The phosphothreonine lyase activity of a bacterial type III effector family

Pathogenic bacteria use the type III secretion system to deliver effector proteins into host cells to modulate the host signaling pathways. In this study, the Shigella type III effector OspF was shown to inactivate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) [extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (Erk1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38]. OspF irreversibly removed phosphate groups from the phosphothreonine but not from the phosphotyrosine residue in the activation loop of MAPKs. Mass spectrometry revealed a mass loss of 98 daltons in p-Erk2, due to the abstraction of the alpha proton concomitant with cleavage of the C-OP bond in the phosphothreonine residue. This unexpected enzymatic activity, termed phosphothreonine lyase, appeared specific for MAPKs and was shared by other OspF family members.     

MAPKs在植物逆境信号转导中的作用

蛋白质的可逆磷酸化是细胞信号识别与转导的重要环节。促分裂原活化蛋白激酶（mitogen-activatedprotein kinases,MAPKs）是一类丝氨酸/苏氨酸（Ser/Thr）蛋白激酶,主要催化蛋白质的磷酸化过程。植物中存在大量的MAPKs,它们在多种信号传递过程中起重要作用。笔者着重介绍MAPKs在植物逆境信号识别与转导中的作用。     

Amino terminal myristylation of the protein kinase p60src, a retroviral transforming protein

The transforming protein of Rous sarcoma virus, p60src, was shown to be acylated at its amino terminus with the long-chain fatty acid myristic acid by isolation of a tryptic peptide with the following structure: myristylglycylserylseryllysine. The occurrence of this unusual posttranslational modification in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase and in several transforming protein kinases of mammalian retroviruses suggests that myristylation of the amino terminal glycyl residue may be critical for the function of certain proteins related to cell transformation and growth control.     

An insulin-stimulated protein kinase similar to yeast kinases involved in cell cycle control

A protein kinase characterized by its ability to phosphorylate microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP2), is thought to be an early intermediate in an insulin-stimulated phosphorylation cascade and in a variety of other mammalian cell responses to extracellular signals. A complementary DNA that encodes this protein serine-threonine kinase has been cloned, and the protein designated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1). ERK1 has striking similarity to two protein kinases, KSS1 and FUS3, from yeast. The yeast kinases function in an antagonistic manner to regulate the cell cycle in response to mating factors. Thus, ERK1 and the two yeast kinases constitute a family of evolutionarily conserved enzymes involved in regulating the response of eukaryotic cells to extracellular signals.     

Regulation of a heart potassium channel by protein kinase A and C

The enzymes adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A) and protein kinase C regulate the activity of a diverse group of cellular proteins including membrane ion channel proteins. When protein kinase A was stimulated in cardiac ventricular myocytes with the membrane-soluble cAMP analog 8-chlorphenylthio cAMP (8-CPT cAMP), the amplitude of the delayed-rectifier potassium current (IK) doubled when recorded at 32 degrees C but was not affected at 22 degrees C. In contrast, modulation of the calcium current (ICa) by 8-CPT cAMP was independent of temperature with similar increases in ICa occurring at both temperatures. Stimulation of protein kinase C by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate also enhanced IK in a temperature-dependent manner but failed to increase ICa at either temperature. Thus, cardiac delayed-rectifier potassium but not calcium channels are regulated by two distinct protein kinases in a similar temperature-dependent fashion.     

MAPKK-independent activation of p38alpha mediated by TAB1-dependent autophosphorylation of p38alpha

Phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) on specific tyrosine and threonine sites by MAP kinase kinases (MAPKKs) is thought to be the sole activation mechanism. Here, we report an unexpected activation mechanism for p38alpha MAPK that does not involve the prototypic kinase cascade. Rather it depends on interaction of p38alpha with TAB1 [transforming growth factor-beta-activated protein kinase 1 (TAK1)-binding protein 1] leading to autophosphorylation and activation of p38alpha. We detected formation of a TRAF6-TAB1-p38alpha complex and showed stimulus-specific TAB1-dependent and TAB1-independent p38alpha activation. These findings suggest that alternative activation pathways contribute to the biological responses of p38alpha to various stimuli.     

