Cell transformation by an oncogene that regulates protein kinases.
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An antiserum specific for P47gag-crk, the oncogene product of avian sarcoma virus CT10, was used to investigate possible crk-binding proteins. In in vitro kinase assays, four proteins were phosphorylated in anti-crk immunoprecipitates. Tyrosine, serine, and threonine residues were phosphorylated. A number of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were identified in anti-crk immunoprecipitates of 32P-labeled cells, including the three major phosphotyrosine-containing proteins of CT10-infected cells. These three proteins also bound to bacterially synthesized crk protein. These results suggest that the crk transforming protein can stably associate with both endogenous kinases and cellular kinase substrates.
The crk oncogene product, P47gag-crk, was expressed and purified using a baculovirus expression system. Approximately 2-10 mg of P47gag-crk was produced in 10(9) insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus. Partially purified P47gag-crk was obtained by precipitation in a low salt buffer and gel filtration. A better purification of P47gag-crk was achieved by immunoaffinity chromatography, resulting in a single band by Coomassie Blue staining. The insect cells expressing P47gag-crk showed an increase in protein-phosphotyrosine content, which is a characteristic feature of crk-transformed cells. Moreover, like P47gag-crk produced in chicken or rat cells, P47gag-crk produced in insect cells associated in vitro with a tyrosine kinase and its substrates from Crk-3Y1 cells. Peptide mapping of P47gag-crk expressed in insect, rat, and chicken cells showed that similar sites were phosphorylated in these proteins. These data suggest that P47gag-crk expressed in insect cells is functional and will be useful for the further analysis of this protein.
Avian sarcoma virus 1 (ASV-1) was isolated from a spontaneous sarcoma of an adult chicken. It is a replication-defective virus that induces fibrosarcomas in young chickens and oncogenic transformation in cultured chick embryo fibroblasts. The ASV-1 genome has been cloned in the lambda gt WES.lambda B vector from closed circular viral DNA extracted from infected cells. The nucleotide sequence of the oncogene insert in the ASV-1 genome has been determined. It is virtually identical to the sequence of the oncogene crk recently discovered in the avian sarcoma virus CT10. ASV-1 and CT10 are two independent retrovirus isolates carrying the crk oncogene.
We have constructed a series of mutants with deletion, linker insertion, and point mutations in the v-crk oncogene of avian sarcoma virus CT10. The v-crk gene contains no apparent catalytic domain, but does contain two blocks of homology to putative regulatory domains, termed SH2 and SH3, found in a variety of proteins implicated in signal transduction. Infection with CT10 causes a dramatic increase in the level of tyrosine phosphorylation of several cellular proteins. We found that mutation of either the SH2 or SH3 domain of v-crk reduced or eliminated transforming activity, whereas mutation of regions outside the conserved domains had no effect. Deletion of amino-terminal gag sequences caused a partial loss of transforming activity and a change in subcellular distribution of the crk protein. In all cases, there was an absolute correlation between increased cellular phosphotyrosine and transformation.
We have established the human nck sequence as a new oncogene. Nck encodes one SH2 and three SH3 domains, the Src homology motifs found in nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, Ras GTPase-activating protein, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and phospholipase C-gamma. Overexpression of human nck in 3Y1 rat fibroblasts results in transformation as judged by alteration of cell morphology, colony formation in soft agar, and tumor formation in nude BALB/c mice. However, overexpression of nck does not induce detectable elevation of the phosphotyrosine content of specific proteins, as is observed for v-crk, another SH2/SH3-containing oncogene. Despite this fact, we demonstrate that Nck retains the ability to bind tyrosine phosphorylated proteins in vitro, using a fusion protein of Nck with glutathione-S-transferase (GST). Moreover, when incubated with lysates prepared from v-src-transformed 3Y1 cells or the nck-overexpressing cell lines, GST-Nck binds to both p60v-src and serine/threonine kinases, respectively. Although phosphotyrosine levels are not elevated in the nck-expressing fibroblasts, vanadate treatment of these cells results in a phosphotyrosine pattern that is altered from the parental 3Y1 pattern, suggestive of a perturbation of indigenous tyrosine kinase pathways. These results suggest the possibility that human nck induces transformation in 3Y1 fibroblasts by virtue of its altered affinity or specificity for the normal substrates of its rat homolog and that Nck may play a role in linking tyrosine and serine/threonine kinase pathways within the cell.
