo. For the first time, we have now identified multiple basal phophopeptides and multiple phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) induced phosphopeptides of endogenous PLD1 in 3Y1 cells as well as of transiently expressed PLD1 in COS-7 cells. Down regulation or inhibition of PKC greatly attenuated the PMA-induced phosphorylation as well as the activation of PLD1. In the presence of PMA, purified PLD1 from rat brain was also found to be phosphorylated by PKCalpha in vitro at multiple sites generating seven distinct tryptic phosphopeptides. Four phosphopeptides generated in vivo and in vitro correlated well with each other, suggesting direct phosphorylation of PLD1 by PKCalpha in the cells. Serine 2, threonine 147, and serine 561 were identified as phosphorylation sites, and by mutation of these residues to alanine these residues were proven to be specific phosphorylation sites in vivo. Interestingly, threonine 147 is located in the PX domain and serine 561 is in the negative regulatory "loop" region of PLD1. Mutation of serine 2, threonine 147, or serine 561 significantly reduced PMA-induced PLD1 activity. These results strongly suggest that phosphorylation plays a pivotal role in PLD1 regulation in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Protein kinase D complexes with C-Jun N-terminal kinase via activation loop phosphorylation and phosphorylates the C-Jun N-terminus.

Protein kinase D (PKD), a downstream effector of protein kinase C (PKC), is implicated in suppression of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway, however, its mechanism of action is unclear. Transphosphorylation of the PKD activation loop at serines 744/748 by a PKC mediated signal transduction pathway enhances its catalytic activity. Here we show that PKD activation loop phosphorylation at serines 744/748 via PKC, or mutation of these serines to glutamic acid (PKD-S744/748E) also results in complex formation with JNK, indicating that suppression of JNK signaling by PKD involves a direct interaction with JNK. Because catalytically active PKD associates with JNK we determined whether it could phosphorylate the c-Jun N-terminus as a potential mechanism by which it suppresses c-Jun Ser 63 phosphorylation when it complexes with JNK. Purified human PKD and either wild-type PKD from phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDB)-stimulated cells or unstimulated constitutively active PKD (PKD-S744/748E), phosphorylated the c-Jun N-terminus between amino acids 1-89 at sites distinct from those phosphorylated by JNK. These results demonstrate, for the first time, phosphorylation dependent association of PKD with another signaling molecule and reveal a potential mechanism by which PKD could modulate the ability of JNK to phosphorylate c-Jun by phosphorylating alternative sites in the c-Jun N-terminus when it is complexed with JNK.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

ERK phosphorylation is linked to VEGFR2 expression and Ets-2 phosphorylation in breast cancer and is associated with tamoxifen treatment resistance and small tumours with good prognosis.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 signalling mediates communication between growth factor receptors and the cell nucleus and has been linked to several key events in the transformation process such as proliferation and invasion. We therefore sought to delineate the degree of phosphorylated ERK1/2 in breast cancer and potential links to upstream receptors such as VEGFR2, ErbB2, downstream targets, such as Ets-2, as well as clinico-pathological parameters, clinical outcome and response to tamoxifen. ERK1/2 phosphorylation was assessed by immunohistochemistry using a phospho-specific ERK1/2 antibody in three breast cancer cohorts including a total of 886 tumours arranged in tissue arrays. Cohort I consisted of 114 patients, cohort II of 248 postmenopausal patients randomized to either 2 years of tamoxifen or no adjuvant treatment and cohort III of 524 patients. Surprisingly, ERK1/2 phosphorylation correlated inversely with tumour size. Phosphorylated ERK1/2 was further associated with the presence of VEGFR2 (cohorts II and III) and the degree of phosphorylated Ets-2, indicating in vivo, a signalling cascade from VEGFR2 via ERK1/2 to Ets-2 phosphorylation. Interestingly, ERK1/2 phosphorylation correlated with better survival in untreated patients independently of lymph-node status and tumour size indicating that ERK1/2 signalling might be associated with a less aggressive phenotype. Finally, patients with oestrogen receptor positive and ERK1/2 phosphorylated tumours also had an impaired tamoxifen response.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The kinase DYRK1A phosphorylates the transcription factor FKHR at Ser329 in vitro, a novel in vivo phosphorylation site.

