title: Movement of the free catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase into and out of the nucleus can be explained by diffusion.
abstract: The catalytic (C) subunit of cyclic AMP (cAMP) dependent protein kinase (PKA) has previously been shown to enter and exit the nucleus of cells when intracellular cAMP is raised and lowered, respectively. To determine the mechanism of nuclear translocation, fluorescently labeled C subunit was injected into living REF52 fibroblasts either as free C subunit or in the form of holoenzyme (PKA) in which the catalytic and regulatory subunits were labeled with fluorescein and rhodamine, respectively. Quantification of nuclear and cytoplasmic fluorescence intensities revealed that free C subunit nuclear accumulation was most similar to that of macromolecules that diffuse into the nucleus. A glutathione S-transferase-C subunit fusion protein did not enter the nucleus following cytoplasmic microinjection. Puncturing the nuclear membrane did not decrease the nuclear concentration of C subunit, and C subunit entry into the nucleus did not appear to be saturable. Cooling or depleting cells of energy failed to block movement of C subunit into the nucleus. Photobleaching experiments showed that even after reaching equilibrium at high [cAMP], individual molecules of C subunit continued to leave the nucleus at approximately the same rate that they had originally entered. These results indicate that diffusion is sufficient to explain most aspects of C subunit subcellular localization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0647.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Harootunian
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Meinkoth
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Tsien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D014361:Trypsin Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014361:Trypsin Inhibitors; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases