title: Cyclic modulation of cross-linking interactions of microtubule-associated protein-2 with actin and microtubules by protein kinase FA.
abstract: The ATP.Mg-dependent type-1 protein phosphatase activating factor (factor FA) was identified as a brain protein kinase that could phosphorylate microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) and thereby inhibit cross-linking interactions of MAP-2 with actin filaments and microtubules isolated from porcine brain. The phosphorylation sites were found to be equally located on both projection and microtubule-binding domains of MAP-2. Phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that the phosphorylation sites were on both serine and threonine residues, indicating that factor FA is a serine/threonine-specific MAP-2 kinase. Conversely, factor FA was further identified as a MAP-2 phosphatase activator that could promote the dephosphorylation of 32P-MAP-2 phosphorylated by factor FA itself and thereby potentiate cross-linking interactions of MAP-2 with actin and microtubules. Furthermore, the two opposing functions of factor FA can be selectively modulated in a reciprocal manner by pH change. For instance, alkaline pH could stimulate factor FA to work as a MAP-2 kinase but simultaneously block it to work as a MAP-2 phosphatase activator to potentiate the inhibition on the cross-linking interactions of MAP-2 with actin and microtubules. Taken together, the results provide initial evidence that a cyclic modulation of cross-linking interactions of MAP-2 with actin filaments and microtubules can be controlled by factor FA, representing an efficient cyclic cascade control mechanism for rapid structural and functional regulation of neuronal cytoskeletal system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry*; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3