Forkhead in rhabdomyosarcoma (FKHR) is a transcription factor that has been implicated in the control of gene expression by insulin, as well as the regulation of apoptosis by survival factors. These signals trigger the protein kinase B (PKB)-catalysed phosphorylation of FKHR at three residues (Thr(24), Ser(256) and Ser(319)) by a phosphoinositide 3-kinase-dependent pathway that results in the nuclear exit and inactivation of this transcription factor. Here, we have identified a conserved residue (Ser(329)) as a novel in vivo phosphorylation site on FKHR. Ser(329) phosphorylation also decreases the ability of FKHR to stimulate gene transactivation and reduces the proportion of FKHR present in the nucleus. However, unlike the residues targetted by PKB, Ser(329) is phosphorylated in unstimulated HEK-293 cells, and phosphorylation is not increased by stimulation with insulin-like growth factor-1 or by transfection with 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1. We have also purified a protein kinase to near homogeneity from rabbit skeletal muscle that phosphorylates FKHR at Ser(329) specifically and identified it as DYRK1A (dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylated and regulated kinase 1A). We find that FKHR and DYRK1A co-localize in discrete regions of the nucleus and can be co-immunoprecipitated from cell extracts. These experiments suggest that DYRK1A may phosphorylate FKHR at Ser(329) in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Tyrosine phosphorylation in a model of ischemia using the rat hippocampal slice: specific, long-term decrease in the tyrosine phosphorylation of the postsynaptic glycoprotein PSD-GP180.

The effects of the exposure of hippocampal slices to brief periods of ischemic-like conditions on the tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins and glycoproteins were investigated. Freshly prepared hippocampal slices contained a range of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins and two prominent tyrosine-phosphorylated glycoproteins of apparent M(r) 110,000 (GP110) and 180,000, which we have previously shown to correspond to the postsynaptic density (PSD)-associated glycoprotein PSD-GP180. When hippocampal slices were incubated in oxygenated Krebs-Ringer buffer containing 10 mM glucose (KRB), there was a transient increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a protein of M(r) 42,000 (p42) and a pronounced increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of GP110. After these initial changes, the tyrosine phosphorylation of all proteins remained constant for at least 60 min. In vitro "ischemia" was achieved by transferring slices that had been preincubated for 60 min in KRB to KRB that had been equilibrated with N2 instead of O2 and that did not contain glucose. Tyrosine-phosphorylated GP110 and PSD-GP180 could no longer be detected after 10 min of exposure of the slices to ischemic-like conditions. GP110 was rapidly rephosphorylated on tyrosine after transfer of slices back to oxygenated, glucose-containing buffer. In contrast, short periods of ischemia (5 or 10 min) resulted in the long-term loss of phosphotyrosine [Tyr(P)]-PSD-GP180 so that it was not detected even after 60 min of reincubation in oxygenated KRB. The sustained decrease in tyrosine phosphorylation of PSD-GP180 after ischemia was Ca2+ dependent, the levels of Tyr(P)-PSD-GP180 slowly increasing to preischemic values if Ca2+ was omitted from the incubation media.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Chromatographic resolution of in vivo phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF-4E: increased cap affinity of the phosphorylated form.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF-4E plays a central role in the recognition of the 7-methylguanosine-containing cap structure of mRNA and the formation of initiation complexes during protein synthesis. eIF-4E exists in both phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated forms, and the primary site of phosphorylation has been identified. Previous studies have suggested that eIF-4E phosphorylation facilitates its participation in protein synthesis. However, the biochemical basis for the functional difference between the two forms of eIF-4E is unknown. To address this directly, we have developed a method for the separation of phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated eIF-4E from rabbit reticulocytes by chromatography on rRNA-Sepharose. Using the resultant purified forms, we have studied the protein's interaction with the cap analogs m7GTP and m7GpppG and with the cap of globin mRNA by fluorescence quenching of tryptophan residues. It was found that phosphorylated eIF-4E had 3- to 4-fold greater affinity for cap analogs and mRNA than nonphosphorylated eIF-4E. The equilibrium binding constants (x 10(5), expressed as M-1) for the interaction of phosphorylated eIF-4E with m7GTP, m7GpppG, and globin mRNA were 20.0 +/- 0.1, 16.4 +/- 0.1, and 31.0 +/- 0.1, respectively, whereas those for the nonphosphorylated form were 5.5 +/- 0.4, 4.3 +/- 0.4, and 10.0 +/- 0.1, respectively. Treatment with potato acid phosphatase converted the phosphorylated form to the nonphosphorylated form and decreased the binding constant for m7GTP by a factor of 3. The increased affinity for mRNA caps may account for the in vivo and in vitro correlations between eIF-4E phosphorylation and accelerated protein synthesis and cell growth.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

"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.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Alteration of cell cycle-dependent histone phosphorylations by okadaic acid. Induction of mitosis-specific H3 phosphorylation and chromatin condensation in mammalian interphase cells.

