• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.81-88
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• 2015

Flowering time (or heading date) is controlled by intrinsic genetic programs in response to environmental cues, such as photoperiod and temperature. Rice, a facultative short-day (SD) plant, flowers early in SD and late in long-day (LD) conditions. Casein kinases (CKs) generally act as positive regulators in many signaling pathways in plants. In rice, Heading date 6 (Hd6) and Hd16 encode $CK2{\alpha}$ and CKI, respectively, and mainly function to delay flowering time. Additionally, the major LD-dependent floral repressors Hd2/Oryza sativa Pseudo-Response Regulator 37 (OsPRR37;hereafter PRR37) and Ghd7 also confer strong photoperiod sensitivity. In floral induction, Hd16 acts upstream of Ghd7 and CKI interacts with and phosphorylates Ghd7. In addition, Hd6 and Hd16 also act upstream of Hd2. However, whether CKI and $CK2{\alpha}$ directly regulate the function of PRR37 remains unclear. Here, we use in vitro pull-down and in vivo bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays to show that CKI and $CK2{\alpha}$ interact with PRR37. We further use in vitro kinase assays to show that CKI and $CK2{\alpha}$ phosphorylate different regions of PRR37. Our results indicate that direct posttranslational modification of PRR37 mediates the genetic interactions between these two protein kinases and PRR37. The significance of CK-mediated phosphorylation for PRR37 and Ghd7 function is discussed.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.23-31
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• 2019

The protein kinase $CK2{\alpha}$ (formerly Casein Kinase II) is implicated in tumorigenesis and transformation. However, the mechanisms of $CK2{\alpha}$ activation in breast cancer have yet to be elucidated. This study investigated the mechanisms of $CK2{\alpha}$ activation in estrogen signaling. Estrogen increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, $CK2{\alpha}$ activity, and protein expression in estrogen receptor positive ($ER^+$) MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, which were inhibited by the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine. $H_2O_2$ enhanced $CK2{\alpha}$ activity and protein expression. Human epidermal growth factor (EGF) increased ROS production, $CK2{\alpha}$ activity and protein expression in EGF receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing MCF-7 (MCF-7 HER2) cells, but not in MCF-7 cells. Estrogen induced the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). The p38 inhibitor, SB202190, blocked estrogen-induced increases in ROS production, $CK2{\alpha}$ activity and $CK2{\alpha}$ protein expression. The data suggest that ROS/p38 MAPK is the key inducer of $CK2{\alpha}$ activation in response to estrogen or EGF.

• BMB Reports
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• 제44권7호
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• pp.490-495
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• 2011

Transcription factor AP-$2{\alpha}$ involves in the process of mammalian embryonic development and tumorigenesis. Many studies have shown that AP-$2{\alpha}$ functions in association with other interacting proteins. In a two-hybrid screening, the regulatory subunit ${\beta}$ of protein casein kinase 2 ($CK2{\beta}$) was identified as an interacting protein of AP-$2{\alpha}$; we confirmed this interaction using in-vitro GST pull-down and in-vivo co-immunoprecipitation assays; in an endogenous co-immunoprecipitation experiment, we further found the catalytic subunit ${\alpha}$ of protein casein kinase 2 ($CK2{\alpha}$) also exists in the complex. Phosphorylation analysis revealed that AP-$2{\alpha}$ was phosphorylated by CK2 kinase majorly at the site of Ser429, and such phosphorylation could be blocked by CK2 specific inhibitor 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole (TBB) in a dose-dependent manner. Luciferase assays demonstrated that both $CK2{\alpha}$ and $CK2{\beta}$ enhanced the transcription activity of AP-$2{\alpha}$; moreover, $CK2{\beta}$ increased the stability of AP-$2{\alpha}$. Our data suggest a novel cellular function of CK-2 as a transcriptional co-activator of AP-$2{\alpha}$.

