title: In vivo phosphorylation of distinct domains of the 70-kilodalton neurofilament subunit involves different protein kinases.
abstract: A combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches were used to characterize phosphorylation sites on the 70,000-kilodalton (kDa) subunit of neurofilaments (NF-L) and to identify the protein kinases that are likely to mediate these modifications in vivo. Neurofilament proteins in a single class of neurons, the retinal ganglion cells, were pulse-labeled in vivo by injecting mice intravitreously with [32P]orthophosphate. Radiolabeled neurofilaments were isolated after they had advanced along optic axons, and the individual subunits were separated on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Two-dimensional alpha-chymotryptic phosphopeptide map analysis of NF-L revealed three phosphorylation sites: an intensely labeled peptide (L-1) and two less intensely labeled peptides (L-2 and L-3). The alpha-chymotryptic peptide L-1 was identified as the 11-kDa segment containing the C terminus of NF-L. The ability of these peptides to serve as substrates for specific protein kinases were examined by incubating neurofilament preparations with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of purified cAMP-dependent protein kinase or appropriate activators and/or inhibitors of endogenous cytoskeleton-associated protein kinases. The heparin-sensitive, calcium- and cyclic nucleotide-independent kinase associated with the cytoskeleton selectively phosphorylated L-1 and L-3 but had little, if any, activity toward L-2. When this kinase was inhibited with heparin, cAMP addition to the neurofilament preparation stimulated the phosphorylation of L-2, and addition of the purified catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase induced intense labeling of L-2. At higher labeling efficiencies, the exogenous kinase also phosphorylated L-3 and several sites at which labeling was not detected in vivo; however, L-1 was not a substrate. Calcium and calmodulin added to neurofilament preparations in the presence of heparin modestly stimulated the phosphorylation of L-1 and L-3, but not L-2, and the stimulation was reversed by trifluoperazine. The selective phosphorylation of different polypeptide domains on NF-L by second messenger-dependent and -independent kinases suggests multiple functions for phosphate groups on this protein.
authors.affiliation: Ralph Lowell Laboratories, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts 02178.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sihag
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Nixon
mesh_terms: D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000378:metabolism*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism*; D010449:Peptide Mapping; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D010748:Phosphopeptides / Q000032:analysis; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D010710:Phosphates; D010748:Phosphopeptides; D011494:Protein Kinases