Phosphotyrosine Protein Research Articles

G Protein-coupled Receptors Mediate Two Functionally Distinct Pathways of Tyrosine Phosphorylation in Rat 1a Fibroblasts: Shc PHOSPHORYLATION AND RECEPTOR ENDOCYTOSIS CORRELATE WITH ACTIVATION OF Erk KINASES

The Ras-dependent activation of Erk kinases by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is thought to involve tyrosine phosphorylation of docking proteins that serve as scaffolds for the plasma membrane recruitment of Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factors, such as the Grb2-mSos complex. We have investigated the role of two GPCR-regulated tyrosine phosphoproteins, p125(FAK) (FAK) and Shc, in the Ras-dependent activation of Erk kinases by endogenously expressed GPCRs in Rat 1a fibroblasts. Several lines of evidence suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK and Shc are independently regulated. The GPCRs for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), thrombin, and bombesin mediate equivalent increases in FAK tyrosine phosphorylation and FAK-Grb2 association. In contrast, only LPA and thrombin receptors significantly stimulate Shc tyrosine phosphorylation and Shc-Grb2 complex formation. Tyrosine phosphorylation of FAK is pertussis toxin-insensitive, can be mimicked by calcium ionophore, and is inhibited by treatment with cytochalasin D, which depolymerizes the actin cytoskeleton. In contrast, tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc is inhibited by pertussis toxin treatment, is not induced by calcium ionophore, and is insensitive to cytochalasin D. In each case, the rapid stimulation of Erk 1/2 correlates with tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc but not of FAK. The dissociation of FAK-Grb2 complex formation from receptor-mediated activation of Erk 1/2 indicates that recruitment of Grb2-mSos to the plasma membrane is not sufficient to mediate rapid Erk activation. Using four mechanistically distinct inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, concanavalin A, hypertonic medium, depletion of intracellular potassium, and monodansylcadaverine, we find that GPCR-mediated Erk 1/2 activation is also endocytosis-dependent. Thus, we propose that an additional step involving vesicle-mediated endocytosis is required for the rapid, Ras-dependent activation of Erk kinases in fibroblasts.

The universal stress protein, UspA, of Escherichia coli is phosphorylated in response to stasis

Transcriptional induction of the uspA gene of Escherichia coli occurs whenever conditions cause growth arrest and cells deficient in UspA survive poorly in stationary phase. We demonstrate that the product of uspA is a serine and threonine phosphoprotein. In vivo, three isoforms of UspA were detected, two of which were phosphorylated as determined by alkaline phosphatase treatment; in vitro, phosphorylation with [γ- 32P]ATP yielded two radioactive UspA isoforms. The phosphorylated isoforms were barely visible in growing cells but one increased during starvation conditions causing growth arrest. This phosphorylation is dependent on the o591 gene, which encodes an autophosphorylating tyrosine phosphoprotein and which is involved in the synthesis or modification of six other proteins. In vitro, UspA undergoes a rapid and dynamic autophosphorylation, as shown by chase experiments with GTP or ATP as phosphate donors.

Characterization of a bacterial gene encoding an autophosphorylating protein tyrosine kinase.

Acinetobacter johnsonii harbors a protein tyrosine kinase activity that is able to catalyze autophosphorylation, like a number of eukaryotic tyrosine kinases. A biochemical and genetic analysis of this enzyme was performed. Maximum phosphorylation in vitro was obtained by incubating the kinase for 2 min at pH 7.0 in the presence of 5 mM magnesium chloride. In contrast to eukaryotic enzymes, no inhibitory effect of genistein and no phosphorylation of synthetic substrates such as poly (Glu80 Tyr20) or angiotensin II were observed. The analysis of the bacterial kinase by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of at least five isoforms, all phosphorylated exclusively at tyrosine, which supports the concept that autophosphorylation occurs at multiple sites within the protein. The cloning and nucleotide sequencing of the gene encoding this kinase were achieved, which represents the first molecular characterization of a gene of this type in bacteria. An open reading frame of 2199 nucleotides encoding a protein of 82,373 Da was detected. The analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence suggested a possible involvement of the enzyme in cell recognition and bacterial pathogenicity. In addition, the cloning and sequencing of the region immediately upstream of the gene encoding the kinase revealed a novel open reading frame of 426 nucleotides encoding a phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase of 16,217 Da, which indicates that autophosphorylation on tyrosine is a physiologically reversible reaction.

