Interference with immunoglobulin (Ig)alpha immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) phosphorylation modulates or blocks B cell development, depending on the availability of an Igbeta cytoplasmic tail.

To determine the function of immunoglobulin (Ig)alpha immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) phosphorylation, we generated mice in which Igalpha ITAM tyrosines were replaced by phenylalanines (Igalpha(FF/FF)). Igalpha(FF/FF) mice had a specific reduction of B1 and marginal zone B cells, whereas B2 cell development appeared to be normal, except that lambda1 light chain usage was increased. The mutants responded less efficiently to T cell-dependent antigens, whereas T cell-independent responses were unaffected. Upon B cell receptor ligation, the cells exhibited heightened calcium flux, weaker Lyn and Syk tyrosine phosphorylation, and phosphorylation of Igalpha non-ITAM tyrosines. Strikingly, when the Igalpha ITAM mutation was combined with a truncation of Igbeta, B cell development was completely blocked at the pro-B cell stage, indicating a crucial role of ITAM phosphorylation in B cell development.

Asymmetrical phosphorylation and function of immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif tyrosines in B cell antigen receptor signal transduction.

CD79a and CD79b function as transducers of B cell antigen receptor signals via a cytoplasmic sequence, termed the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM). ITAMs contain two conserved tyrosines that may become phosphorylated upon receptor aggregation and bind distinct effectors by virtue of the distinct preference of phosphotyrosyl-containing sequences for SH2 domains. To explore the function of CD79a and CD79b ITAM tyrosines, we created membrane molecules composed of MHC class II I-Ak extracellular and transmembrane domains, and CD79a or CD79b cytoplasmic domains in which one or both of the ITAM tyrosines were mutated to phenylalanine. Functional analysis revealed that both ITAM tyrosines are required for ligand-induced Syk phosphorylation. However CD79a-ITAM and CD79b-ITAM tyrosine phosphorylations were asymmetrical, with >80% of phosphorylation occurring on the N-terminal tyrosine (Y-E-G-L). Thus, these findings suggest that following receptor ligation, only a minor proportion of phosphorylated ITAMs are doubly phosphorylated and thus can engage Syk. Only the N-terminal ITAM tyrosine of CD79a was required for ligand-mediated phosphorylation of the receptor and a subset of downstream substrates, including p62, p110, and Shc, and for Ca2+ mobilization. However, responses mediated through CD79b exhibited a greater dependence on the presence of both tyrosines. Neither tyrosine in CD79a or CD79b appeared absolutely essential for Src family kinase phosphorylation. These results indicate that phosphorylations of the tyrosines in CD79a and CD79b occur with very different stoichiometry, and the respective tyrosyl residues have distinct functions.

Syk, but not Lyn, recruitment to B cell antigen receptor and activation following stimulation of CD45- B cells.

B cell Ag receptor (BCR) signaling occurs via tyrosine phosphorylation of CD79a and CD79b ITAMs, leading to recruitment and activation of Lyn and Syk tyrosine kinases and subsequent downstream events. CD45 expression is required for BCR triggering of certain of these downstream events, such as calcium mobilization and p21ras activation. However, the site in the BCR signaling cascade at which CD45 impinges is poorly defined. To address this question, we have studied CD45 function in the CD45-deficient (CD45-) and CD45-reconstituted (CD45+) J558L mu m3 plasmacytoma. In both CD45+ and CD45- cells, Ag stimulation led to CD79a and CD79b tyrosine phosphorylation as well as Syk tyrosine phosphorylation, recruitment to the receptors, and activation. In contrast to CD45+ cells, Lyn exhibited high basal tyrosine phosphorylation in the CD45- cells and was not further phosphorylated upon Ag stimulation. Mapping studies indicated that the observed constitutive phosphorylation of Lyn reflects phosphorylation of its C-terminal tyrosine, Y508, at high stoichiometry. Constitutively Y508-phosphorylated Lyn was neither recruited to the BCR nor activated upon Ag stimulation. Moreover, CD79a-ITAM phosphopeptides failed to bind Lyn from the CD45- cells. Thus, Y508 phosphorylation of Lyn occurs in the absence of cellular CD45 expression and appears to render the kinase unable to associate with the phosphorylated receptor complex via its Src homology 2 domain and to participate in signal propagation. Surprisingly, in view of previous findings implicating Src family kinases in ITAM phosphorylation, the data indicate that Ag-induced CD79a and CD79b tyrosine phosphorylation and Syk recruitment and activation can occur in the absence of CD45 expression and, hence, Src-family kinase activation.

