scholarly journals Homodimerization of Nemo-like kinase is essential for activation and nuclear localization

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shizuka Ishitani ◽  
Kenji Inaba ◽  
Kunihiro Matsumoto ◽  
Tohru Ishitani
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Nerve Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Nuclear Localization ◽  
Biochemical Analysis ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Cellular Processes ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved

Nemo-like kinase (NLK) is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase that phosphorylates several transcription factors. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate NLK activity have been poorly understood. Here we show that homodimerization of NLK is required for its activation and nuclear localization. Biochemical analysis revealed that NLK is activated through intermolecular autophosphorylation of NLK dimers at Thr-286. Mutation of NLK at Cys-425, which corresponds to the defect in the Caenorhabditis elegans NLK homologue lit-1, prevented NLK dimerization, rendering NLK defective in both nuclear localization and kinase activity. By contrast, the external addition of nerve growth factor, which has been previously identified as an NLK activator, induced dimerization and Thr-286 autophosphorylation of endogenous NLK proteins. In addition, both dimerization and Thr-286 phosphorylation of NLK were found to be essential for induction of neurite-like cellular processes by NLK. The present findings suggest that dimerization is an initial key event required for the functional activation of NLK.

scholarly journals Nerve growth factor activates calcium-insensitive protein kinase C-ɛ in PC-12 rat pheochromocytoma cells

1993 ◽  
Vol 295 (3) ◽  
pp. 767-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Ohmichi ◽  
G Zhu ◽  
A R Saltiel
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase C ◽  
Nerve Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Pheochromocytoma Cells ◽  
Pc 12 Cells ◽  
Kinase C ◽  
Pkc Epsilon ◽  
Pkc Alpha

Protein kinase C (PKC) family members were examined in PC-12 rat pheochromocytoma cells to evaluate their role in the action of nerve growth factor (NGF). Immunoblot analysis of whole cell lysates using antibodies against various PKC isoforms revealed that PC-12 cells contained PKC-alpha, -delta, -epsilon and zeta. Assay of the protein kinase activity in these different anti-PKC immunoprecipitates demonstrated that NGF stimulated the kinase activity of PKC-epsilon, but not PKC-alpha, -delta and -zeta. Both histone phosphorylation and autophosphorylation of PKC-epsilon were increased by treatment of PC-12 cells with NGF. This increased phosphorylation observed in vitro is rapid, occurring maximally at 2.5 min and declining thereafter. Moreover, this effect of NGF is dose-dependent over physiological concentrations of the growth factor. Although the mechanistic basis for this specificity in PKC activation is not clear, NGF acutely stimulated the production of diacylglycerol without causing corresponding changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. These results suggest that NGF may selectively stimulate the Ca(2+)-insensitive epsilon isoform of PKC by a phosphatidylinositol-independent mechanism.

scholarly journals Association of a purine-analogue-sensitive protein kinase activity with p75 nerve growth factor receptors.

1993 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Volonté ◽  
A H Ross ◽  
L A Greene
Keyword(s):  
Nerve Growth Factor ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Pc12 Cells ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Cellular Systems ◽  
Protein Kinase Activity ◽  
Purine Analogues ◽  
Nerve Growth ◽  
Purine Analogue

Purine analogues are protein kinase inhibitors, and they block with varying potency and specificity certain of the biological actions of nerve growth factor (NGF). The analogue 6-thioguanine (6-TG) has been shown to inhibit with high specificity protein kinase N (PKN), a serine/threonine protein kinase activated by NGF in several cellular systems. In the present work, immunoprecipitates of p75 NGF receptors from PC12 cells (+/-NGF treatment) were assayed for protein kinase activity using the substrate myelin basic protein under phosphorylating conditions optimal for PKN and in the presence or absence of purine analogues. An NGF-inducible activity was detected, and approximately 80% was inhibited by purine analogues. This activity was maximally stimulated by NGF within 5-10 min, partially decreased by 60 min, and returned to basal levels after 15 h of NGF treatment. The analogue 6-TG inhibited the NGF-inducible p75-associated kinase activity with an IC50 in the range of 15-35 microM. In mutant PC12 nnr-5 cells that lack the Trk NGF receptor, the purine-analogue-sensitive p75-associated kinase activity was not inducible by NFG. In normal PC12 cells, cyclic AMP analogues and epidermal growth factor failed to induce the same activity. Application of either 2-aminopurine or 6-TG to intact cells only slightly inhibit the NGF-dependent induction of the purine-analogue-inhibited p75-associated kinase activity. This activity shares many similarities but also displays some significant differences with cytosolic PKN. Our findings therefore indicate the association of a purine-analogue-sensitive protein kinase with p75 NGF receptors.

scholarly journals Plant Phytochromes and their Phosphorylation

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (14) ◽  
pp. 3450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quyen T. N. Hoang ◽  
Yun-Jeong Han ◽  
Jeong-Il Kim
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Protein Kinases ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Kinase Activity ◽  
Protein Phosphatases ◽  
The Other ◽  
Light Signaling ◽  
Biochemical Mechanism ◽  
Reversible Phosphorylation

Extensive research over several decades in plant light signaling mediated by photoreceptors has identified the molecular mechanisms for how phytochromes regulate photomorphogenic development, which includes degradation of phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) and inactivation of COP1-SPA complexes with the accumulation of master transcription factors for photomorphogenesis, such as HY5. However, the initial biochemical mechanism for the function of phytochromes has not been fully elucidated. Plant phytochromes have long been known as phosphoproteins, and a few protein phosphatases that directly interact with and dephosphorylate phytochromes have been identified. However, there is no report thus far of a protein kinase that acts on phytochromes. On the other hand, plant phytochromes have been suggested as autophosphorylating serine/threonine protein kinases, proposing that the kinase activity might be important for their functions. Indeed, the autophosphorylation of phytochromes has been reported to play an important role in the regulation of plant light signaling. More recently, evidence that phytochromes function as protein kinases in plant light signaling has been provided using phytochrome mutants displaying reduced kinase activities. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the reversible phosphorylation of phytochromes and their functions as protein kinases in plant light signaling.

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