The oncogene product of the avian sarcoma virus CT10, P47gag-crk, contains the SH2, SH2', and SH3 domains and binds proteins in a phosphotyrosine (ptyr)-dependent manner. In this study, we have determined the region of P47gag-crk essential for binding to ptyr-containing proteins. Mutant P47gag-crk proteins expressed in Escherichia coli that have the intact SH2 and SH2' regions retained the capacity to bind ptyr-containing proteins obtained from cells transformed by crk and src. The deletion of SH2 resulted in the loss of binding activity. Other mutants that have altered SH2 or SH2' bound few, if any, of the ptyr-containing proteins. Those mutants that bound ptyr-containing proteins associated with tyrosine kinase activity. We also found that polypeptides containing SH2, SH2', and SH3 of p60v-src and p60c-src associated with ptyr-containing proteins from crk-transformed cells. Thus, the SH2 and SH2' domains of P47gag-crk are responsible for their binding to ptyr-containing proteins.
The chicken CT10 virus oncogene product, P47gag-crk, contains SH2/SH3 domains that have been identified as conserved domains among proteins involved in signal transduction. We studied the functional similarity of the SH2/SH3 domains by replacing those of v-Crk with those of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-gamma, v-Src, or c-Src. The transforming activity of v-Crk was partially retained in a mutant with a v-Src SH3 domain but not in the other mutants with heterologous SH2/SH3 domains. Mutant viruses with Crk-SH2/SH2' domains induced tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins, but mutants with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-gamma or Src SH2/SH2' domains did not. However, the mutant proteins with heterologous SH2/SH2' regions were able to weakly associate with some phosphotyrosine-containing proteins in vitro. These results indicate that in the context of the P47gag-crk structure, the requirement of Crk-SH2/SH3 is more stringent for its activity to induce cell transformation than to cause phosphorylation of cellular proteins. The substitution with heterologous sequences least perturbs the capacity to bind phosphotyrosine-containing proteins. In each case, the SH3 domain is more flexible to substitution than is the SH2 domain.
We have cloned and sequenced a complementary DNA encoding the cellular homologue of the transforming oncogene v-crk of avian sarcoma virus CT10. This complementary DNA contains an open reading frame of 915 base pairs that encodes a polypeptide of 305 amino acids. The first 205 amino acids of this c-Crk protein were identical to those of the CT10 encoded v-Crk protein, with the exception of 5 amino acids. Like v-Crk, this portion of c-Crk contained one each of the Src homology domains SH2, SH2', and SH3. The 100 carboxy-terminal amino acids of c-Crk protein, which are not coded for in the CT10 viral genome, contain another SH3 region. We found limited sequence homology between c-crk and the avian retrovirus genome, which explains recombination events in the transduction of this protooncogene. Using a polyclonal antiserum made against bacterially expressed v-crk, we identified a 35-kilodalton protein in normal chicken embryo fibroblasts and in all embryonic chicken tissues examined. This 35-kilodalton protein was indistinguishable from a polypeptide made by in vitro translation of c-crk complementary DNA.
Two distinct human CRK cDNAs, designated CRK-I and CRK-II, were isolated from human embryonic lung cells by polymerase chain reaction and by screening of a human placenta cDNA library, respectively. CRK-I differed from CRK-II in that it lacked a 170-nucleotide sequence, suggesting that CRK-I and CRK-II were the products of alternative splicing. The amino acid sequences deduced from these two cDNAs differed in the carboxyl termini and contained one SH2 and either one or two SH3 domains. RNAse protection analysis demonstrated both CRK-I and CRK-II mRNAs in various human cells. Three CRK proteins, of 42, 40, and 28 kDa, were identified in human embryonic lung cells by means of antibodies against the SH2 region and the SH3 region of the bacterially expressed CRK-I protein. Transient expression of CRK-I and CRK-II cDNAs in COS7 cells showed that the former encoded the 28-kDa protein and the latter encoded the 40- and 42-kDa proteins. All human cell lines so far examined expressed the 40-kDa protein; however, expression of the 28- and the 42-kDa proteins was variable. In a comparison of the biological activity of the two human CRK proteins, both proteins were stably expressed in rat 3Y1 cells. All cell lines expressing CRK-I protein showed altered morphology, proliferated in soft agar, and grew as massive tumors in nude mice. Although CRK-II-expressing cells showed a slight morphologic change, they did not make colonies in soft agar or grow in nude mice. These results demonstrate that the two species of human CRK cDNA encode proteins which differ in their biological activities.
The protein product of the CT10 virus, p47gag-crk (v-Crk), which contains Src homology region 2 (SH2) and 3 (SH3) domains but lacks a kinase domain, is believed to cause an increase in cellular protein tyrosine phosphorylation. A candidate tyrosine kinase, Csk (C-terminal Src kinase), has been implicated in c-Src Tyr-527 phosphorylation, which negatively regulates the protein tyrosine kinase of pp60c-src (c-Src). To investigate how c-Src kinase activity is regulated in vivo, we first looked at whether v-Crk can activate c-Src kinase. We found that cooverexpression of v-Crk and c-Src caused elevation of c-Src kinase activity, resulting in an increase of tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins and morphological transformation of rat 3Y1 fibroblasts. v-Crk and c-Src complexes were not detected, although v-Crk bound to a variety of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in cells overexpressing v-Crk and c-Src. Overexpression of Csk in these transformed cells caused reversion to normal phenotypes and also reduced the level of c-Src kinase activity. However, Csk did not cause reversion of cells transformed by v-Src or c-Src527F, in which Tyr-527 was changed to Phe. These results strongly suggest that Csk acts on Tyr-527 of c-Src and suppresses c-Src kinase activity in vivo. Because Csk can suppress transformation by cooverexpression of v-Crk and c-Src, we suggest that v-Crk causes activation of c-Src in vivo by altering the phosphorylation state of Tyr-527.
Cytoplasmic proteins that regulate signal transduction or induce cellular transformation, including cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinases, p21ras GTPase-activating protein (GAP), phospholipase C gamma, and the v-crk oncoprotein, possess one or two copies of a conserved noncatalytic domain, Src homology region 2 (SH2). Here we provide direct evidence that SH2 domains can mediate the interactions of these diverse signaling proteins with a related set of phosphotyrosine ligands, including the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor. In src-transformed cells GAP forms heteromeric complexes, notably with a highly tyrosine phosphorylated 62-kDa protein (p62). The stable association between GAP and p62 can be specifically reconstituted in vitro by using a bacterial polypeptide containing only the N-terminal GAP SH2 domain. The efficient phosphorylation of p62 by the v-Src or v-Fps tyrosine kinases depends, in turn, on their SH2 domains and correlates with their transforming activity. In lysates of EGF-stimulated cells, the N-terminal GAP SH2 domain binds to both the EGF receptor and p62. Fusion proteins containing GAP or v-Crk SH2 domains complex with similar phosphotyrosine proteins from src-transformed or EGF-stimulated cells but with different efficiencies. SH2 sequences, therefore, form autonomous domains that direct signaling proteins, such as GAP, to bind specific phosphotyrosine-containing polypeptides. By promoting the formation of these complexes, SH2 domains are ideally suited to regulate the activation of intracellular signaling pathways by growth factors.
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The genome of CT10 avian sarcoma virus encodes a 47-kDa fusion protein that consists of viral gag sequences fused to a cell-derived sequence containing SH2 and SH3 domains (v-crk). Genetic and biochemical evidence suggests that v-Crk can induce transformation of chicken embryo fibroblasts by influencing the activity of cellular proteins involved in growth regulation. In this report, we have developed an in vitro microtiter assay to study the binding of bacterially expressed glutathione S-transferase-fusion proteins of v-Crk and its cellular homolog, c-Crk, to the phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Competitive binding data are presented that compare the abilities of heterologous glutathione S-transferase-fusion proteins containing GAPSH2[N], AblSH2, SrcSH2, and PLC-gamma SH2[N] sequences to inhibit Crk binding. Results indicate that both full-length Crk and GAPSH2[N] bind the phosphorylated EGFR with high affinity and can quantitatively compete the binding of each other by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Binding of full-length Crk or the isolated SH2 domains of GAP or Abl resulted in a significant protection of phosphorylated EGFR against dephosphorylation by cellular phosphatase activity, but did not appear to stimulate the intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity of the EGFR. To extend these findings to p130, the major phosphotyrosine-containing protein in CT10-transformed cells, we utilized a nitrocellulose filter binding assay. Results demonstrate high affinity binding of Crk toward denatured p130 and, as is the case for phosphorylated EGFR, Crk binding can partially protect p130 from phosphatase activity. However, no apparent competition of Crk binding was noted with heterologous SH2-containing proteins including GAPSH2[N], suggesting a possible specificity of Crk-p130 binding. These data are consistent with a direct role of SH2 in the modulation of cellular phosphotyrosine status in vivo.