Hrs Is Associated with STAM, a Signal-transducing Adaptor Molecule: ITS SUPPRESSIVE EFFECT ON CYTOKINE-INDUCED CELL GROWTH

We previously reported a new type of signal-transducing adaptor molecule, STAM, which was shown to be involved in cytokine-mediated intracellular signal transduction. In this study, we molecularly cloned a 110-kDa phosphotyrosine protein inducible by stimulation with interleukin 2 (IL-2). The 110-kDa molecule was found to be a human counterpart of mouse Hrs (hepatocyte growth factor-regulated tyrosine kinase substrate) and to be associated with STAM. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Hrs is induced rapidly after stimulation with IL-2 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor as well as hepatocyte growth factor. The mutual association sites of Hrs and STAM include highly conserved coiled-coil sequences, suggesting that their association is mediated by the coiled-coil structures. Exogenous introduction of the wild-type Hrs significantly suppressed DNA synthesis upon stimulation with IL-2 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, while the Hrs mutant deleted of the STAM-binding site lost such suppressive ability. These results suggest that Hrs counteracts the STAM function which is critical for cell growth signaling mediated by the cytokines.

Immunoradiometrical measurement of cytokeratin 19 fragment in normal and complicated pregnant women

Tyrosine phosphoproteins of size 115–120 kDa were purified from membranes of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) infected with Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). A mouse was immunized with these proteins, and the immune serum was used to screen a CEF cDNA expression library. A highly immunoreactive clone (KS5) was identified and characterized. The cDNA of this clone is 2.3 kb in length with a short 5′ UTR and a single major open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polypeptide of 719 amino acids, with a calculated molecular weight of 81.1 kDa. The encoded protein contains an amino terminal PDZ domain, followed by a predicted coiled-coil region, a PEST domain, and a carboxy-terminal SAM domain. Consensus sequence motifs for tyrosine phosphorylation are also present, as are consensus sequences for the binding of SH2 and PDZ domains. Antisera from mice immunized with bacterially expressed fragments of the KS5 protein recognized proteins of size 230, 116, and 65 kDa in CEF. In other chicken embryo tissues, a 116-kDa species was the predominant protein recognized. The 116-kDa species is tyrosine-phosphorylated in RSV-CEF. The presence of PDZ and SAM domains in the KS5 protein suggests that it may act as a molecular adaptor, promoting and relaying information in a signal transduction pathway. It is a member of a family of related proteins, all of which have a highly conserved PDZ domain adjacent to a coiled-coil region. Two other members of this family are the neuronal proteins spinophilin (Allen, P.B., Ouimet, C.C., Greengard, P., 1997. Spinophilin, a novel protein phosphatase 1 binding protein localized to dendritic spines. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94, 9956-9961) and neurabin (Nakanishi, H., Obaishi, H., Satoh, A., Wada, M., Mandai, K., Satoh, K., Nishioka, H., Matsuura, Y., Mizoguchi, A., Takai, Y., 1997. Neurabin: A novel neural tissue-specific actin filament-binding protein involved in neurite formation. J. Cell Biol. 139, 951–961).

Bradykinin-Induced Collapse of Rat Pheochromocytoma (PC12) Cell Growth Cones: A Role for Tyrosine Kinase Activity