Effects of okadaic acid (OA), a protein phosphatase inhibitor, on chromatin structure and phosphorylation of histones were examined using HeLa and N18 cells. The chromatin condensation in HeLa cells was mild and resemble prometaphase nuclei, while the condensation in N18 cells was extensive and chromatin became a compact body. H2A in HeLa cells was extensively and consistently phosphorylated at the same site throughout the cell cycle, and H3 was demonstrated to be phosphorylated at the mitosis-specific site Ser10. In contrast, H1 phosphorylation was rapidly decreased in most sites within 3 h. The reduction of H1 phosphorylation was accompanied by a quantitative change in the set of H1 phosphopeptides. During the early phase of the OA treatment, H1 phosphorylation was transiently elevated in tandem, whereas H3 phosphorylation reached a maximum somewhat later. The results suggest that mitosis-specific events (cdc2/H1 kinase activation, H1 superphosphorylation, mitosis-specific H3 phosphorylation and chromatin condensation) induced by OA are sequentially associated. The changes appear to reflect a molecular mechanism similar to that operating in normal mitosis.

Adenine↗
PubMed1996

Phosphorylation of extracellular domains of T-lymphocyte surface proteins. Constitutive serine and threonine phosphorylation of the T cell antigen receptor ectodomains.

The extracellular accumulation of ATP after activation of T-lymphocytes, as well as the presence of ecto-protein kinases in these cells, led us to propose that T cell surface receptors could be regulated through the reversible phosphorylation of their extracellular domains (ectodomains). Here, in a model system, we used T cell transfectants which express T cell antigen receptor chains lacking intracellular and transmembrane protein domains and 32Pi metabolic labeling of cells to definitively demonstrate phosphorylation of ectodomains of T cell surface proteins. We show that alphabetaTCR ectodomains were phosphorylated intracellularly and constitutively on serine and threonine residues and were then expressed on the T cell surface in phosphorylated form. TCR ectodomains also could be phosphorylated at the cell surface when extracellular [gamma-32P]ATP or [gamma-32P]GTP were used as phosphate donors with the same cells. Consensus phosphorylation sites for serine and threonine protein kinases were found to be strongly evolutionary conserved in both alpha and beta TCR chains constant regions. These results are consistent with the hypothesis, where T cell surface proteins which are phosphorylated intracellularly on their ectodomains, could subsequently be expressed at the cell surface and then be reversibly modified by ectoprotein phosphatase(s) and by ectokinase(s). Such modifications may change T cells cognate interactions by, e.g. affecting TCR-multimolecular complex formation and antigen binding affinity. It is suggested that alphabetaTCR ectodomain phosphorylation could serve as a potential mechanism for regulation of alphabetaTCR-mediated T-lymphocytes response.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1998

Phosphorylation of vimentin by Rho-associated kinase at a unique amino-terminal site that is specifically phosphorylated during cytokinesis.

We found that vimentin, the most widely expressed intermediate filament protein, served as an excellent substrate for Rho-associated kinase (Rho-kinase) and that vimentin phosphorylated by Rho-kinase lost its ability to form filaments in vitro. Two amino-terminal sites on vimentin, Ser38 and Ser71, were identified as the major phosphorylation sites for Rho-kinase, and Ser71 was the most favored and unique phosphorylation site for Rho-kinase in vitro. To analyze the vimentin phosphorylation by Rho-kinase in vivo, we prepared an antibody GK71 that specifically recognizes the phosphorylation of vimentin-Ser71. Ectopic expression of constitutively active Rho-kinase in COS-7 cells induced phosphorylation of vimentin at Ser71, followed by the reorganization of vimentin filament networks. During the cell cycle, the phosphorylation of vimentin-Ser71 occurred only at the cleavage furrow in late mitotic cells but not in interphase or early mitotic cells. This cleavage furrow-specific phosphorylation of vimentin-Ser71 was observed in the various types of cells we examined. All these accumulating observations increase the possibility that Rho-kinase may have a definite role in governing regulatory processes in assembly-disassembly and turnover of vimentin filaments at the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Phosphorylation sites in the autoinhibitory domain participate in p70(s6k) activation loop phosphorylation.

