title: Catalysis of serine and tyrosine autophosphorylation by the human insulin receptor.
abstract: The protein kinase activity of human insulin receptors purified from Sf9 insect cells after infection with a recombinant baculovirus was evaluated. The following experimental observations led to the unexpected conclusion that this receptor protein catalyzes both serine and tyrosine autophosphorylation at significant stoichiometries. (i) Phosphorylation of lectin-purified insulin receptors with [gamma-32P]ATP resulted in rapid receptor tyrosine phosphorylation (7 mol of P per high-affinity binding site) and the delayed onset of insulin-stimulated receptor serine phosphorylation (about 7% of total phosphorylation). The tyrosine kinase inhibitor (hydroxy-2-naphthalenylmethyl)phosphonic acid (HNMPA), which has no effect on protein kinase C or cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activities, inhibited both the receptor serine and tyrosine phosphorylation. (ii) Phosphorylation of a synthetic peptide substrate composed of insulin receptor residues 1290-1319 on serines-1305/1306 by partially purified insulin receptors was also inhibited by HNMPA. (iii) Insulin receptors sequentially affinity-purified on immobilized wheat germ agglutinin and immobilized insulin showed no apparent contaminant proteins on silver-stained SDS/polyacrylamide gels yet catalyzed autophosphorylation on receptor serine and tyrosine residues when incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP. These results suggest that the catalytic site of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase also recognizes receptor serine residues as substrates for the phosphotransfer reaction. Furthermore, insulin-stimulated receptor serine phosphorylation in intact cells may occur in part by an autophosphorylation mechanism subsequent to tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor.
authors.affiliation: Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01605.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baltensperger
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Woon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vissavajjhala
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Czech
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010768:Phosphoserine / Q000378:metabolism*; D019000:Phosphotyrosine; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010768:Phosphoserine; D019000:Phosphotyrosine; D014443:Tyrosine; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011972:Receptor, Insulin