Although the oncogene product of CT10 virus, P47gag-crk, does not itself phosphorylate proteins at tyrosine residues, it elevates phosphotyrosine in transformed cells. The P47gag-crk oncoprotein contains SH2 and SH3 domains, which are conserved in several proteins involved in signal transduction, including nonreceptor tyrosine kinases. P47gag-crk bound in vitro to phosphotyrosine-containing proteins from crk-transformed cells and from cells transformed by oncogenic tyrosine kinases. The association between P47gag-crk and p60v-src, a phosphotyrosine-containing protein, was abolished by dephosphorylation of p60v-src. This suggests that the SH2 and SH3 regions function to regulate protein interactions in a phosphotyrosine-dependent manner.
The requirements for the oncogenic conversion of the c-abl proto-oncogene have been determined by the expression of N-terminal deleted forms and viral gag-fused forms of the c-abl proteins from a selectable retroviral vector. To activate the transforming potential of c-abl, it is necessary that (i) specific N-terminal amino acids are deleted to release the kinase from negative regulation in vivo; (ii) an N-terminal myristylation site is part of the activated kinase; (iii) the fatty-acylated, activated kinase is overproduced. The N-terminal amino acids found to be necessary for the cellular inhibition of c-abl tyrosine phosphorylation are part of a homologous region present in many non-receptor tyrosine kinases, the v-crk oncogene and phospholipase C-II. Overproduction of a deregulated and myristylated c-abl tyrosine kinase induces the transformation of NIH 3T3 cells.
The two major forms of the c-abl gene differ from their activated counterpart, the v-abl oncogene of the Abelson murine leukemia virus by the replacement of their N-terminal sequences with viral gag sequences. Overexpression of p150c-abl type IV in a retroviral vector similar to Abelson virus does not transform NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, even though it is expressed and myristoylated at levels comparable to pp160v-abl. Members of a nested set of deletion mutations of the N-terminus of c-abl type IV in this expression system will activate abl to transform murine fibroblasts. The smallest of these deletions, delta XB, efficiently transforms lymphoid cells in vitro and causes leukemia in vivo demonstrating that gag sequences are not necessary for abl-induced leukemogenesis. The delta XB mutation defines an N-terminal regulatory domain, which shares a surprising homology with chicken oncogene v-crk and phospholipase C-II. Although overexpression of the myristoylated form of c-abl does not transform cells, it nonetheless has a profound effect on cell growth.
Src homology 2 domains bind to tyrosine-phosphorylated growth factor receptors and are found in proteins that serve as substrates for tyrosine kinases, such as phospholipase C-gamma 1 and ras GTPase-activating protein. We have previously described the cloning of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase-associated p85 from expression libraries with the tyrosine-phosphorylated epidermal growth factor receptor as a probe. We have now modified this technique by using T7 polymerase-based expression libraries, which significantly improves sensitivity of the method. In one screening of such a library, we identified five different murine Src homology 2 domain-containing proteins, which we call GRBs (growth factor receptor-bound proteins). Two of these proteins represented the tyrosine kinase fyn and the mouse homologue of phospholipase C-gamma 1, whereas two genes encoded proteins similar to v-crk and NCK. We also isolated the gene for GRB-7, which encodes a protein of 535 amino acids. In addition to a Src homology 2 domain, GRB-7 also has a region of similarity to the noncatalytic domain of ras GTPase-activating protein and is highly expressed in liver and kidney. Use of this expression/cloning system should increase our ability to identify downstream modulators of growth factor action.