Pathfinding of growing nerve processes is guided by extracellular guidance cues. Here we report growth cone collapse of NGF-differentiated PC12 cells in culture evoked by the neuropeptide bradykinin. The growth cone response is mediated by B2 bradykinin receptors. Two different effects were distinguished. (1) Disappearance of filopodia occurred together with a loss of fibrillar actin (F-actin) in the growth cones at picomolar concentrations of bradykinin. The relative F-actin content was measured by means of rhodamine-phalloidin fluorescence using confocal microscopy. (2) Bradykinin-induced Ca2+ release and retraction of the neurite occurred at nanomolar concentrations. Ca2+ responses at single growth cones were measured using a 1:1 mixture of fura-red and fluo-3 Ca2+-sensitive dyes. The [Ca2+]i rise is not a prerequisite for the observed effects, because F-actin loss and retraction occurred during inhibition of Ca2+ responses. In contrast, inhibition by genistein pointed to a tyrosine kinase activity in the bradykinin-evoked cellular events. Subsequent analysis of phosphotyrosine proteins revealed that bradykinin stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the cytoskeleton-associated protein paxillin and the nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinase pp60(c-src). Paxillin and pp60(c-src) co-precipitated after bradykinin treatment. Immunostaining experiments showed punctate distribution of paxillin along PC12 neurites and in growth cones. Taken together, our data suggest that pp60(c-src) and paxillin are putative components of the intracellular signaling pathway of bradykinin-mediated neurite retraction and provide evidence for a crosstalk between G-protein- and tyrosine kinase-dependent pathways in these cellular events.

Induced direct binding of the adapter protein Nck to the GTPase-activating protein-associated protein p62 by epidermal growth factor.

The SH3-SH3-SH3-SH2 adapter protein Nck links receptor tyrosine kinases, such as EGF and PDGF receptors, to downstream signaling pathways, among which p21cdc42/rac-activated kinase cascade, Sos-activated Ras signaling and the human Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome protein (WASp)-mediated actin cytoskeleton changes, have been implicated. In EGF stimulated cells, Nck co-immunoprecipitates with a number of phosphotyrosine proteins including the EGF receptor (Li et al., 1992 Mol. Cell. Biol. 12: 5824-2833). To identify the phosphotyrosine protein(s) that directly interacts with Nck and to distinguish it from indirectly associated proteins, preexisting phosphoytrosine protein complexes in the cell lysate were dissociated by heat and SDS prior to the test for binding to Nck. We found that Nck does not directly bind to EGF receptor, instead it binds via its SH2 domain to a 62 kDa phosphotyrosine protein. We present evidence demonstrating that the Nck-bound p62 is related to the previously identified GTPase-activating protein (GAP)-associated phosphotyrosine protein p62. (1) The Nck-bound and the GAP-bound p62 proteins co-migrate with each other in SDS-PAGE. (2) SH2 domains from Nck and GAP compete for binding to p62 in vitro. (3) Purified GST-Nck-SH2 binds directly to the GAP-associated p62. Under these conditions, SH2 domains from PLCgamma, PI-3 kinase, SHC, and Grb2 did not bind p62. (4) Tryptic phosphopeptide maps of the Nck- and the GAP-associated p62 proteins are identical. However, Nck and GAP do not co-immunoprecipitate with each other and apparently bind to different pools of p62. This study suggests that the GAP-associated p62 acts as an SH2 domain docking protein and mediates the interaction between Nck and EGF receptor in response to EGF stimulation.

Identification of Two Tyrosine Phosphoproteins, pp70 and pp68, Which Interact with Phospholipase Cγ, Grb2, and Vav after B Cell Antigen Receptor Activation

Tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins mediates the assembly and localization of effector proteins through interactions facilitated by modular Src homology 2 (SH2) and phosphotyrosine binding domains. We describe here two tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins with Mr values of 70,000 and 68,000 that interact with Grb2, phospholipase C (PLCgamma1 and PLCgamma2), and Vav after B cell receptor cross-linking. The interaction of pp70 and pp68 with PLC and Vav is mediated by the carboxyl-terminal SH2 domain of PLC and the SH2 domain of Vav. In contrast, the interaction of pp70 and pp68 with Grb2 requires cooperative binding of the SH2 and SH3 domains of Grb2. Western blot analysis demonstrated that neither pp70 nor pp68 represented the recently described linker protein SLP-76, which binds Grb2, PLC, and Vav in T cells after T cell receptor activation. Moreover, SLP-76 protein was not detected in a number of B cell lines or in normal mouse B cells. Hence, we propose that pp70 and pp68 likely represent B cell homologs of SLP-76 which facilitate and coordinate B cell activation.

LMW-PTP Is a Negative Regulator of Insulin-Mediated Mitotic and Metabolic Signalling

To understand the physiological role of low Mr weight phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase (LMW-PTP) in insulin mediated signaling, we established clonal cell lines overexpressing the dominant negative (C12S mutant) LMW-PTP (dnLMW-PTP) from NIH3T3 murine fibroblasts expressing insulin receptor. Upon insulin stimulation we observe an association between the dnLMW-PTP and the β-subunit of the insulin receptor. This association is dependent on the tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor since it is not observed in unstimulated cells. Furthermore, in vitro binding experiments between dnLMW-PTP and the insulin receptor reveal that the interaction is mediated by the LMW-PTP catalytic site, as indicated by competition with orthovanadate. DnLMW-PTP overexpression influences both the mitogenic and the metabolic bioeffects of insulin. In particular, in cells overexpressing dnLMW-PTP we observe an increase in the glycogenosynthesis rate and in mitosis as indicated by glucose incorporation into glycogen and thymidine incorporation into DNA, respectively. Moreover, we studied the insulin mediated signal transduction pathways starting from insulin receptor, such as the Src kinase, the p21Ras/ERK, and the PI3K routes. Our findings are consistent with a specific regulation of mitogenesis by LMW-PTP through a pathway involving c-Src kinase but independent by both PI3K and ERK. These data strongly suggest that LMW-PTP acts as a negative regulator of both mitogenetic and metabolic insulin signalling.

Structure and function of the low Mr phosphotyrosine protein phosphatases

Phosphotyrosine protein phosphatases (PTPases) catalyse the hydrolysis of phosphotyrosine residues in proteins and are hence implicated in the complex mechanism of the control of cell proliferation and differentiation. The low M r PTPases are a group of soluble PTPases displaying a reduced molecular mass; in addition, a group of low molecular mass dual specificity (ds)PTPases which hydrolyse phosphotyrosine and phosphoserine/threonine residues in proteins are known. The enzymes belonging to the two groups are unrelated to each other and to other PTPase classes except for the presence of a CXXXXXRS/T sequence motif containing some of the catalytic residues (active site signature) and for the common catalytic mechanism, clearly indicating convergent evolution. The low M r PTPases have a long evolutionary history since microbial (prokaryotic and eukaryotic) counterparts of both tyrosine-specific and dsPTPases have been described. Despite the relevant number of data reported on the structural and catalytic features of a number of low M r PTPases, only limited information is presently available on the substrate specificity and the true biological roles of these enzymes, in prokaryotic, yeast and eukaryotic cells.

A Novel 160-kDa Phosphotyrosine Protein in Insulin-treated Embryonic Kidney Cells Is a New Member of the Insulin Receptor Substrate Family

We have previously identified a 160-kDa protein in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells that undergoes rapid tyrosine phosphorylation in response to insulin (PY160) (Kuhné, M. R., Zhao, Z., and Lienhard, G. E. (1995) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 211, 190-197). The phosphotyrosine form of PY160 was purified from insulin-treated HEK 293 cells by anti-phosphotyrosine immunoaffinity chromatography, the sequences of peptides determined, and its cDNA cloned. The PY160 cDNA encodes a 1257-amino acid protein that contains, in order from its N terminus, a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, a phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domain, and, spread over the C-terminal portion, 12 potential tyrosine phosphorylation sites. Several of these sites are in motifs expected to bind specific SH2 domain-containing proteins: YXXM (7 sites), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; YVNM (1 site), Grb-2; and YIEV (1 site), either the protein-tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 or phospholipase Cgamma. Furthermore, the PH and PTB domains are highly homologous (at least 40% identical) to those found in insulin receptor substrates 1, 2, and 3 (IRS-1, IRS-2, and IRS-3). Thus, PY160 is a new member of the IRS family, which we have designated IRS-4.

Human Phospholipase D1 Can Be Tyrosine-phosphorylated in HL-60 Granulocytes

The human phospholipase D1 (hPLD1) has recently been cloned. Although recent data have implicated PLD in receptor-stimulated secretion, the regulation of the activity of PLD enzymes remains to be clarified. Purified hPLD1 is activated by several cytosolic cofactors among which are protein kinase Calpha, ARF, and RhoA. In human granulocytes, a strong correlation between tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins and PLD activity has been established. In this study, the presence of hPLD1 in HL-60 granulocytes and its phosphorylation on tyrosine residues have been studied. We generated antipeptide antibodies (Abs) specific for hPLD1 but not PLD2 as shown by Western blotting (WB) of recombinant PLD1 and PLD2. These Abs identified the presence of hPLD1 in HL-60 cells with the bulk of it being detected in the membranes and only a minor fraction in the cytosol. The hPLD1 Abs detected a major band at 120 kDa (PLD1a) and a minor band at 115 kDa (PLD1b). The specificity of the Abs was confirmed using PLD antisera neutralized with the immunizing peptides. The two forms of hPLD1 were consistently detected by immunoprecipitation under nondenaturing and denaturing conditions following a WB analysis with hPLD1 Abs. Following exposure of HL-60 cells to peroxides of vanadate (V4+-OOH), an inhibitor of tyrosine phosphatases, hPLD1 was immunoprecipitated under nondenaturing conditions from HL-60 cell lysates and assayed for tyrosine phosphorylation by WB. hPLD1 comigrated with a 120-kDa tyrosine phosphorylated protein by gel electrophoresis. Other tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides of 160, 140, 135, 90, and 75-80 kDa were also detected in hPLD1 immune complexes. hPLD1 and the associated tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were not immunoprecipitated by neutralized hPLD1 Abs. Using denaturing conditions, the PLD immunoprecipitates were sequentially immunoblotted with anti-PLD1 and anti-phosphotyrosine Abs. PLD1a and PLD1b were detected, and the major PLD1a protein was superimposable with a major tyrosine-phosphorylated protein detected at 120 kDa. Conversely, PLD1a and PLD1b were recovered, at least in part, in the anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates. These results provide evidence that two PLD1 forms are expressed in human granulocytes. Furthermore, in response to stimulation by V4+-OOH, PLD1 was tyrosine-phosphorylated and associated with several, presently undefined, tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins.

BRCA1 proteins are transported to the nucleus in the absence of serum and splice variants BRCA1a, BRCA1b are tyrosine phosphoproteins that associate with E2F, cyclins and cyclin dependent kinases.

BRCA1, a familial breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility gene encodes nuclear phosphoproteins that function as tumor suppressors in human breast cancer cells. Previously, we have shown that overexpression of a BRCA1 splice variant BRCA1a accelerates apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. In an attempt to determine whether the subcellular localization of BRCA1 is cell cycle regulated, we have studied the subcellular distribution of BRCA1 in asynchronous and growth arrested normal, breast and ovarian cancer cells using different BRCA1 antibodies by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining. Upon serum starvation of NIH3T3, some breast and ovarian cancer cells, most of the BRCA1 protein redistributed to the nucleus revealing a new type of regulation that may modulate the activity of BRCA1 gene. We have also characterized two new variant BRCA1 proteins (BRCA1a/p110 and BRCA1b/ p100) which are phosphoproteins containing phosphotyrosine. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting analysis indicate cytoplasmic and nuclear localization of BRCA1a and BRCA1b proteins. To elucidate the biological function of BRCA1, we created a bacterial fusion protein of glutathione-transferase (GST) and BRCA1 zinc finger domain and detected two cellular proteins with molecular weights of approximately 32 and 65 kD, one of which contains phosphotyrosine designated p32 and p65 BRCA1 interacting proteins (BIP) that specifically interact with BRCA1. Western blot analysis of BIP with cyclins/CDKs and E2F antisera indicated association with cdc2, cdk2, cdk4, cyclin B, cyclin D, cyclin A and E2F-4 but not with cdk3, cdk5, cdk6, E2F-1, E2F-2, E2F-3, E2F-5 and cyclin E. Furthermore, we have also demonstrated a direct interaction of in vitro translated BRCA1a and BRCA1b proteins with recombinant cyclin A, cyclin B1, cyclin D1, cdc2, cdk2 and E2F fusion proteins in vitro. Taken together these results seem to suggest that BRCA1 could be an important negative regulator of cell cycle that functions through interaction with E2F transcriptional factors and phosphorylation by cyclins/cdk complexes with the zinc ring finger functioning as a major protein-protein interaction domain. If the interactions we observe in vitro is also seen in vivo then it may be possible that lack or impaired binding of the disrupted BRCA1 proteins to E2F, cyclins/CDKs in patients with mutations in the zinc finger domain could deprive the cell of an important mechanism for braking cell proliferation leading to the development of breast and ovarian cancers.

