title: Phosphorylation of the myosin-binding subunit of myosin phosphatase by Raf-1 and inhibition of phosphatase activity.
abstract: Raf-1 serine/threonine protein kinase plays an important role in cell survival, proliferation, and migration; however, the specific targets of Raf-1 in diverse cellular processes are not clearly defined. Myosin phosphatase activity is critical to the regulation of cytoskeletal reorganization, cytokinesis, and cell motility. Here, we describe the association of Raf-1 with myosin phosphatase and phosphorylation of the regulatory myosin-binding subunit (MBS) of myosin phosphatase by Raf-1. Treatment of cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate has been shown to stimulate Raf-1 protein kinase. To determine the effect of enzymatic activation of Raf-1 on MBS phosphorylation, COS-1 cells were transiently transfected with FLAG-tagged full-length Raf-1. A significantly higher phosphorylation of purified glutathione S-transferase-tagged truncated MBS protein (amino acids 654-880) occurred in the presence of FLAG-Raf-1 immunoprecipitated from phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-treated cells compared with untreated cells ( approximately 3.0-fold). Using a sequential kinase-phosphatase assay and phosphorylated myosin light chain as substrate in the phosphatase reaction, we showed that Raf-1-associated protein phosphatase-specific activity was inhibited (relative phosphatase activity without and with adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate): 100 and approximately 30%, respectively). Previously, ionizing radiation has been shown to activate Raf-1 (Kasid, U., Suy, S., Dent, P., Ray, S., Whiteside, T. L., and Sturgill, T. W. (1996) Nature 382, 813-816). Exposure of cells to ionizing radiation resulted in the increased association of Raf-1 with MBS (3-6-fold versus unirradiated control) and inhibition of Raf-1-associated protein phosphatase-specific activity (relative phosphatase activity without and with ionizing radiation: 100 and approximately 54%, respectively). Our studies identify MBS as a new substrate of Raf-1 and implicate a role for Raf-1 in the regulation of pathways involving myosin phosphatase activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Medicine, Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
authors.forename: Constantinos G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Broustas
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grammatikakis
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eto
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dent
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Brautigan
authors.forename: Usha
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kasid
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002460:Cell Line; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D043263:Myosin-Light-Chain Phosphatase; D009218:Myosins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D043263:Myosin-Light-Chain Phosphatase; D009218:Myosins; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate