Myc oncoproteins are phosphorylated by casein kinase II.

Casein kinase II (CK-II) is a ubiquitous protein kinase, localized to both nucleus and cytoplasm, with strong specificity for serine residues positioned within clusters of acidic amino acids. We have found that a number of nuclear oncoproteins share a CK-II phosphorylation sequence motif, including Myc, Myb, Fos, E1a and SV40 T antigen. In this paper we show that cellular myc-encoded proteins, derived from avian and human cells, can serve as substrates for phosphorylation by purified CK-II in vitro and that this phosphorylation is reversible. One- and two-dimensional mapping experiments demonstrate that the major phosphopeptides from in vivo phosphorylated Myc correspond to the phosphopeptides produced from Myc phosphorylated in vitro by CK-II. In addition, synthetic peptides with sequences corresponding to putative CK-II phosphorylation sites in Myc are subject to multiple, highly efficient phosphorylations by CK-II, and can act as competitive inhibitors of CK-II phosphorylation of Myc in vitro. We have used such peptides to map the phosphorylated regions in Myc and have located major CK-II phosphorylations within the central highly acidic domain and within a region proximal to the C terminus. Our results, along with previous studies on myc deletion mutants, show that Myc is phosphorylated by CK-II, or a kinase with similar specificity, in regions of functional importance. Since CK-II can be rapidly activated after mitogen treatment we postulate that CK-II mediated phosphorylation of Myc plays a role in signal transduction to the nucleus.

Amino acid sequence of the beta subunit of bovine lung casein kinase II.

The amino acid sequence of the 209-residue beta subunit of bovine lung casein kinase II has been determined. Excluding the amino-terminal blocking group, which was not identified, the molecular weight of the polypeptide chain is 24,239. A marked polarity of the beta subunit is indicated by clusters of negative charges in the amino-terminal region and of positive charges in the carboxyl-terminal region. Whereas the beta subunit shows no homology with any known protein, a segment of the sequence of the larger and microheterogeneous alpha subunit exhibits homology with the catalytic domains of other protein kinases, particularly with the yeast cell-division-control protein CDC28.

Substrate specificity determinants for casein kinase II as deduced from studies with synthetic peptides.

The specificity of casein kinase II has been further defined by analyzing the kinetics of phosphorylation reactions using a number of different synthetic peptides as substrates. The best peptide substrates are those in which multiple acidic amino acids are present on both sides of the phosphorylatable serine or threonine. Acidic residues on the NH2-terminal side of the serine (threonine) greatly enhance the kinetic constants but are not absolutely required. Acidic residues on the COOH-terminal side of the serine (threonine) are absolutely required. One position for which the occupation of an acidic residue is especially critical is the position located 3 residues to the COOH terminus of the phosphate acceptor site, although the presence of an acidic amino acid in the positions that are 4 or 5 residues removed may also provide an appropriate structure that will serve as a substrate for the kinase. Aspartate serves as a better amino acid determinant than glutamate. A relatively short sequence of amino acids surrounding the phosphate acceptor site appears to serve as the basis for the specificity of casein kinase II. The peptides in this study were also assayed with casein kinase I and the casein kinase from the mammary gland so that the specificities of these kinases could be compared to that of casein kinase II.

Evidence from two transformed cell lines that the phosphorylations of peptide tyrosine and phosphatidylinositol are catalyzed by different proteins.

Two transformed rodent cell lines (RS-1 and LSTRA) were studied in vitro to determine if their major protein tyrosine kinases catalyzed the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PtdIns4P), or diacylglycerol. RS-1 cells, transformed by Rous sarcoma virus, contain high levels of pp60src; LSTRA cells, transformed by Moloney murine leukemia virus, contain a tyrosine kinase (pp56) that is the product of an unknown cellular gene. Rates of phosphorylation of peptide tyrosine were elevated more than 20-fold in RS-1 and LSTRA particulate fractions compared to fractions from suitable control cells (N2 and YAC-1), but there was not a proportional increase in rates of phosphorylation of PtdIns, PtdIns4P, or diacylglycerol. Heat (34 degrees C) completely inactivated the LSTRA tyrosine kinase, while it enhanced the phosphorylation of PtdIns and PtdIns4P and had no effect on the phosphorylation of diacylglycerol. PtdIns4P inhibited the phosphorylation of PtdIns but had no effect on tyrosine kinase activity. An antibody, raised against a peptide with a sequence homologous to the autophosphorylation site of pp60src, immunoprecipitated tyrosine kinase activity from RS-1 and LSTRA extracts but had no effect on PtdIns kinase or PtdIns4P kinase activity. These results provide evidence that the phosphorylations of tyrosine and PtdIns are catalyzed by different proteins. An additional observation was that a monoclonal antibody that binds to pp60src and pp56 removed PtdIns kinase as well as tyrosine kinase activity from RS-1 and LSTRA particulate extracts. This antibody also removed PtdIns kinase from N2 and YAC-1 extracts, in which tyrosine kinase activity was low or undetectable. Thus, the anti-pp60src monoclonal antibody may recognize the PtdIns kinase in addition to pp60src and pp56.

A synthetic peptide substrate specific for casein kinase II.

A synthetic peptide having the sequence Arg-Arg-Arg-Glu-Glu-Thr-Glu-Glu-Glu was found to serve as a convenient substrate for the protein kinase generally referred to as casein kinase II. The enzyme exhibited an apparent Km of 500 microM for the peptide, as compared to an apparent Km of 50 microM for casein. The maximum velocities for phosphorylation of the peptide and of casein were similar. The peptide was not phosphorylated by any of eight other protein kinases, all of which were shown to be active toward their known substrates. The peptide was used to monitor activity during steps in the purification of casein kinase II from bovine liver. These experiments demonstrated that with this peptide it is now possible to obtain specific measurements of casein kinase II activity in crude enzyme preparations.

A comparison of the insulin- and epidermal growth factor-stimulated protein kinases from human placenta.

The characteristics of the insulin- and epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated tyrosine-specific protein kinases in a wheat germ lectin-Sepharose-purified preparation of solubilized placenta membranes were compared. The specific activity of the insulin-stimulated kinase in this preparation was 72 nmol/min/mg whereas the specific activity of the EGF-stimulated kinase was 312 nmol/min/mg using a synthetic peptide as the phosphorylatable substrate. The two enzymes showed similar divalent metal ion requirements and nucleotide specificities. In addition, both kinases were inhibited by treatment with N-ethylmaleimide. However, the EGF-stimulated enzyme was more sensitive to modification by this reagent than was the insulin-stimulated kinase. When examined for their ability to utilize a number of different proteins as substrates, the insulin- and EGF-stimulated kinases exhibited similar but not identical substrate specificities. These similarities at the molecular level may be the basis of the similarity between the actions of insulin and EGF at the cellular level.

Inhibition of voltage-sensitive sodium channels in neuroblastoma cells and synaptosomes by the anticonvulsant drugs diphenylhydantoin and carbamazepine.

The inhibitory action of a number of clinically effective anticonvulsants on neurotoxin-activated sodium channels in cultured neuroblastoma cells and rat brain synaptosomes has been examined. Diphenylhydantoin (KI = 35 microM) and carbamazepine (KI = 41 microM) inhibited batrachotoxin-activated 22Na+ influx in N18 cells. Similarly, batrachotoxin-activated 22Na+ influx in rat brain synaptosomes was also inhibited by diphenylhydantoin (KI = 38 microM) and carbamazepine (KI = 22 microM). Comparison of KI values with mean brain levels of these drugs achieved during prevention of electroshock seizures indicates that diphenylhydantoin and carbamazepine occupy 35% and 50%, respectively, of their receptor sites associated with sodium channels at mean therapeutic concentrations. Diazepam (KI = 51 to 63 microM) and phenobarbital (KI = 1.2 to 1.3 mM) inhibited batrachotoxin-activated 22Na+ flux in N18 cells and synaptosomes at concentrations in excess of mean therapeutic central nervous system levels. Carbamazepine, like diphenylhydantoin, acts as a competitive inhibitor of sodium channel activation by the full agonist batrachotoxin, but produces mixed inhibition of veratridine-activated channels. This finding is consistent with the conclusion that both carbamazepine and diphenylhydantoin act as allosteric inhibitors of neurotoxin-activated sodium channels. The dose-response relationships for carbamazepine and diphenylhydantoin inhibition of 22Na+ flux in N18 cells are shifted 1.5-fold to higher concentrations when 22Na+ flux measurements are made in the presence of physiological concentrations of sodium and calcium ions. These results suggest that anticonvulsant inhibition of neurotoxin-activated 22Na+ flux in our standard ion flux media, containing low concentrations of Na+ and no Ca2+, is likely to reflect an effect of these agents expected in vivo. The results of this study provide further evidence to support the hypothesis that diphenylhydantoin and carbamazepine, both of which possess similar therapeutic profiles in the treatment of grand mal and partial seizures, may exert their pharmacological effects by occupancy of receptor sites associated with the activation of voltage-sensitive sodium channels in the central nervous system.

Expression of the chicken transferrin gene in transgenic mice.

The chicken transferrin gene was microinjected into the male pronucleus of fertilized mouse eggs, and the eggs were then implanted into foster mothers. Approximately 15%-30% of the offspring from the injected eggs carried chicken DNA sequences; restriction mapping indicated that multiple copies of the chicken gene had integrated into the genome in a tandem arrangement in most of the mice. Six of the seven mice studied expressed the chicken gene, and in five mice there was a 5 to 10 fold preferential expression of chicken transferrin mRNA in liver compared to that in other tissues. Chicken transferrin was secreted into the serum of five of the mice, where it reached steady state concentrations up to 67 micrograms/ml. Offspring from transgenic parents also expressed the chicken gene; in some cases the expression in offspring was very similar to the parent, but in one line expression in offspring had increased 2 to 4 fold.