Nerve growth factor protects PC12 cells against peroxynitrite-induced apoptosis via a mechanism dependent on phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) prevents apoptosis induced by the oxidant peroxynitrite in undifferentiated PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells. Previous studies have shown that activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) by NGF via the TrkA receptor tyrosine kinase protects PC12 cells from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis. We found that two PI 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin and LY294002, eliminated the protection NGF provided against peroxynitrite-induced apoptosis at concentrations consistent with their effectiveness as PI 3-kinase inhibitors. When the activity of PI 3-kinase was assayed in phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates after treatment of PC12 cells with peroxynitrite, PI 3-kinase activity was reduced by 50% of that detected in control cells, whereas PI 3-kinase activity in NGF-treated cells was unaffected by peroxynitrite. If an antibody against PI 3-kinase was used to immunoprecipitate the enzyme, treatment with peroxynitrite had no effect on activity. Therefore, peroxynitrite appeared to disrupt interactions between PI 3-kinase and phosphotyrosine proteins, rather than directly inhibiting the enzyme. NGF also activates p21Ras-dependent pathways, but this did not appear to be required for NGF to exert its protective effect against peroxynitrite. PC12 cells expressing a dominant inhibitory mutant of p21Ras were equally susceptible to peroxynitrite-induced apoptosis, which was prevented by NGF. Wortmannin was also able to block the protective effect of NGF in the p21Ras mutant cell line. Although many signaling pathways are activated by NGF, these results suggest that a PI 3-kinase-dependent pathway is important for inhibiting peroxynitrite-induced apoptosis.

Tyrosine phosphorylation is required for ehrlichial internalization and replication in P388D1 cells.

Replication of Ehrlichia risticii was inhibited in P388D1 cells when a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor (genistein or herbimycin A) was added after internalization of the organism at 3 h postinfection. Upon addition of genistein at day 1, 2, 3, or 4 postinfection, further proliferation of E. risticii was prevented. The inhibition was reversible, since regrowth of E. risticii occurred upon the removal of genistein. Genistein prevented spreading of E. risticii from P388D1 cells to THP-1 cells. Genistein did not prevent binding of [35S]methionine-labeled E. risticii to P388D1 cells but did prevent internalization of [35S]methionine-labeled E. risticii. 14CO2 production from L-[14C]glutamine in Percoll density gradient-purified E. risticii was not inhibited by genistein or herbimycin A, which suggests that these reagents did not directly inhibit ehrlichial energy metabolism. Double indirect immunofluorescence labeling with antiphosphotyrosine antibody and anti-E. risticii antibody revealed colocalization of tyrosine phosphoproteins with ehrlichial inclusions. There was, however, no colocalization of phosphotyrosine with phagosomes containing 0.5-microm-diameter fluorescent beads. Western immunoblot analysis revealed that 52- and 54-kDa proteins were tyrosine phosphorylated only in infected cells and that phosphorylation of these two proteins was reduced when infected cells were treated with genistein for 6 h. These results suggest that protein tyrosine phosphorylation is specific and essential for ehrlichial internalization, replication, and spreading in macrophages but not for binding.

Intimin-dependent binding of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli to host cells triggers novel signaling events, including tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-gamma1.

