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Molecular mechanisms underlying inhibition of protein phosphatases by marine toxins.

The protein serine/threonine phosphatases constitute a unique class of enzymes that are critical regulatory enzymes as they must counteract the activities of thousands of protein kinases in human cells. Uncontrolled inhibition of phosphatase activity by toxic inhibitors can lead to widespread catastrophic effects. Over the past decade, a number of natural product toxins have been identified which specifically and potently inhibit protein phosphatase-1 and -2A. Among these are the cyanobacteria-derived cyclic heptapeptide microcystin-LR and the polyether fatty acid okadaic acid from dinoflagellate sources. The molecular mechanism of the potent inhibition of protein phosphatase-1 by these toxins is becoming clear through insights gathered from diverse sources. These include: 1. Comparison of structural variants of the toxins, 2. Delineating the structural differences between protein phosphatase-1 and -2A accounting for their differing sensitivity to okadaic acid, 3. Determination of the crystal structure of protein phosphatase-1 with microcystin-LR bound and, most recently, 4. Mutagenesis of protein phosphatase-1. Taken together, these data point to a common binding site on protein phosphatase-1 for okadaic acid and microcystin-LR. However, the details of these data suggest that each toxin binds to the common site in a subtly different way, relying on common structural interactions to different degrees. Finally, the insights derived from protein phosphatase-1 may help explain different sensitivities of other protein serine/threonine phosphatases to toxin inhibition due to the high degree of structural conservation among many members of this enzyme family.

Animals↗

A new heat-stable regulatory factor is associated with aortic polycation-modulated (PCM)-phosphatase.

An aortic phosphatase which dephosphorylates several proteins including phosphorylase a and the 20-kDa myosin light chains is subject to modulation in vitro by polycationic effectors such as lysine-rich histone-H1 and polylysine. This study was based on the hypothesis that polycationic modulation of expressed enzymic activity involves interactions between the effectors and a regulatory site associated with the polycation-modulated (PCM)-phosphatase. Basal PCM-phosphatase activity expressed against myocardial myosin light chains (MLC, 1258 nmole/min/mg) was about eightfold greater than activity expressed against phosphorylase a (149 nmole/min/mg). However, dephosphorylation of phosphorylase a was stimulated four- to sevenfold by low concentrations of polylysine (Mr = 13,000; 0.01-0.1 microM), whereas MLC phosphatase activity was virtually abolished. Higher concentrations of polylysine inhibited dephosphorylation of either substrate. Interestingly, a heat-stable fraction prepared from the PCM-phosphatase reversed the stimulatory effect of polylysine on phosphorylase phosphatase activity and the inhibitory effect on dephosphorylation of MLC. No reversal of the modulatory effects of polylysine occurred when protein phosphatase inhibitor 1 or inhibitor 2 was substituted for the heat-stable factor derived from the PCM-phosphatase. Sucrose density centrifugation of the enzyme yielded a single peak (Mr = 63,000) exhibiting polycation-modulated activity against phosphorylase a and MLC. Moreover, heating each of the gradient fractions showed the presence of a heat-stable factor which reversed the modulatory effects of polylysine on dephosphorylation of either phosphorylase a or MLC. These results show that a specific heat-stable factor, which differs from both inhibitor 1 and 2, is associated with the PCM-phosphatase. The results suggest that polycationic modulation of expressed PCM-phosphatase activity may involve interactions between the polycationic effector and the enzyme-associated regulatory factor.

Animals↗

Purification and characterization of smooth muscle myosin-associated phosphatase from chicken gizzards.

Myosin light chain phosphatase associated with smooth muscle myosin (MAPP) was isolated from chicken gizzard. The MAPP was tightly associated with myosin and was not dissociated from myosin under the physiological ionic conditions. The phosphatase was dissociated from myosin in the presence of high MgCl2, i.e. 80 mM MgCl2. The binding site of the enzyme on the myosin molecule was the subfragment-2 region, since the enzyme did bind to the myosin rod and heavy meromyosin but not to the subfragment-1 affinity column. MAPP was purified with a heparin-Sepharose 6B column, and two activity peaks were obtained, i.e. MAPP I and MAPP II. The major activity peak, MAPP I, was further purified to homogeneity by thiophosphorylated myosin light chain-Sepharose 4B column chromatography. MAPP I was a tetramer composed of four 34-kDa subunits. The enzyme preferentially dephosphorylated the beta-subunit of phosphorylase kinase and was strongly inhibited by the heat- and acid-stable protein phosphatase inhibitor-1, whereas it was partially inhibited by the inhibitor-2. The IC50 (concentration of inhibitor giving 50% inhibition) value for the inhibition of the enzyme by okadaic acid was 70 nM which was about eight times higher than skeletal muscle type-1 and 390 times higher than type-2 protein phosphatase. These results demonstrate that the MAPP I is a type-1-like protein phosphatase, although the properties are not the same as type-I phosphatase. The properties of the myosin-associated phosphatase were distinct from the phosphatases reported previously, although some properties were similar to smooth muscle phosphatase-IV. Therefore, it is concluded that MAPP I is a novel smooth muscle protein phosphatase. Since it strongly associated with smooth muscle myosin, it is likely that MAPP I is responsible for the dephosphorylation of smooth muscle myosin in situ.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Growth arrest induced by transforming growth factor beta 1 is accompanied by protein phosphatase activation in human keratinocytes.

Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are involved in regulation of cell growth. We tested the hypothesis that the growth inhibitory effect of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) involves activation of protein phosphatases. Exposure of human keratinocytes in culture to 400 pM TGF-beta 1 for 48 h led to 80% inhibition of DNA synthesis as measured by nuclear labeling. Incubation of cultured keratinocytes with 400 pM TGF-beta 1 rapidly activated (within 30 min) protein serine/threonine phosphatase, measured using phosphorylase as a substrate. Based on several criteria, including neutralization of activity with specific antibodies and inhibitor-2, TGF-beta 1-activated phosphorylase phosphatase was identified as protein phosphatase 1. TGF-beta 1 did not have rapid effects on protein serine/threonine phosphatase activity (type 2A) measured with histone phosphorylated by protein kinase C or on protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. However, protein tyrosine phosphatase was activated at 48 h, coincident with growth arrest. Differentiation, induced by the combination of TGF-beta 1 plus calcium or by serum, was not accompanied by further serine/threonine or tyrosine phosphatase activation. We conclude that induction of growth arrest in keratinocytes by TGF-beta 1 involves acute activation of protein phosphatase 1, while activation of protein tyrosine phosphatase may represent an additional mechanism for maintaining cells in a growth-arrested state.

Cell Differentiation↗

The role of phosphatases in signal transduction.

The importance of phosphatases in regulating the phosphorylation of proteins involved in cell signaling has been demonstrated by four recent discoveries. First, a new family of receptor-like transmembrane phosphotyrosine phosphatases, highly conserved throughout evolution, was shown to be distributed in a wide variety of tissues. Extensive heterogeneity in the extracellular regions of these molecules points to the existence of a wide diversity of ligands. These ligands are thought to mediate transduction of signals to the cell interior by means of the phosphatase activity occurring within the cytoplasmic domains of the receptor-like transmembrane phosphotyrosine phosphatases. Second, cell-permeable tumor promoters, such as okadaic acid, were shown to be potent phosphatase inhibitors that have multiple effects on signaling pathways. Third, the subunits of the type 2A phosphatase were found to associate with transforming antigens encoded by DNA tumor viruses, indicating a role for phosphatases in mediating abnormal proliferative events. Fourth, several cell-cycle mutants were found to encode phosphatases. This review focuses on the significance of the transmembrane phosphotyrosine phosphatases and on the possible ways in which intracellular phosphatases function in signaling pathways.

Animals↗

Dopamine transporters are dephosphorylated in striatal homogenates and in vitro by protein phosphatase 1.

Dopamine transporters (DATs) undergo increased phosphorylation upon treatment of striatal tissue or cultured cells with protein kinase C activators and protein phosphatase inhibitors. Phosphorylation conditions also lead to reductions in dopamine transport activity, which may function to regulate synaptic dopamine levels and control the extent and duration of dopaminergic signaling. Treatment of rat striatal tissue with okadaic acid (OA), a broad-spectrum protein phosphatase inhibitor, produces apparent maximal increases in DAT phosphorylation, suggesting that dephosphorylation is a crucial regulator of the DAT phosphorylation state. We used a combination of endogenous and in vitro approaches to identify the phosphatase(s) responsible for this activity. In homogenates prepared from (32)PO(4)-labeled rat striatal slices, OA inhibited DAT dephosphorylation with an IC(50) of 40 nM, a dose most compatible with inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1). Dephosphorylation of DAT in striatal homogenates was also inhibited by PP1 inhibitor 2, while little effect was produced by protein phosphatase 2A inhibitor 1. In vitro dephosphorylation assays showed substantial removal of (32)PO(4) from DATs by PP1 but not by protein phosphatase 2A, protein phosphatase 2B, or protein tyrosine phosphatase, and this effect was blocked by OA, verifying that the (32)PO(4) loss from DAT was due to dephosphorylation. These results demonstrate that DAT is a direct substrate for PP1 in vitro and suggest that PP1 is a major DAT phosphatase in rat striatum.

