title: Alternative splicing controls myotonic dystrophy protein kinase structure, enzymatic activity, and subcellular localization.
abstract: Transcripts of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene, a member of the Rho kinase family, are subject to cell-type specific alternative splicing. An imbalance in the splice isoform profile of DMPK may play a role in the pathogenesis of DM1, a severe multisystemic disorder. Here, we report how structural subdomains determine biochemical properties and subcellular distribution of DMPK isoforms. A newly developed kinase assay revealed that DMPK is a Lys/Arg-directed kinase. Individual DMPK isoforms displayed comparable transphosphorylation activity and sequence preference for peptide substrates. However, DMPK autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of MYPT1 (as putative in vivo target of DMPK), were dependent on presence of an alternatively spliced VSGGG motif and the nature of the C terminus. In-gel effects of the VSGGG motif on the migration behavior of full-length kinase provide evidence for a model in which this motif mediates 3-D-conformational changes in DMPK isoforms. Finally, different C termini endow DMPK with the ability to bind to either endoplasmic reticulum or mitochondria or to adopt a cytosolic location. Our results suggest that DMPK isoforms have cell-type and location dependent substrate specificities with a role in organellar and cytoarchitectural dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen Center for Molecular Life Sciences, University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Derick G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Wansink
authors.forename: René E M A
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: van Herpen
authors.forename: Marga M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Coerwinkel-Driessen
authors.forename: Patricia J T A
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Groenen
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Hemmings
authors.forename: Bé
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wieringa
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019556:COS Cells; D002465:Cell Movement; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D043263:Myosin-Light-Chain Phosphatase; D065636:Myotonin-Protein Kinase; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011487:Protein Conformation; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: C585516:DMPK protein, mouse; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D065636:Myotonin-Protein Kinase; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D043263:Myosin-Light-Chain Phosphatase