水稻MAPK基因OsMPK4的克隆鉴定、蛋白表达和转基因载体构建

克隆鉴定了一个水稻促分裂原活化蛋白激酶(mitogen-activated protein kinases, MAPK)基因OsMPK4.OsMPK4基因cDNA全长1483 bp,包含一个1131 bp的开放阅读框,编码一个由376个氨基酸组成的蛋白,预测分子量为42.8 kD.OsMPK4基因位于水稻第10号染色体上,由6个外显子和5个内含子组成.OsMPK4蛋白具有MAPK的11个保守结构域及磷酸化位点TEY模体.系统进化树分析表明,OsMPK4属于B组MAPK成员,与已知水稻MAPK蛋白有56%～74%的一致性.原核表达了OsMPK4基因,纯化获得重组OsMPK4融合蛋白,并构建OsMPK4的转基因双元载体,用于OsMPK4的生化功能及其生物学功能研究.     

SPA1, a WD-repeat protein specific to phytochrome A signal transduction

The five members of the phytochrome photoreceptor family of Arabidopsis thaliana control morphogenesis differentially in response to light. Genetic analysis has identified a signaling pathway that is specifically activated by phytochrome A. A component in this pathway, SPA1 (for "suppressor of phyA-105"), functions in repression of photomorphogenesis and is required for normal photosensory specificity of phytochrome A. Molecular cloning of the SPA1 gene indicates that SPA1 is a WD (tryptophan-aspartic acid)-repeat protein that also shares sequence similarity with protein kinases. SPA1 can localize to the nucleus, suggesting a possible function in phytochrome A-specific regulation of gene expression.     

Comparative analysis of protein kinases and associated domains between Ascomycota and Basidiomycota

Protein kinases play an important role in every aspect of cellular life. In this study, we systemically identified protein kinases from the predicted proteomes of 59 representative fungi from Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Comparative analysis revealed that fungi from Ascomycota and Basidiomycota differed in the number and variety of protein kinases. Some groups of protein kinases, such as calmodulin/calcium regulated kinases (CMGC) and those with the highest group percentages are the most prevalent protein kinases among all fungal species tested. In contrast, the STE group (homologs of the yeast STE7, STE11 and STE20 genes), was more abundant in Basidiomycetes than in Ascomycetes. Importantly, the distribution of some protein kinase families appeared to be subphylum-specific. The tyrosine kinase-like (TKL) group had a higher protein kinase density in Agaricomycotina fungi. In addition, the distribution of accessory domains, which could have functional implications, demonstrated that usage bias varied between the two phyla. Principal component analysis revealed a divergence between the main functional domains and associated domains in fungi. This study provides novel insights into the variety and expansion of fungal protein kinases between Ascomycota and Basidiomycota.     

不同糖源对葡萄试管苗蛋白激酶相关基因表达的影响

【目的】探究不同外源糖对葡萄试管苗生长发育及蛋白激酶基因转录调控的影响,应用转录组测序挖掘蛋白质磷酸化过程中的基因,为葡萄蛋白激酶相关基因功能的验证奠定一定基础。【方法】在基本培养基中分别添加2%的蔗糖、葡萄糖和果糖,以无糖为对照,分别命名为S20、G20、F20和CK,经过37 d培养后,测定不同处理的地上和地下鲜重,并采用Illumina HiSeq ^TM 2000对各处理叶片进行转录组测序,通过综合生物信息学分析（参考基因组比对、差异基因（DEGs）筛选、COG（Cluster of Orthologous Groups of proteins）注释、GO（Gene Ontology）注释等）筛选出蛋白激酶相关基因,通过qRT-PCR分析该蛋白激酶相关基因的表达特性。【结果】F20、G20和S20处理下的葡萄（‘红地球’）试管苗与CK相比,地上鲜重具有明显差异,且F20最高,而G20地下鲜重最高。SNP统计发现,转换是主要的变异类型,颠换次之,且发生在基因间区的SNP数量最多,其次是下游;剪接位点供体和同义终止发生的基因数量最少且相等。4个样品中共获得了2 633个差异基因,3个处理与CK相比,共有差异基因180个且被聚类为3组,第一组中127个基因仅在CK中高表达,第二组19个基因仅在G20下高表达,而第三组34个基因在3个处理下表达模式不尽相同。这些共有的差异基因在COG中注释到了26个基因并分在11个功能类别中,且主要注释在一般的功能类别中。在GO分类中,共有的基因分别被注释在分子功能、生物学过程和细胞组分的14、22和13个功能类别中。共筛选出7种蛋白激酶,分别为葡萄糖激酶（Glucokinase,GK）、丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（Mitogen-activated protein kinases,MAPKs）、钙调蛋白激酶（Calcineurin protein kinase,CBL）、蛋白磷酸酶2（Protein phosphatase 2,PP2A）、己糖激酶（Hexokinase,HXK）、组氨酸蛋白激酶（Histidine protein kinase,HPK）和酪氨酸激酶（Tyrosine kinase,TK）,其不同激酶的基因在不同处理中具有各自的表达模式,经qRT-PCR验证,选择的20个差异基因中有17个基因表达与转录组测序结果相一致。【结论】在葡萄试管苗培养中,果糖较葡萄糖和蔗糖相比对生长较好。测序得出180个差异基因对3种不同糖均作出响应,这些基因在COG数据库中主要富集在膜酯转运和代谢、次级代谢物和碳水化合物的合成、转运和分解;GO中大多注释在蛋白激酶和氧化还原酶的活性中;筛选出了7种蛋白激酶,这些差异基因在数量、功能分类和代谢通路上对糖的响应各不相同。     