Animals↗

Identification of protein phosphatases-1 and 2A and inhibitor-2 in oocytes of the starfish Asterias rubens and Marthasterias glacialis.

Protein phosphatases present in the particulate and soluble fractions of oocytes of the starfish Asterias rubens and Marthasterias glacialis have been classified according to the criteria used for these enzymes from mammalian cells. The major protein phosphatase activity in the particulate fraction had very similar properties to protein phosphatase-1 from mammalian tissues, including preferential dephosphorylation of the beta subunit of phosphorylase kinase, sensitivity to inhibitor-1 and inhibitor-2, inhibition of phosphorylase phosphatase activity by protamine and heparin, and retention by heparin-Sepharose. The major protein phosphatase in the soluble fraction had very similar properties to mammalian protein phosphatase-2A, including preferential dephosphorylation of the alpha subunit of phosphorylase kinase, insensitivity to inhibitors-1 and 2, activation by protamine and heparin, and exclusion from heparin-Sepharose. An acid-stable and heat-stable protein was detected in the soluble fraction of starfish oocytes, whose properties were indistinguishable from those of inhibitor-2 from mammalian tissues. It inhibited protein phosphatase-1 specifically, and its apparent molecular mass on SDS polyacrylamide gels was 31 kDa. Furthermore, an inactive hybrid formed between the starfish oocyte inhibitor and the catalytic subunit of mammalian protein phosphatase-1 could be reactivated by preincubation with MgATP and mammalian glycogen synthase kinase-3. The remarkable similarities between starfish oocyte protein phosphatases and their mammalian counterparts are indicative of strict phylogenetic conservation of these enzymes. The results will facilitate further analysis of the role of protein phosphorylation in the control of starfish oocyte maturation by the hormone 1-methyladenine.

Animals↗

Characterization of a tyrosine phosphatase activity in the oogenesis of Periplaneta americana.

In this work, phosphatase activity was characterized in the ovary and the haemolymph of Periplaneta americana. The optimum pH for these activities was 4.0, and a temperature of 44 degrees C was ideal for the maximal enzyme activity. The phosphatase activities were inhibited by NaF, sodium tartrate, Pi, sodium orthovanadate, and ammonium molybdate. The ovarian phosphatase activity at pH 4.0 was almost exclusive against phosphotyrosine, with little or no effect on the residues of phosphoserine or phosphothreonine. These results indicate that this phosphatase activity is due to the presence of an acid tyrosine phosphatase. The phosphatase activities of acid extracts from P. americana ovaries (OEX) and an acid extract from P. americana haemolymph (HEX) were analyzed in non-denaturant gel electrophoresis using an analog substrate beta-naphtyl phosphate. The gel revealed two bands with phosphatase activity in the ovary and one band in the haemolymph; these bands were excised and submitted to a 10% SDS-PAGE showing a single 70-kDa polypeptide in both samples. Histochemistry of the ovary with alpha-naphtyl phosphate for localization of acid phosphatase activity showed mainly labeling associated to the oocyte peripheral vesicles, basal lamina, and between follicle cells. Electron microscopy analysis showed that acid phosphatase was localized in small peripheral vesicles in the oocyte, but not inside yolk granules. The possible role of this phosphatase during oogenesis and embryogenesis is also discussed in this article.

Animals↗

Identification of a protein-tyrosine phosphatase from human platelet membranes by an immobilon-based solid phase assay.