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) interactions with HeLa epithelial cells induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of a host protein of approximately 150 kDa, Hp150. Phosphorylation of this protein band was dependent on the interaction of the EPEC protein intimin with epithelial cell surfaces and was correlated with pedestal formation. Hp150 phosphorylation was specifically inhibited by the addition of cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of actin polymerization, although this appeared to be an indirect effect preventing interaction of intimin with its receptor, tyrosine-phosphorylated Hp90, and thus triggering Hp150 phosphorylation. This suggests the involvement of an actin-based movement of membrane-bound tyrosine-phosphorylated Hp90 to allow its interaction with intimin. Analysis of the tyrosine-phosphorylated Hp150 protein demonstrated that it is heterogeneous in composition, with phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) being a minor component. Activation of PLC-gamma1 by tyrosine phosphorylation leads to inositol triphosphate and Ca2+ fluxes, events detected following EPEC infection. EPEC also induced tyrosine dephosphorylation of host proteins, including a 240-kDa host protein (Hp240), following EPEC infection. Protein dephosphorylation appears to be a signaling event which occurs independently of intimin. Inhibition of host tyrosine dephosphorylation events by the addition of the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor sodium vanadate did not prevent actin accumulation beneath the adherent bacteria. We conclude that EPEC induces two sets of signaling events following infection. One set is dependent on EPEC proteins secreted by the type III secretion pathway (EspA and EspB) which induces Hp90 tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of host phosphotyrosine proteins. The second set, which is also dependent on the first signaling events, requires intimin interaction with its receptor, tyrosine-phosphorylated Hp90, to trigger Hp150 and PLC-gamma1 tyrosine phosphorylation as well as pedestal formation. Inhibition of pedestal formation by tyrosine kinase inhibitors indicates an important role for tyrosine phosphorylation events during EPEC subversion of host processes.

Tyrosine phosphorylation in contraction of opossum esophageal longitudinal muscle in response to SNP.

Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) has been shown to elicit a guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP)-mediated, indomethacin-sensitive contraction of the opossum esophageal longitudinal muscle. We examined the role of tyrosine phosphorylation in the signal transduction pathway of contractions induced by SNP and cGMP in longitudinal muscle strips in vitro. Force of isometric contractions was expressed as the percentage of responses to KCl (73 mM). SNP (100 microM)-induced contractions were 75 +/- 5% before and 3 +/- 2% after 50 microM genistein (P < 0.005) and 86 +/- 16% before and 0 +/- 0% after 50 microM tyrphostin B46. Contractions in response to 8-bromo-cGMP (8-BrcGMP; 1 mM) were 74 +/- 15% before and 3 +/- 2% after genistein (P < 0.01) and 63 +/- 15% before and 18 +/- 4% after tyrphostin B46 (P < 0.05). In contrast, KCl-induced contractions were 82 +/- 8% and 96 +/- 9% of the control value after genistein and tyrphostin B46 treatments, respectively (P > 0.05 for both). Carbachol contractions were partially suppressed by genistein (106 +/- 8% vs. 79 +/- 8%; P < 0.05) but unaffected by tyrphostin B46 (114 +/- 10% vs. 107 +/- 12%; P > 0.05). Western blot analysis revealed a 116-kDa phosphotyrosine protein in the control muscle strips. The level of this protein was increased to 206 +/- 15% of control after SNP treatment. Both genistein and tyrphostin B46 blocked this increase. These studies show that contractions of the esophageal longitudinal muscle induced by SNP and cGMP utilize a signal transduction pathway different from that used by the depolarizing agent KCl and the muscarinic agonist carbachol. Contractions induced by SNP and cGMP involve tyrosine phosphorylation of a protein, possibly identified as a 116-kDa protein, as a key step in the signaling pathway.

Expression of insulin receptors and of 60-kDa receptor substrate in rat mature and immature enterocytes.