Molecular targets of CD45 in B cell antigen receptor signal transduction.

Expression of the phosphotyrosine phosphatase CD45 is essential for B cell Ag receptor (BCR)-mediated p21ras activation and calcium mobilization. To examine the molecular basis of this requirement, we analyzed signaling events following BCR ligation in CD45-deficient (CD45-) and CD45-reconstituted (CD45+) variants of J558Lmicrom3 cells. Ag stimulation resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins in both cells. However, the spectrum of proteins phosphorylated in the CD45+ cells was qualitatively and/or quantitatively distinct from that in the CD45- cells. Among the protein tyrosine kinases examined, the Src family kinases Fyn and Blk were inducibly tyrosine phosphorylated and activated by receptor ligation only in CD45+ cells. While Ag-induced Btk tyrosine phosphorylation occurred in both cells, its activation was greatly diminished in the CD45- cells. Analysis of specific effector molecules revealed that tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, but not rasGAP or Vav, correlated with the unique ability of BCR ligation to trigger p21ras activation in CD45+ cells. BCR-mediated Shc phosphorylation and recruitment of Grb2 depended on CD45 expression. Thus, Shc tyrosine phosphorylation may be the primary CD45-dependent mechanism by which Ag receptors are coupled to the p21ras pathway in J558Lmicrom3. In addition, phospholipase Cgamma1 (PLCgamma1) and PLCgamma2 were tyrosine phosphorylated upon Ag stimulation in CD45- cells, despite much reduced inositol trisphosphate production and lack of calcium mobilization. These findings suggest that CD45 may modulate events other than PLCgamma phosphorylation, which regulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis and the calcium mobilization response following BCR ligation.

Pr-specific phytochrome phosphorylation in vitro by a protein kinase present in anti-phytochrome maize immunoprecipitates.

Protein kinase activity has repeatedly been found to co-purify with the plant photoreceptor phytochrome, suggesting that light signals received by phytochrome may be transduced or modulated through protein phosphorylation. In this study immunoprecipitation techniques were used to characterize protein kinase activity associated with phytochrome from maize (Zea mays L.). A protein kinase that specifically phosphorylated phytochrome was present in washed anti-phytochrome immunoprecipitates of etiolated coleoptile proteins. No other substrate tested was phosphorylated by this kinase. Adding salts or detergents to disrupt low-affinity protein interactions reduced background phosphorylation in immunoprecipitates without affecting phytochrome phosphorylation, indicating that the protein kinase catalytic activity is either intrinsic to the phytochrome molecule or associated with it by high-affinity interactions. Red irradiation (of coleoptiles or extracts) sufficient to approach photoconversion saturation reduced phosphorylation of immunoprecipitated phytochrome. Subsequent far-red irradiation reversed the red-light effect. Phytochrome phosphorylation was stimulated about 10-fold by a co-immunoprecipitated factor. The stimulatory factor was highest in immunoprecipitates when Mg2+ was present in immunoprecipitation reactions but remained in the supernatant in the absence of Mg2+. These observations provide strong support for the hypothesis that phytochrome-associated protein kinase modulates light responses in vivo. Since only phytochrome was found to be phosphorylated, the co-immunoprecipitated protein kinase may function to regulate receptor activity.

Regulation of phytochrome message abundance in root caps of maize.

In many cultivars of maize (Zea mays L.) red light affects root development via the photomorphogenetic pigment phytochrome. The site of perception for the light is the root cap. In the maize cultivar Merit, we investigated phytochrome-mediated events in the cap. We established that the message encoded by the phyA1 gene was most abundant in dark-grown tissue and was asymmetrically distributed in the root cap, with greatest expression in the cells which make up the central columella core of the cap. Phytochrome message was negatively autoregulated in a specific region within the root cap. This autoregulation was sensitive to very-low-fluence red light, and thus was characterized as a phytochrome-mediated, very-low-fluence event. The kinetics of message reaccumulation in the dark were also examined and compared to the kinetics of the light requirement for root gravitropism in this cultivar. Similarly, the degree of autoregulation present in two other maize cultivars with different light requirements for gravitropic sensitivity was investigated. It appears that the Merit cultivar expresses a condition of hypersensitivity to phytochrome-mediated light regulation in root tissues. We conclude that phytochrome regulates many activities within the cap, but the degree to which these activities share common phytochrome-mediated steps is not known.