The present investigations show that a 53-kDa platelet-membrane protein is a protein tyrosine phosphatase. Identification involved a novel methodology in which membrane proteins are resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then transblotted to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane surface-labeled with [32P-Tyr](Glu4.Tyr1)n. Phosphatase activity appears as clear areas in the autoradiograph of the renatured 32P Western blot. Studies using this new solid-phase system indicate that a 53-kDa platelet-membrane protein dephosphorylates [32P-Tyr](Glu4.Tyr1)n. Dephosphorylation is both time- and dose-dependent. The protein-tyrosine phosphatase antagonists orthovanadate and molybdate block dephosphorylation in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibitors of protein serine/threonine phosphatases and of acid and alkaline phosphatases do not significantly affect enzymatic activity. The enzyme is active toward phosphotyrosyl proteins but not phosphoseryl proteins. Results from the solid-phase phosphatase assays correlate with data from standard liquid-phase studies. A Lineweaver-Burk plot gives an apparent Km of 4.3 microM and an apparent Vmax = 168 nmol P(i) transferred/min/mg for the membrane enzyme towards the 32P-labeled polymer in a liquid system. Platelet lysate was shown by the solid-phase assay to possess a protein-tyrosine phosphatase of approximately equal to 50 kDa. The tyrosine phosphatase activities associated with a placental preparation, pure recombinant protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B, and YOPR, the product of the YOP51 gene of Yersinia enterocolitica, which contains the C235R mutation, were also visualized by this technique. However, the catalytic activity of domain 1 of the transmembrane leukocyte antigen-related protein-tyrosine phosphatase was not detected using the solid-phase assay.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effect of acute diabetes on rat hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity and its messenger RNA level.

Glucose-6-phosphatase catalyzes the final step of glucose production by liver and kidney. Though its strategic position has sparked interest in its regulation, difficulty with isolating a pure, stable enzyme has slowed progress. Virtually all previous work examining the physiologic regulation of this enzyme has relied on estimates of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in crude microsome preparations. The recent cloning of human and murine glucose-6-phosphatase cDNAs has now allowed study of its mRNA expression. We studied the effect of acute, streptozotocin-induced diabetes on hepatic microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase activity and mRNA expression in young (89 +/- 3 g), juvenile (304 +/- 4 g) and adult (512 +/- 10 g) rats. In control rats, mRNA expression and enzyme activity was similar among the three age groups. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes significantly increased the enzyme activities in both intact and triton-treated microsomes in all groups of rats (p < 0.001). Glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA expression was increased in the diabetic rats as well (p < 0.0001). Blood glucose concentrations correlated significantly with glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA level (p < 0.005) and both intact (p < 0.002) and triton-treated (p < 0.001) microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase activity. Both intact and triton-treated microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase activity correlated with mRNA level (p < 0.001, for each). We conclude that acute streptozotocin-diabetes increase expression of glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA and this contributes to the increased glucose-6-phosphatase activity seen with diabetes mellitus.

Acute Disease↗

Divalent cation effects on calcineurin phosphatase: differential involvement of hydrophobic and metal binding domains in the regulation of the enzyme activity.

The effects of divalent metals, metal chelators (EDTA, EGTA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate were investigated on the phosphatase activity of isolated bovine brain calcineurin assayed in the absence (called intrinsic) and presence of calmodulin. Intrinsic phosphatase was increased by Mn2+, was unaffected by Mg2+, Ca2+, and Ba2+, and was markedly inhibited by Ni2+, Fe2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+. When assayed in the presence of calmodulin, many divalent metals (Ni2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Cd2+), besides Mn2+, increased modestly the phosphatase activity at low concentrations (10-100 microM) and inhibited it markedly at high concentrations. Ca2(+)-calmodulin stimulated phosphatase activity was antagonized by Ni2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, at low concentrations (50 microM), and by Ba2+, Cd2+ at slightly higher concentrations (greater than 100 microM); Mn2+ and Co2+ (50 microM to 1 mM) in fact augmented it. EDTA and EGTA in a concentration and time dependent fashion inhibited the intrinsic phosphatase activity, particularly that of trypsinized calcineurin. SDS in low concentrations (0.005%) augmented the phosphatase activity and inhibited it at high concentrations. Mn2+ (+/- calmodulin) and Ca2+ only with calmodulin present increased the phosphatase activity assayed with low concentrations of SDS. The EDTA dependent inhibition of intrinsic phosphatase was almost abolished in assays containing SDS. Prior exposure of calcineurin to Mn2+ led to a high activity conformation state of calcineurin that was 'long-lived' or 'pseudo-irreversible'. Such Mn2(+)-activated state of calcineurin exhibited no discernible change in the affinity towards myelin basic protein or its inhibition by trifluoperazine. At alkaline pH, Mg2+ supported the intrinsic phosphatase activity, although to a lesser degree than Mn2+. The latter cation, compared to Mg2+ and Ni2+, was also a more powerful stimulator of the calcineurin phosphatase assayed with histone (III-S) and myosin light chain as substrates.

Animals↗

Changes in cell adhesion and cell proliferation are associated with expression of tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase.

Tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase is a membrane-bound glycoprotein enzyme which is characterized by its phosphohydrolytic, protein phosphatase, and phosphotransferase activities. This enzyme is distributed virtually in all mammalian tissues, particularly during embryonic development. Its expression is stage-specific and can be demonstrated in the developing embryo as early as the 2-cell stage. It has been suggested that tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase might play a role in tissue formation. In the study reported here, a gene-transfer approach was employed to investigate possible roles for this enzyme by inserting the cDNA for rat tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase into CHO and LLC-PK1 cells. Permanently transfected cell-lines expressing varying levels of alkaline phosphatase were established. The data showed that functional enzyme was expressed in the transfected cells. Cell spreading and attachment were enhanced in transfected CHO cells expressing high levels of tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase but not in the LLC-PK1 cells. Further, in CHO cells, proliferation was shown to be inversely proportional to the level of the tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase expression. Homotypic cell association was demonstrated in both alkaline phosphatase-positive and alkaline phosphatase-negative cells in both CHO and LLC-PK1 cell-lines. Taken together, these findings suggest that in addition to a role in mineralization of bone, tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase might also play a role in other cell activities, including those related to differentiation, such as cell-cell or cell-substrate interaction and proliferation.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Purification and characterization of acid-type phosphatases from a heavy-metal-accumulating Citrobacter sp.

An acid phosphatase from a heavy-metal-accumulating strain of a Citrobacter sp. was resolved into two forms on the basis of their nonbinding (phosphatase I) or binding (phosphatase II) behaviour on the cation-exchange resin SP-Sephadex C50. Both holoenzymes had a molecular mass of 103-108 kDa as determined by Superose Q-6 column chromatography in the presence of 150 mM KCl and a subunit molecular mass of 27 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE; the enzyme was tetrameric. Both enzymes had a pI approximately 9.0 and were immunologically cross-reactive. There were minor differences in amino acid composition and in peptide maps following tryptic digest. The pH optimum for phosphatases I and II was 5.5 and 6.25, respectively; phosphatase II alone retained activity at pH values up to 9.0. Phosphatase I was more resistant to mechanical shear, gamma-irradiation, high temperature, and toxins (F- and formaldehyde). Glycerol increased the thermostability of both enzymes, particularly the more thermosensitive phosphatase II. Phosphatase II had a lower Km and a lower Vmax for glycerol 2-phosphate hydrolysis. The production of enzyme isoforms is a phenomenon similar to that described previously for the alkaline phosphatase of Escherichia coli, where the isoforms relate to precursive and final processed forms of the enzyme. Acid phosphatase is physiologically distinct, with a role that is still obscure but that may relate to cellular stress responses.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Chromatographic resolution of soluble and particulate protein phosphatases from Dictyostelium discoideum.

We have examined protein phosphatase activities that are present during the cellular differentiation of Dictyostelium. Utilizing differential centrifugation, ion exchange, gel filtration, and concanavalin A affinity chromatography we found a number of distinct protein phosphatase activities. Three peaks of soluble Kemptide phosphatase activity and a very broad and heterogeneous soluble histone phosphatase activity were resolved by anion exchange chromatography. Histone phosphatase was associated with the particulate fraction, while Kemptide phosphatase was not. The protein phosphatase activities were able to dephosphorylate sites that had been phosphorylated by the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Therefore it is possible that their function in vivo may be to oppose the action of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. In addition several paranitrophenyl phosphate phosphatase activities are shown to be largely separable from the protein phosphatases. An apparent heat-stable inhibitor of histone phosphatase is shown to be artifactual in that instead of interacting with the enzyme it acts by complexing with histone.

Chromatography↗

Analysis of the ACP1 gene product: classification as an FMN phosphatase.

The relationship between the ACP1 gene product, an 18kDa acid phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.2) postulated to function as a protein tyrosyl phosphatase, and the cellular flavin mononucleotide (FMN) phosphatase has been examined in vitro and by using cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Kinetic analysis indicated that at pH 6 the acid phosphatase utilized a variety of phosphate monoesters as substrates. While small molecules such as FMN were effectively utilized as substrates (kcat/Km = 7.3 x 10(3) s-1M-1), the tyrosyl phosphorylated form of the adipocyte lipid binding protein was a relatively poor substrate (kcat/Km = 1.7 x 10(-1) s-1M-1) suggesting a role for the phosphatase in flavin metabolism. Fractionation of CHO cell extracts revealed that 90% of the FMN phosphatase activity was soluble and that all of the soluble activity eluted from a Sephadex G-75 column with the acid phosphatase. All of the soluble FMN phosphatase activity was inhibited by immunospecific antibodies directed against the bovine heart ACP1 gene product. These results suggest that the ACP1 gene product functions cellularly not as a protein tyrosyl phosphatase but as a soluble FMN phosphatase.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Specific assays for human alkaline phosphatase isozymes.