The mechanism(s) by which rat immature enterocytes exhibit increased responsiveness to insulin before weaning is unknown. Therefore, we have analyzed the distribution, ontogeny, and molecular properties of insulin receptors (IR) and of related substrates in immature and mature enterocytes. IR were studied by radioligand binding assays, cross-linking labeling, immunohistochemistry, and in vitro phosphorylated substrates by immunoprecipitation. Regardless of age, 125I-insulin binding to IR was five times higher in crypt cells than in villus cells and two times higher in the ileum than in the jejunum. Binding capacity to villus cells from sucklings (day 14) exceeded three times that of older animals (day 30 and day 60). Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding data confirmed an age-related decrease in low- and high-affinity receptor classes without change in affinity constants. In concordance, both alpha- and beta-IR subunits were more abundant in immature than in mature membranes. In vitro, insulin elicited the phosphorylation of three membrane proteins (96, 60 and 42 kDa), whose signals were virtually inhibited by preincubating membranes with antireceptor monoclonal antibodies. By immunoprecipitation, the 60-kDa signal was rapidly detected as a tyrosine-phosphorylated protein, expressed in mature and immature membranes, and identified as a receptor substrate phosphorylated in vitro by the IR tyrosine kinase. In conclusion, 1) increased responsiveness of rat immature enterocytes to insulin could be related to high membrane concentrations of IR and 2) normal rat enterocytes express a 60-kDa phosphotyrosine protein identified as a direct substrate of the IR tyrosine kinase.

A novel human ERK phosphatase regulates H-ras and v-raf signal transduction.

A cDNA encoding a novel human extracellularly-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphatase, designated B59, was isolated from a B5/589 human mammary epithelial cell cDNA library. The 1104 nucleotide open reading frame encodes 368 amino acids including the highly conserved catalytic site sequence of protein phosphotyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), VXVHCXXGXXR, at amino acid position 276-287. The predicted 70 amino acid stretch surrounding the HC motif shares significant sequence identity with other human dual specificity PTPs (dsPTPs), including the known ERK PTPs CL100, PAC1, B23, as well as the dsPTPs VH-1 and VHR. B59 protein synthesized in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate dephosphorylated rat ERK1 and ERK2 proteins whose phosphorylation had been stimulated by v-mos kinase added to the lysate. Ectopic expression of B59 in NIH3T3 fibroblasts inhibited the induction of an oncogene-responsive promoter by the dominant-activating raf mutant, raf-BXB. Moreover, cotransfection of NIH3T3 cells with B59 inhibited morphological transformation by H-ras and v-raf oncogenes. These results suggest that B59 suppresses the transforming activity of H-ras or v-raf oncogenes through ERK dephosphorylation and inactivation.

Posttranslational Regulation of Lck and a p36-38 Protein by Activators of Protein Kinase C: Differential Effects of the Tumor Promoter, PMA, and the Non-Tumor-Promoter, Bryostatin

T cell activation via the antigen receptor or by PKC-activating drugs results in phosphorylation of Lck and alteration of its electrophoretic mobility. Although tyrosine phosphorylation appears to regulate Lck enzymatic activity, the significance of phosphorylation of serine residues and its relevance to the cell proliferation process are yet unclear. We found that the PKC activator, bryostatin, like PMA, induced the conversion of p56lckto a slower migrating form with an apparent molecular mass of 60 kDa. The effect of PMA lasted over 48 hr but that of bryostatin was transient and correlated in time kinetics with that of the bryostatin-induced degradation of PKC. The effects of bryostatin were dominant over those of PMA. In addition, PKC was found to affect both serine and tyrosine phosphorylation of Lck but had no significant effect on thein vitrocatalytic activity of Lck. To test whether serine phosphorylation of Lck may affect its ability to bind tyrosine phosphoproteins, we compared Lck immunoprecipitates from PMA- and bryostatin-treated T cells. We found that a 36- to 38-kDa tyrosine phosphoprotein co-immunoprecipitated with Lck from cells that were treated for 24 hr with PMA, but not bryostatin. A p36-38 from PMA- but not bryostatin-treated cells also interacted with an Lck–SH2 fusion protein, suggesting differential regulation of p36-38 by PMA and bryostatin. Furthermore,in vitrophosphorylation of p36-38 occurred in lysates of cells that were treated for 24 hr with PMA, but not in lysates of bryostatin-treated cells. The results show that tyrosine phosphorylation and the association of p36-38 with Lck are differentially affected by bryostatin and PMA and suggest that PKC regulates the interaction of potential signaling molecules with Lck, thereby regulating biochemical events that are relevant to T cell mitogenesis and/or transformation.