G protein signalling involved in host recognition and mycoparasitismrelated chitinase expression in Trichoderma atroviride

Mycoparasitic species of Trichoderma are commercially applied as biological control agents against various fungal pathogens. The mycoparasitic interaction is host specific and includes recognition, attack and subsequent penetration and killing of the host. Investigations on the underlying events revealed that Trichoderma responds to multiple signals from the host (e.g. lectins or other ligands such as low molecular weight components released from the host's cell wall) and host attack is ac…     

蛋白质磷酸化调控羊肉肌原纤维蛋白的功能

【目的】通过激活蛋白激酶的活性提高羊肉肌原纤维蛋白的磷酸化水平,分析磷酸化水平的提高对羊肉肌原纤维蛋白降解程度、收缩功能的影响,进一步揭示蛋白质磷酸化对羊肉肌肉嫩化的作用机理。【方法】通过添加蛋白激酶A激活剂Forskolin、蛋白激酶C激活剂佛波酯（PMA）,提高蛋白激酶的活性,改变羊肉肌原纤维蛋白的磷酸化水平。比较激活剂处理组与空白对照组肌原纤维小片化指数（MFI）、条带降解程度、肌节长度等指标的差异,确定蛋白质磷酸化水平对羊肉肌肉收缩和肌肉降解的影响。【结果】将羊肉样品在蛋白激酶溶液中培养24 h,在培养结束后1、2和4 h,PMA处理组（PKC激活组）的蛋白激酶活性显著高于空白对照组（P＜0.05）,而在培养后1和4 h,Forskolin处理组（PKA激活组）的蛋白激酶活性显著高于空白对照组（P＜0.05）。PMA处理组和Forskolin处理组的最高蛋白激酶活性出现在培养后1 h。Forskolin和PMA通过提高激酶活性显著提高肌联蛋白（Titin）、肌球蛋白结合蛋白C（Myosin binding protein C）、原肌球蛋白（Tropomyosin）、肌球蛋白轻链2（Myosin light chain 2）等蛋白质的磷酸化水平,肌球蛋白重链、肌动蛋白质的磷酸化水平没有显著变化,Forskolin组和PMA组的蛋白质降解程度及肌节长度均低于对照组。【结论】肌原纤维蛋白磷酸化水平提高不利于羊肉肌原纤维蛋白的降解。另一方面,磷酸化水平可能通过对肌球蛋白轻链2的作用增强羊肉肌肉的收缩作用力,通过促进相邻原肌球蛋白的相互作用促进肌细丝收缩,影响肉的僵直进程和嫩化进程。     

Cl- channels in CF: lack of activation by protein kinase C and cAMP-dependent protein kinase

Secretory chloride channels can be activated by adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase in normal airway epithelial cells but not in cells from individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). In excised, inside-out patches of apical membrane of normal human airway cells and airway cells from three patients with CF, the chloride channels exhibited a characteristic outwardly rectifying current-voltage relation and depolarization-induced activation. Channels from normal tissues were activated by both cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C. However, chloride channels from CF patients could not be activated by either kinase. Thus, gating of normal epithelial chloride channels is regulated by both cAMP-dependent protein kinase and protein kinase C, and regulation by both kinases is defective in CF.     

