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R L Erikson

Publications and source records attributed to R L Erikson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Expression of a mitogen-responsive gene encoding prostaglandin synthase is regulated by mRNA splicing.

Rous sarcoma virus was shown to induce in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) a 4.1-kilobase mRNA (designated CEF-147) encoding a 603-amino acid protein. Analysis of the protein sequence showed that it shared 59% amino acid identity with sheep prostaglandin G/H synthase, the enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting steps in the production of prostaglandins. Significant differences, at both the protein and mRNA levels, existed between the src oncogene product-inducible prostaglandin synthase and the protein isolated and cloned from sheep seminal vesicle, suggesting that the src-inducible prostaglandin synthase may be a new form of the enzyme. A distinguishing feature of src-inducible prostaglandin synthase mRNA is its low abundance in nonproliferating chicken embryo fibroblasts and its relatively high abundance in src-transformed cells. Additionally, the majority of the src-inducible prostaglandin synthase RNA present in nonproliferating cells was found to be nonfunctional because of the presence of an unspliced intron that separated the signal peptide from the remainder of the protein. Upon mitogenic stimulation, this intron was removed, resulting in the induction of fully-spliced CEF-147 mRNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Distinct mechanisms for the activation of the RSK kinases/MAP2 kinase/pp90rsk and pp70-S6 kinase signaling systems are indicated by inhibition of protein synthesis.

Previous studies demonstrated that addition of protein synthesis inhibitors to quiescent cells resulted in the stimulation of S6 kinase activity. The present characterization of several growth factor- and oncogene-regulated protein-serine/threonine kinases demonstrated that pp70-S6 protein kinase and not pp90rsk, RSK kinase, or MAP2 kinase activities were rapidly stimulated. Dose-response experiments revealed a close correlation between the extent of protein synthesis inhibition and the level of activation of pp70-S6 kinase activity. Analysis of S6 phosphorylation suggests that activation of pp90rsk S6 phosphotransferase activity, whose Xenopus homologues appear to be responsible for S6 phosphorylation during oocyte maturation, may participate in, but is not essential for, the increase in S6 phosphorylation observed in growth-stimulated somatic animal cells. These studies provide additional evidence for the existence of two distinct, independently regulated protein phosphorylation cascades activated in the early G1 phase of the cell cycle.

Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases↗

Coinfection of insect cells with recombinant baculovirus expressing pp60v-src results in the activation of a serine-specific protein kinase pp90rsk.

A recombinant baculovirus was constructed for the production of the serine-specific protein kinase, pp90rsk (where rsk is ribosomal S6 kinase), in insect cells. The Xenopus pp90rsk expressed in the infected cells had nearly undetectable enzyme activity in contrast to the same enzyme coproduced with the v-src oncogene product pp60v-src. The transforming gene product pp60v-src very effectively activated pp90rsk, whereas the products of c-src and the myristoylation-minus nontransforming virus NY315 were markedly less effective. Only a fraction of the total pp90rsk population was activated, and it could be partially separated from unactivated protein by ion-exchange chromatography. When compared to the unactivated form, the activated enzyme displayed about a 4000-fold increase in the capacity to phosphorylate the ribosomal protein S6. The enhanced enzymatic activity appeared to be due to phosphorylation of pp90rsk.

Animals↗

Cloning of a cDNA for a major human protein-tyrosine-phosphatase.

We have isolated a cDNA clone encoding the major protein-tyrosine-phosphatase (protein-tyrosine-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.48) of human placenta. Degenerate oligonucleotides, based on the amino acid sequence of the protein, were used to amplify an internal fragment of the gene from human placental cDNA by the polymerase chain reaction. This fragment was then used to probe a human placental cDNA library. A 3.3-kilobase (kb) insert was isolated and sequenced. The insert has a single extended open reading frame that predicts a 435 amino acid protein of Mr approximately 50,000. From the amino terminus to residue 321, the deduced amino acid sequence is identical to that previously determined by peptide sequencing [Charbonneau, H., Tonks, N. K., Kumar, S., Diltz, C. D., Harrylock, M., Cool, D. E., Krebs, E. G., Fischer, E. H. & Walsh, K. A. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86, 5252-5256]; however, the sequence predicts that the protein contains an additional 114 amino acids not present in the reported peptide sequence. In vitro translation of the 3.3-kb insert produces a protein of Mr 56,000, in general agreement with the predicted size. The phosphatase gene appears to be present as a single copy in human genomic DNA and is transcribed into a 3.5-kb message in a variety of tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Abnormal protein kinase C down regulation and reduced substrate levels in non-phorbol ester-responsive 3T3-TNR9 cells.

The cell line TNR9 (E. Butler-Gralla and H. R. Herschman, J. Cell. Physiol. 107:59-67, 1981) in a Swiss 3T3 cell variant that expresses protein kinase C (PKC) but is mitogenically nonresponsive to the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). We have found that PKCs purified from variant and parental cells are identical as judged by kinase activity, protease mapping, and column chromatography. We analyzed cellular levels and subcellular location of PKC in TPA-treated 3T3 and TNR9 cells via immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine-labeled protein and assay of immune-complex PKC kinase activity. TNR9 cells grew to higher densities than parental 3T3 cells. TNR9 cells at maximal density did not down regulate PKC in response to long-term TPA treatment. We compared the 80-kilodalton (kDa) PKC substrate phosphorylation in 3T3 and TNR9 cells by using two-dimensional gels and found that TNR9 cells treated with TPA for 30 min contained only 10 to 15% as much 32Pi associated with the 80-kDa as did parental cells. The TNR9 80-kDa substrate was present at reduced levels compared with the parental-cell 80-kDa substrate as judged by immunoblot and silver staining. Thus, the loss of mitogenic responsiveness to TPA in TNR9 cells is accompanied by resistance to TPA-mediated down regulation of PKC and reduced phosphosubstrate levels.

Animals↗

Identification of mitogen-responsive ribosomal protein S6 kinase pp90rsk, a homolog of Xenopus S6 kinase II, in chicken embryo fibroblasts.

Antiserum raised against recombinant Xenopus ribosomal protein S6 kinase (rsk) was used to identify a 90,000-Mr ribosomal S6 kinase, pp90rsk, in chicken embryo fibroblasts. Adding serum to cells stimulated the phosphorylation of pp90rsk on serine and threonine residues and increased the activity of S6 kinase measured in immune complex assays. Xenopus S6 kinase II and chicken embryo fibroblast pp90rsk had nearly identical phosphopeptide maps.

Animals↗

Two distinct enzymes contribute to biphasic S6 phosphorylation in serum-stimulated chicken embryo fibroblasts.

Serum stimulation of quiescent chicken embryo fibroblasts resulted in a time-dependent, biphasic activation of S6 kinase activity. Chromatographic fractionation of serum-stimulated cell lysates resolved two distinct S6 kinase activities. Anti-Xenopus S6 kinase II antiserum immunoprecipitated a 90,000-Mr S6 kinase but did not cross-react with a smaller, 65,000-Mr S6 kinase. Phosphopeptide analysis confirmed that the 90,000- and 65,000-Mr proteins were structurally unrelated and established that the 65,000-Mr protein isolated by the current protocol was the same serum-stimulated chicken embryo fibroblast S6 kinase as that previously characterized (J. Blenis, C. J. Kuo, and R. L. Erikson, J. Biol. Chem. 262:14373-14376, 1987). These results demonstrate the contribution of two distinct S6 kinases to total serum-stimulated ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation.

Animals↗

Phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatases. I. Separation of multiple forms from bovine brain and purification of the major form to near homogeneity.

Seven Tyr-protein phosphatase activities were isolated from bovine brain using phosphotyrosyl-casein as a model substrate. The activities were resolved from the cytosolic fraction by a three-step procedure employing successive DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, and gel permeation chromatography steps. The seven activities accounted for 70% of the Tyr-protein phosphatase activity in bovine brain extracts and were distinct from type 1 and type 2 Ser/Thr-protein phosphatases and from the major alkaline phosphatase activities. Apparent molecular weights of the activities by gel permeation chromatography were: phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase (PTP)-1A (Mr 86,000), PTP-1B (Mr 24,000), PTP-2 (Mr 88,000), PTP-3 (Mr 90,000), PTP-4 (Mr 80,000), PTP-5 (Mr 48,000), and PTP-6 (Mr 104,000). PTP-5 was the major activity accounting for 26% of total while the remaining activity was divided rather evenly among the other six activities. PTP-5 was further purified to near homogeneity by additional chromatographies on Affi-Gel Blue, heparin-agarose, and Mono S giving an overall purification of 50,000-fold and a yield of 5.8%. One of two major polypeptides (Mr 46,000) in the preparation was identified as PTP-5 since it alone expressed protein phosphatase activity when protein-staining bands were eluted from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and renatured. PTP-5 had a neutral pH optimum, and using phosphotyrosyl-casein as substrate it had a Km of 130 nM and a Vmax of 10 mumol Pi released.min-1.mg protein-1. These kinetic parameters are well within the range of values obtained for other pure protein phosphatases. PTP-5 also dephosphorylated pp60v-src (autophosphorylated at Tyr-416) at 10% of the rate observed with phosphotyrosyl-casein. Additionally the ratio of phosphotyrosyl-casein/pp60v-src phosphatase activity was relatively constant throughout the PTP-5 purification procedure. These results indicate that PTP-5 is able to bind and efficiently dephosphorylate phosphotyrosyl-proteins and suggest that it is a physiologically relevant Tyr-protein phosphatase.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Identification of a phorbol ester-repressible v-src-inducible gene.

Chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) infected with a temperature-sensitive Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) mutant, tsNY72-4, express a set of pp60v-src-induced RNAs soon after shift to the permissive temperature. By subtractive and differential screening, we have cloned 12 of these sequences, 2 of which were c-fos and krox-24. Serum induced all the v-src-inducible genes tested, suggesting that these genes serve roles in normal cell division and are not specific to transformation per se. Significantly, however, v-src produced prolonged, and in some cases kinetically complex, patterns of induction compared to serum. For most of the clones, phorbol 12-tetradecanoate 13-acetate (TPA) induced mRNAs with kinetics similar to that of serum. However, one clone (CEF-4) was expressed in a biphasic manner. Another (CEF-10) was repressed by TPA at 1 hr, after which this mRNA was permanently induced. The pattern of repression-induction of CEF-10 mRNA is the inverse of protein kinase C (PKC) activity in the cell, suggesting that PKC actively represses this gene. In vivo expression of CEF-10 mRNA is restricted predominantly to the lung. A full-length CEF-10 cDNA encodes a 41-kDa protein that has an amino-terminal signal peptide for secretion, contains a markedly high number of cysteine residues, and shows no sequence similarity to known proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dissociation of inositol trisphosphate from diacylglycerol production in Rous sarcoma virus-transformed fibroblasts.

The metabolism of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and related intermediates was studied in uninfected and Rous sarcoma virus-(RSV) infected chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs). Cells infected with wild-type RSV exhibited twofold increases in steady-state concentrations of inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and inositol bisphosphate (IP2) as compared to uninfected CEFs. In addition, increased concentrations of IP3 and IP2 were observed in CEFs infected with the RSV temperature-sensitive transformation mutant NY72-4 when maintained at the permissive temperature (35 degrees C) for greater than 24 h. Slight increases were observed in the amounts of inositol lipids in RSV-transformed cells. Phosphoinositol metabolic changes were related to transformation and not to viral infection since CEFs infected with NY72-4, maintained at the nonpermissive temperature (41.5 degrees C), revealed amounts of phosphoinositols similar to that of uninfected cells. CEFs infected with a transformation-defective virus exhibited PI metabolic changes intermediate between those of transformed and nontransformed cells. NY72-4 CEF exhibited no increase in phosphoinositol concentrations before 8 h incubation at 35 degrees C, indicating that the transformation-specific changes in inositol metabolism were a delayed event. Furthermore, inositol turnover was not activated during this time. In contrast to the case of inositol metabolism, significant increases in diacylglycerol (DAG) concentrations were observed within 15-30 min after shift of NY72-4 CEFs to 35 degrees C. These findings suggest that (a) the major changes in inositol metabolism are specific for RSV-transformed cells; (b) transformation-specific changes in phosphoinositol content in RSV-infected CEFs are not an early effect of the expression of pp60v-src; and (c) increases in the DAG content of transformed cells occur before changes in inositol metabolism, indicating that DAG may be derived from other lipid sources.

Animals↗

Transformation by Rous sarcoma virus induces clathrin heavy chain phosphorylation.

We have shown that the heavy chain of clathrin is phosphorylated in chicken embryo fibroblast cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus, but not in normal cells. Approximately 1 mol of phosphate is bound for every 5 mol of heavy chain in the maximally phosphorylated transformed cells. Two-thirds of the phosphate is on serine and one-third on tyrosine residues. Clathrin heavy chain is a substrate for pp60v-src in vitro. Cleveland analysis of the in vivo and in vitro clathrin heavy chain phosphopeptides, generated by protease V8 digestion, show labeled proteolytic fragments of similar molecular weight, suggesting that pp60v-src could be directly responsible for the in vivo phosphorylation of clathrin. Phosphate is equally incorporated into clathrin in both the unassembled and the assembled clathrin pools, whereas [35S]methionine is preferentially incorporated into the assembled pool. In normal cells, clathrin visualized by immunofluorescent staining appears in a punctate pattern along the membrane surface and concentrated around the nucleus; in transformed cells the perinuclear staining is completely absent. The phosphorylation of clathrin heavy chain in transformed cells may be linked to previously observed transformation-dependent alterations in receptor-mediated endocytosis of ligands such as EGF and thrombin.

Animals↗

Sequence and expression of chicken and mouse rsk: homologs of Xenopus laevis ribosomal S6 kinase.

We have previously reported the isolation of cDNAs encoding two closely related Xenopus ribosomal S6 kinases, S6KII alpha and -beta (S. W. Jones, E. Erikson, J. Blenis, J. L. Maller, and R. L. Erikson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:3377-3381, 1988). We report here the molecular cloning of one chicken and two mouse homologs of the Xenopus laevis cDNAs. As described for the Xenopus proteins, these cDNAs were found to predict polypeptides that contain two distinct kinase domains, of which one is most closely related to the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and the other is most closely related to the catalytic subunit of phosphorylase b kinase. The three predicted proteins were more than 79% identical to the Xenopus S6KII alpha protein. The chicken and one of the mouse cDNAs were, respectively, 3.7 and 3.1 kilobase pairs in length, predicted proteins of 752 and 724 amino acids with molecular weights of 84.4 and 81.6 kilodaltons, and hybridized to mRNAs in fibroblasts and tissues of approximately 3.6 and 3.4 kilobases (kb). The second mouse cDNA was approximately 6.1 kilobase pairs and was not full length but predicted the C-terminal 633 amino acids of a protein that is similar to the C-terminal portion of Xenopus S6KII alpha. This clone hybridized to mRNA transcripts of 7.6 and 3.4 kb. In vitro transcription and translation of the chicken and the mouse cDNAs that predict complete proteins produced major products with apparent molecular weights of 96 and 84 kilodaltons. Analysis of mRNA levels in chicken tissues showed significant quantities of the 3.6-kb transcript in small and large intestine, spleen, and bursa. Both mouse cDNA were similarly expressed at significant levels in intestine, thymus, and lung; however, the 7.6-kb mRNA was differentially and more highly expressed in heart and brain. The two mouse cDNAs represent two different S6 kinase genes, as shown by comparison of their protein sequences, mRNA transcript sizes, genomic organizations, and nucleic acid sequences. We propose that this family of genes be named rsk, for ribosomal S6 kinase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A Xenopus ribosomal protein S6 kinase has two apparent kinase domains that are each similar to distinct protein kinases.