Specific assays for human intestinal and liver alkaline phosphatases were developed by use of isozyme specific monoclonal antibodies bound to paper discs. The assays are fast, specific and convenient to use as demonstrated by determinations of alkaline phosphatase isozymes in sera and tissues. In sera from forty healthy individuals the activity of the tissue unspecific alkaline phosphatase was determined to 32 +/- 12 IU/l (mean +/- SD). The activity of the intestinal alkaline phosphatase was found to be ten-fold lower, 3.5 +/- 6.3 IU/l (mean +/- SD), and of the placental alkaline phosphatase another ten-fold lower, 0.3 +/- 0.2 IU/l (mean +/- SD), than that of the tissue unspecific alkaline phosphatase. Several normal tissues contained all three isozymes, the intestinal mucosa, for example, which besides intestinal alkaline phosphatase also expresses trace amounts of placental and liver-bone-kidney alkaline phosphatase. Seminomas, known to express eutopically placental-like alkaline phosphatase were demonstrated to contain increased levels of both intestinal and liver-bone-kidney alkaline phosphatases as compared to the normal testis.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Expression and nature of the alkaline phosphatase gene in cultured osteosarcoma cells.

The molecular mechanism for the differences in specific activity of alkaline phosphatase in six human osteosarcoma cell lines was investigated. Five of the lines expressed only the tissue-non-specific or liver/bone/kidney isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase. The sixth line had the lowest levels of alkaline phosphatase and this was determined to be a mixture of liver/bone/kidney isoenzyme and at least one other form. The mRNA of liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase was identified by Northern analysis in the three cell lines that expressed the largest amount of alkaline phosphatase catalytic activity. This mRNA was indistinguishable in size from that seen in control mRNA from normal kidney (2.5 kb). Southern analysis demonstrated that EcoRI or HindIII restriction fragment patterns and the intensity of the bands, of the liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase gene in the osteosarcoma cell lines were identical to that of the control DNA from normal peripheral blood leukocytes. Thus, the gene coding for liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase appears to be intact in all of these osteosarcoma cells and it is unlikely that rearrangement, deletion or amplification of the gene is responsible for its activation or inactivation. Slot blot analysis revealed varying amounts of the transcripts of the liver/bone/kidney isoenzyme in each of the cell lines. The best fit line of a plot of the log of the level of mRNA of alkaline phosphatase vs. the log of the specific activity of liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase was constructed. This gave a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.92 (P < 0.008), demonstrating a significant relationship between the two variables. It is likely that the regulation of alkaline phosphatase activity is at the transcriptional process rather than the translational or post-translational processes and that the specific activity of the enzyme may be controlled by the amount of steady-state mRNA of the liver/bone/kidney isoenzyme.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

The influence of anionic lipids on SHIP2 phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate 5-phosphatase activity.

The SH2 domain containing inositol 5-phosphatase 2 (SHIP2) catalyzes the dephosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3)) to phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4)P(2)) and participates in the insulin signalling pathway in vivo. In a comparative study of SHIP2 and the phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), we found that their lipid phosphatase activity was influenced by the presence of vesicles of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer). SHIP2 PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) 5-phosphatase activity was greatly stimulated in the presence of vesicles of PtdSer. This effect appears to be specific for di-C8 and di-C16 fatty acids of PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) as substrate. It was not observed with inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (Ins(1,3,4,5)P(4)) another in vitro substrate of SHIP2, nor with Type I Ins(1,4,5)P(3)/Ins(1,3,4,5)P(4) 5-phosphatase activity, an enzyme which acts on soluble inositol phosphates. Vesicles of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) stimulated only twofold PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) 5-phosphatase activity of SHIP2. Both a minimal catalytic construct and the full length SHIP2 were sensitive to the stimulation by PtdSer. In contrast, PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) 5-phosphatase activity of the Skeletal muscle and Kidney enriched Inositol Phosphatase (SKIP), another member of the mammaliam Type II phosphoinositide 5-phosphatases, was not sensitive to PtdSer. Our enzymatic data establish a specificity in the control of SHIP2 lipid phosphatase activity with PtdIns(3,4,5)P(3) as substrate which is depending on the fatty acid composition of the substrate.

Catalysis↗