title: Kinase activity and subcellular distribution of a chimeric green fluorescent protein-tagged Janus kinase 2.
abstract: Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) is an essential intracellular signal transducer for numerous cytokines and hormones. To examine how JAK2 structural modifications can affect cellular physiology, we created expression vectors for chimeric proteins containing an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fused to rat JAK2 (EGFP/rJAK2), and a kinase-inactive variant, EGFP/rJAK2(K882E). The properties of EGFP/rJAK2 were examined following transient transfection of COS-7 cells. EGFP/rJAK2 was expressed throughout the cell, and was found in subcellular membrane, cytosolic and nuclear fractions. Interestingly, EGFP/rJAK2 phosphorylated other proteins in situ without additional cytokine stimulation. Furthermore, despite a much higher level of tyrosine phosphorylation arising from in situ autophosphorylation, the in vitro radiolabelling autokinase activity of EGFP/rJAK2 was significantly less than that of the endogenous JAK2. These results reveal a technical limitation of the application of the "conventional" in vitro radiolabelling autokinase assay to hyperphosphorylated forms of the enzyme and illustrate the potential weaknesses in individual assays commonly used to determine JAK2's enzymatic activity and subcellular distribution. We also suggest that the EGFP/rJAK2 model can be very useful in studying JAK2-related cancers, because its ubiquitous distribution and abnormal constitutive hyperphosphorylation may distinguish it from the cytokine-regulated, membrane-proximal form of JAK2 associated with normal physiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
authors.forename: Sheeyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Roy J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Duhé
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D017931:DNA Primers; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D053614:Janus Kinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D053614:Janus Kinase 2