We report the molecular cloning of cDNAs for S6 kinase II (S6KII) mRNAs present in Xenopus ovarian tissue. Two cDNAs were isolated by hybridization to oligonucleotide probes designed to encode tryptic peptides isolated from S6KII. The two cDNAs show 91% sequence similarity to each other. These two cDNAs predict proteins of 733 (S6KII alpha) and 629 (S6KII beta) amino acids that show 95% sequence similarity over the 629 amino acids where they are colinear. Amino acids 44-733 of S6KII alpha were expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was used to raise antiserum in rabbits. This antiserum reacted with authentic S6KII prepared from Xenopus eggs. This interaction was specifically blocked by the recombinant protein from E. coli. The sequences of S6KII alpha and -beta predict four tryptic peptides whose sequences are identical to four peptides isolated from a tryptic digest of S6KII. The S6KII proteins have a very unusual structure when compared with previously studied protein kinases. They contain two apparent kinase domains, each similar to distinct protein kinases. The amino-terminal 366 amino acids show high sequence similarity to the regions of protein kinase C, the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and cGMP-dependent protein kinase that contain the sites for ATP binding and are believed to be the catalytic centers for phosphotransferase activity. The remainder of the S6 kinase molecule shows high sequence similarity to the ATP-binding and presumed catalytic domain of the catalytic subunit of phosphorylase b kinase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular analyses of gene products associated with the response of cells to mitogenic stimulation.

We have completed the molecular analysis of a ribosomal protein S6 kinase identified in unfertilized Xenopus eggs. Although some of our results support the notion that an antigenically related enzyme is present in animal cells, we are uncertain if such an enzyme accounts for all of the mitogen-stimulated phosphorylation of 40S subunits. Other experiments have led to the identification of mRNAs that are rapidly expressed in mitogen-stimulated cells. The relevance of such genes and their products is in doubt, however, until a function can be demonstrated for each of them. Preliminary experiments with the pCEF-4 gene product described here have failed to show that it acts as a mitogen for cells in culture, for example. Thus, although studies such as these may lead to the identification of novel genes, we may need to search elsewhere for a physiologically significant function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of a ribosomal protein S6 kinase regulated by transformation and growth-promoting stimuli.

A serine protein kinase specific for ribosomal protein S6 in 40 S subunits has been identified and purified greater than 15,000-fold (with 18% recovery) from developing chicken embryos. An analogous enzyme has also been detected in serum-stimulated chicken embryo fibroblasts. The S6 kinase was identified as a phosphoprotein of Mr approximately 65,000 based on (i) gel filtration, (ii) apparent autophosphorylation of a 65-kDa protein when several enzyme preparations were incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP in the absence of added substrate, (iii) comigration of S6 kinase activity with the autophosphorylating activity over a variety of chromatographic resins, and (iv) elution and renaturation of S6 kinase activity from the 65-kDa region of a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel. The purified protein kinase is highly specific for S6 in 40 S subunits and does not appreciably phosphorylate casein, histone H1, mixed histones, protamine, polyoma virus capsid protein, or phosphorylase a/b. These characteristics suggest that this enzyme is unrelated to other protein kinases believed to be activated in stimulated cells, including cAMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent enzyme), or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases. In fibroblasts, S6 kinase is activated by a variety of mitogenic agents including the tyrosine-specific protein kinase of Rous sarcoma virus, pp60v-src, phorbol esters, and growth factors. The present identification and purification of the S6 kinase should facilitate future studies aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which signals from these diverse stimuli rapidly converge upon and activate this enzyme.

Animals↗