• BMB Reports
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• 제42권12호
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• pp.840-845
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• 2009

Mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase (MSK1) palys a crucial role in the regulation of transcription downstream of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) and mitogen-activated protein kinase p38. MSK1 can be phosphorylated and activated in cells by both ERK1/2 and p38$\alpha$. In this study, Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) was identified as a binding and regulatory partner for MSK1. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, MSK1 was found to interact with the CK2$\beta$ regulatory subunit of CK2. Interactions between MSK1 and the CK2$\alpha$ catalytic subunit and CK2$\beta$ subunit were demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. We further found that CK2$\alpha$ can only interact with the C-terminal kinase domain of MSK1. Using site-directed mutagenesis assay and mass spectrometry, we identified five sites in the MSK1 C-terminus that could be phosphorylated by CK2 in vitro: Ser757, Ser758, Ser759, Ser760 and Thr793. Of these, Ser757, Ser759, Ser760 and Thr793 were previously unknown.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권4호
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• pp.192-197
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• 2022

Cell signals for growth factors depend on the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding the cells. Microtubule acetylation is involved in the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-induced myofibroblast differentiation in the soft ECM. However, the mechanism of activation of α-tubulin acetyltransferase 1 (α-TAT1), a major α-tubulin acetyltransferase, in the soft ECM is not well defined. Here, we found that casein kinase 2 (CK2) is required for the TGF-β-induced activation of α-TAT1 that promotes microtubule acetylation in the soft matrix. Genetic mutation and pharmacological inhibition of CK2 catalytic activity specifically reduced microtubule acetylation in the cells cultured on a soft matrix rather than those cultured on a stiff matrix. Immunoprecipitation analysis showed that CK2α, a catalytic subunit of CK2, directly bound to the C-terminal domain of α-TAT1, and this interaction was more prominent in the cells cultured on the soft matrix. Moreover, the substitution of alanine with serine, the 236th amino acid located at the C-terminus, which contains the CK2-binding site of α-TAT1, significantly abrogated the TGF-β-induced microtubule acetylation in the soft matrix, indicating that the successful binding of CK2 and the C-terminus of α-TAT1 led to the phosphorylation of serine at the 236th position of amino acids in α-TAT1 and regulation of its catalytic activity. Taken together, our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the TGF-β-induced activation of α-TAT1 in a soft matrix.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권10호
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• pp.1712-1716
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• 2007

To generate new scaffold candidates as highly selective and potent cyelin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, structure-based drug screening was performed utilizing 3D pharmacophore conformations of known potent inhibitors. As a result, CR229 (6-bromo-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-carbolin-1-one) was generated as the hit-compound. A computational docking study using the X-ray crystallographic structure of CDK2 in complex with CR229 was evaluated. This predicted binding mode study of CR229 with CDK2 demonstrated that CR229 interacted effectively with the Leu83 and Glu81 residues in the ATP-binding pocket of CDK2 for the possible hydrogen bond formation. Furthermore, biochemical studies on inhibitory effects of CR229 on various kinases in the human cervical cancer HeLa cells demonstrated that CR229 was a potent inhibitor of CDK2 ($IC_{50}:\;3\;{\mu}M$), CDKI ($IC_{50}:\;4.9\;{\mu}M$), and CDK4 ($IC_{50}:\;3\;{\mu}M$), yet had much less inhibitory effect ($IC_{50}:>20\;{\mu}M$) on other kinases, such as casein kinase 2-${\alpha}1$ (CK2-${\alpha}1$), protein kinase A (PKA), and protein kinase C (PKC). Accordingly, these data demonstrate that CR229 is a potent CDK inhibitor with anticancer efficacy.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권11호
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• pp.1529-1537
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• 2009

L-arginine 구조유사체인 L-canavanine의 인체 급성백혈병 Jurkat T 세포에 대한 apoptosis 유도활성이 단백질 티로신키나아제 $p56^{lck}$에 어떻게 조절되는지를 규명하기 위해 $p56^{lck}$를 발현하는 Jurkat T 세포주 E6.1과 $p56^{lck}$-결손 Jurkat T 세포주 JCaM1.6에 있어서 L-canavanine의 세포독성, L-canavanine에 의해 유도되는 apoptotic DNA fragmentation 및 apoptotic sub-$G_1$ peak를 비교하여 본 바, $p56^{lck}$-negative JCaM1.6 세포가 $p56^{lck}$-positive E6.1 세포에 비해 L-canavanine의 apoptotis 유도활성에 훨씬 더 민감한 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 $p56^{lck}$-negative JCaM1.6 세포의 민감성은 JCaM1.6 세포에 $p56^{lck}$ 유전자를 transfection시켜 발현시키면 현저히 감소되었다. L-Canavanine에 의해 유도되는 apoptosis관련 현상들을 $p56^{lck}$-stable transfectant인 JCaM1.6/lck 세포와 empty vector-transfectant 인 $p56^{lck}$-negaive JCaM1.6/vector 세포에서 Western blot analysis로 비교한 결과, L-canavanine에 의해 유도되는 mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta\Psi}m$)의 감소, caspase-9, -8, -7 및 -3의 활성화, 그리고 PARP 및 $PLC{\gamma}$-1의 분해가 JCaM1.6/vector 세포에 비해 JCaM1.6/lck 세포에서 더 약하게 나타났다. JCaM1.6/lck 세포를 2.5 mM L-canavanine으로 처리한 다음 세포 내 $p56^{lck}$ kinase 활성의 변화를 $\alpha$-casein을 기질로 하여 시간 별로 측정한 결과, L-canavanine의 처리 후 15분만에 $p56^{lck}$ kinase의 활성이 약 1.6배 증가되었으며 이후 6시간 동안은 약 1.3~1.4 배정도 증가된 수준으로 kinase 활성이 유지되는 것으로 확인되었다. L-Canavanine에 의한 apoptosis의 개시에 Fas/FasL 상호작용이 관련되는지를 규명하기 위해 FADD-negative Jurkat T 세포주 I2.1, caspase-8-negative Jurkat T 세포주 I9.2 및 wild-type Jurkat T 세포주 A3에 대한 L-canavanine의 세포독성을 비교한 결과, A3와 I2.1 세포의 경우는 L-canavanine의 세포독성이 동일하게 나타났고, 특히 caspase-8가 결손된 I9.2 세포의 경우는 L-canavanine의 세포독성에 대한 민감성이 A3와 I2.1 세포에 비해 단지 미약하게만 완화되는 것으로 나타나, L-canavanine의한 apoptosis에는 Fas/FasL 상호작용이 관련되어 있지 않으며, 또한 caspase-8의 역할이 필수적이지 않음을 시사하였다. Jurkat T 세포에 있어서 L-canavanie에 의해 유도되는 sub-$G_1$ peak 및 caspases 활성화에 미치는 pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk), caspase-9 inhibitor (z-LEHD-fmk), caspase-3 inhibitor (z-DEVD-fmk), caspase-4 inhibitor (z-LEVD-fmk) 및 caspase-12 inhibitor (z-ATAD-fmk)의 영향을 조사한 결과, L-canavanie에 의한 apoptosis는 ${\Delta\Psi}m$의 감소, caspase-9 및 caspase -3의 활성화에 뒤따른 caspase-8 및 caspase-7의 활성화, 그리고 PARP의 분해의 순서로 유도되는 것으로 나타났으며, 아울러 caspase-9의 활성화와 함께 caspase-12의 활성화가 L-canavanine 처리에 따른 caspase-3의 활성화에 요구되는 것으로 확인되었다. 결론적으로, L-canavanine 처리에 의한 Jurkat T 세포의 apoptosis는 ${\Delta\Psi}m$ 감소, caspase-9, caspase-3 및 caspase-7의 활성화에 의해 유도되며, 이들 apoptosis 현상들은 $p56^{lck}$에 의해 negative regulation되었다.