Viroid-induced phosphorylation of a host protein related to a dsRNA-dependent protein kinase

Viroids are very small, unencapsidated RNAs that replicate and induce severe disease in plants without encoding for any proteins. The mechanisms by which the viroid RNA regulates these events and interacts with host factors are unknown. An Mr 68,000 host-encoded protein has been identified that is differentially phosphorylated in extracts from viroid-infected and mock-inoculated tissues. This phosphoprotein is immunologically related to a double-stranded (ds) RNA-dependent protein kinase from virus-infected, interferon-treated human cells. Further, nucleotide photoaffinity labeling indicates that the protein has an ATP binding site. This protein is similar to dsRNA-dependent protein kinases implicated in mammalian systems in the regulation of protein synthesis and virus replication.     

Plant development: regulation by protein degradation

Many aspects of eukaryotic development depend on regulated protein degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. This highly conserved pathway promotes covalent attachment of ubiquitin to protein substrates through the sequential action of three enzymes called a ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1), a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2), and a ubiquitin-protein ligase (E3). Most ubiquitinated proteins are then targeted for degradation by the 26S proteasome. Recent studies have also shown that the ubiquitin-related protein RUB/Nedd8 and the proteasome-related COP9 signalosome complex cooperate with the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to promote protein degradation. Most of these components are conserved in all three eukaryotic kingdoms. However, the known targets of the pathway in plants, and the developmental processes they regulate, are specific to the plant kingdom.     

The protein kinase complement of the human genome

We have catalogued the protein kinase complement of the human genome (the "kinome") using public and proprietary genomic, complementary DNA, and expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences. This provides a starting point for comprehensive analysis of protein phosphorylation in normal and disease states, as well as a detailed view of the current state of human genome analysis through a focus on one large gene family. We identify 518 putative protein kinase genes, of which 71 have not previously been reported or described as kinases, and we extend or correct the protein sequences of 56 more kinases. New genes include members of well-studied families as well as previously unidentified families, some of which are conserved in model organisms. Classification and comparison with model organism kinomes identified orthologous groups and highlighted expansions specific to human and other lineages. We also identified 106 protein kinase pseudogenes. Chromosomal mapping revealed several small clusters of kinase genes and revealed that 244 kinases map to disease loci or cancer amplicons.     

植物低温信号的感知、转导与转录调控

低温是植物生长的主要环境胁迫因子之一。植物对低温的应激是一个复杂的过程,包括低温信号的感知、信号转导和转录调控等阶段。低温可以通过质膜流动性的改变被质膜感知,也可以通过质膜上的钙离子通透性通道、组氨酸激酶、受体激酶和磷酸酯酶感知。低温信号转导包括钙信号途径和其他信号途径,其中钙信号途径是低温应答过程中重要的信号途径。在此途径中,因低温增加的胞质钙离子能被CDPK、磷酸酶和MAPK识别并传导;其他信号途径主要与ABA有关。低温信号最终将启动CBF和非CBF介导的转录调控,提高植物的低温抗性。     

Defective thymocyte maturation in p44 MAP kinase (Erk 1) knockout mice

The p42 and p44 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), also called Erk2 and Erk1, respectively, have been implicated in proliferation as well as in differentiation programs. The specific role of the p44 MAPK isoform in the whole animal was evaluated by generation of p44 MAPK-deficient mice by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. The p44 MAPK-/- mice were viable, fertile, and of normal size. Thus, p44 MAPK is apparently dispensable and p42 MAPK (Erk2) may compensate for its loss. However, in p44 MAPK-/- mice, thymocyte maturation beyond the CD4+CD8+ stage was reduced by half, with a similar diminution in the thymocyte subpopulation expressing high levels of T cell receptor (CD3high). In p44 MAPK-/- thymocytes, proliferation in response to activation with a monoclonal antibody to the T cell receptor in the presence of phorbol myristate acetate was severely reduced even though activation of p42 MAPK was more sustained in these cells. The p44 MAPK apparently has a specific role in thymocyte development.