Here we have employed p70(s6k) truncation and point mutants to elucidate the role played by the carboxyl-terminal autoinhibitory domain S/TP phosphorylation sites in kinase activation. Earlier studies showed that truncation of the p70(s6k) amino terminus severely impaired kinase activation but that this effect was reversed by deleting the carboxyl terminus, which in parallel led to deregulation of Thr229 phosphorylation in the activation loop (Dennis, P. B., Pullen, N., Kozma, S. C., and Thomas, G. (1996) Mol. Cell. Biol. 16, 6242-6251). In this study, substitution of acidic residues for the four autoinhibitory domain S/TP sites mimics the carboxyl-terminal deletion largely by rescuing kinase activation caused by the amino-terminal truncation. However, these mutations do not deregulate Thr229 phosphorylation, suggesting the involvement of another regulatory element in the intact kinase. This element appears to be Thr389 phosphorylation, because substitution of an acidic residue at this position in the p70(s6k) variant containing the S/TP mutations leads to a large increase in basal Thr229 phosphorylation and kinase activity. In contrast, an alanine substitution at Thr389 blocks both responses. Consistent with these data, we show that a mutant harboring the acidic S/TP and Thr389 substitutions is an excellent in vitro substrate for the newly identified Thr229 kinase, phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (Pullen, N., Dennis, P. B., Andjelkovic, M., Dufner, A., Kozma, S., Hemmings, B. A., and Thomas, G. (1998) Science 279, 707-710), whereas phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 poorly utilizes the two p70(s6k) variants that have only one set of mutations. These findings indicate that phosphorylation of the S/TP sites, in cooperation with Thr389 phosphorylation, controls Thr229 phosphorylation through an intrasteric mechanism.

3-Phosphoinositide-Dependent Protein Kinases↗
PubMed1999

cAMP-induced phosphorylation and inhibition of Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3) are dependent on the presence but not the phosphorylation of NHE regulatory factor.

The members of the regulatory factor (RF) gene family, Na(+)/H(+) exchanger (NHE)-RF and NHE3 kinase A regulatory factor (E3KARP) are necessary for cAMP to inhibit the epithelial brush border NHE isoform 3 (NHE3). The mechanism of their action was studied using PS120 fibroblasts stably transfected with rabbit NHE3 and wild type rabbit NHE-RF or wild type human E3KARP. 8-Bromo-cAMP (8-Br-cAMP) had no effect on Na(+)/H(+) exchange activity in cells expressing NHE3 alone. In contrast, in cells co-expressing NHE-RF, 8-Br-cAMP inhibited NHE3 by 39%. In vivo phosphorylation of NHE3 demonstrated that cAMP increased phosphorylation in two chymotrypsin-generated phosphopeptides of NHE3 in cells containing NHE-RF or E3KARP but not in cells lacking these proteins. The requirement for phosphorylation of NHE-RF in this cAMP-induced inhibition of NHE3 was examined by studying a mutant NHE-RF in which serines 287, 289, and 290 were mutated to alanines. Wild type NHE-RF was a phosphorylated protein under basal conditions, but treatment with 8-Br-cAMP did not alter its phosphorylation. Mutant NHE-RF was not phosphorylated either under basal conditions or after 8-Br-cAMP. 8-Br-cAMP inhibited NHE3 similarly in PS120/NHE3 cells containing wild type or mutant NHE-RF. NHE-RF and NHE3 co-precipitated and did so similarly with and without cAMP. Mutant NHE-RF also similarly immunoprecipitated NHE3 in the presence and absence of 8-Br-cAMP. This study shows that members of the regulatory factor gene family, NHE-RF and E3KARP, are necessary for cAMP inhibition of NHE3 by allowing NHE3 to be phosphorylated. This inhibition is not dependent on the phosphorylation of NHE-RF.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