title: Molecular basis for the substrate specificity of protein kinase B; comparison with MAPKAP kinase-1 and p70 S6 kinase.
abstract: The substrate specificity of protein kinase-B alpha (PKBalpha, also known as RAC kinase or Akt) was investigated using synthetic peptide substrates related to the sequence surrounding the phosphorylation site on glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3). The minimum sequence motif required for efficient phosphorylation was Arg-Xaa-Arg-Yaa-Zaa-Ser/Thr-Hyd, where Xaa is any amino acid, Yaa and Zaa are small residues other than glycine and Hyd is a bulky hydrophobic residue (Phe, Leu). The most effective substrate, Arg-Pro-Arg-Thr-Ser-Ser-Phe, was phosphorylated with a Km of 5 microM and Vmax of 260 U/mg. PKBalpha phosphorylated histone H2B (Km 5 microM, Vmax 68 U/mg) specifically at Ser-36 which also lies in an Arg-Xaa-Arg-Xaa-Xaa-Ser-Hyd motif. The peptide Arg-Pro-Arg-Ala-Ala-Thr-Phe may be a relatively specific substrate for PKBalpha because, unlike other substrates, it is not phosphorylated by p70 S6 kinase or MAP kinase activated protein (MAPKAP) kinase-1.
authors.affiliation: MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Alessi
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Caudwell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andjelkovic
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Hemmings
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019893:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases; D038744:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019893:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases; D038744:Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa