title: cdc2-like kinase from rat spinal cord specifically phosphorylates KSPXK motifs in neurofilament proteins: isolation and characterization.
abstract: A protein kinase that phosphorylates a specific KSP sequence [K(S/T)PXK], which is abundant in high molecular weight neurofilament (NF) proteins, was identified and isolated from rat spinal cord. Characterization of this enzyme activity revealed a close relationship with p34cdc2 kinase with respect to its molecular mass (32.5 kDa by SDS/PAGE) and substrate specificities. It could phosphorylate a synthetic peptide analog of the simian virus 40 large tumor antigen, reportedly a specific substrate for p34cdc2 kinase. Histone (H1) and peptide analogs of the KSP sequence present in the C-terminal end of rat and mouse neurofilament proteins were phosphorylated. This kinase did not phosphorylate alpha-casein and peptide substrates of other known second messenger-dependent or -independent kinases. Dephosphorylated rat NF protein NF-H was strongly phosphorylated by the purified enzyme; NF proteins NF-M and native NF-H, but not NF-L, were slightly phosphorylated. Studies on synthetic peptide analogs of KSP repeats with substitution of specific residues, known to be present in the C-terminal regions of NF-H, revealed a consensus sequence of X(S/T)PXK, characteristic of the p34cdc2 kinase substrate. On Western blots, the enzyme was immunoreactive with antibody against the C-terminal end of cdc2 kinase (mouse) and neuronal cdc2-like kinase from rat but not with an antibody against the conserved PSTAIRE region of the p34cdc2 kinase. The antibody against the C-terminal end of cdc2 kinase could immunoprecipitate (immunodeplete) the purified kinase activity. Since the adult nervous system is composed primarily of postmitotic cells, the present observations indicate a nonmitotic role for this cdc2-like kinase activity. The effective phosphorylation of NF-H by this kinase suggests a function in axonal structure.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurochemistry, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pant
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000201:enzymology*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase