Purification and characterization of a casein kinase from human erythrocyte cytosol

Abstract

A casein kinase was extracted from human erythrocyte cytosol and purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, chromatography on DEAE and phosphocellulose, and affinity chromatography on ATP-agarose. This enzyme did not use histone as a substrate; its activity was not stimulated by cyclic nucleotides. The pH of optimal activity was 6.5. The enzyme had an absolute requirement of Mg 2+ ions at an optimal concentration of 30 mM; activity was stimulated by Na + and K + at a maximal concentration of 0.125 M and inhibited by Ca 2+. Casein was used as a substrate with a Km of 0.25 mg/ml; ATP was the preferential phosphoryl donor with a Km of 14.7 μM; GTP may be used with a lower yield and a Km of 26.3 μM. ADP was a competitive inhibitor of ATP with a Ki of 14 μM. 2–3 DPG was an allosteric inhibitor of ATP with an apparent Ki of 4.6 mM and a Hill coefficient of 3.8. Kinetic data indicate that the reaction follows a coordinated mechanism with ATP as the first substrate and subsequent formation of a ternary complex with the protein. SDS-PAGE of the purified enzyme showed two different peptide chains of molecular weight 35 000 and 25 000.