• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.130-136
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• 1994

Although alteration in protein phosphorylation by specific protein kinases is of importance in transducing cellular signals in a variety of neural/endocrine systems, little is known about protein phosphorylation in the hvpothalamus. The present study aims to explore whether activation of the second messenger-dependent protein kinases affects phosphorylation of specific proteins using a cell free phosphorylation system followed by SDS-polvacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cytoplasmic fractions derived from hvpothalami of immature rats were used as substrates and several activators and/or inhibitors of CAMP-, phosphatidylinositol- and Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinases were assessed. Many endogenous proteins were extensively phosphorylated and depending on the signal transduction pathways, phosphorvlation profiles were markedly different. The present data indicate that extracellular signals may affect cellular events through protein phosphorylation by second messengers-protein kinases in the rat hypothalamus.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.182-187
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• 2008

Salicylate (SA) was shown to alleviate insulin resistance. Here, we showed that SA inhibited Ser731 phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and S6 kinase activation, and enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS1 in response to insulin or amino acid. Experiments using a cJun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-deficient cell and an IRS1 JNK-binding mutant showed that JNK is not required for Ser731 phosphorylation. A two-week treatment of obese mice with SA resulted in decreased Ser731 phosphorylation and enhanced insulin signaling. These results suggest that SA enhances insulin signaling by inhibiting Ser731 phosphorylation of IRS1.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.497-506
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• 2000

In this work, GLUTs phosphorylations by a downstream effector of PI3-kinase, $PKC-{\zeta},$ were studied, and GLUT4 phosphorylation was compared with GLUT2 phosphorylation in relation to the translocation mechanism. Prior to phosphorylation experiment, $PKC-{\zeta}$ kinase activity was determined as $20.76{\pm}4.09$ pmoles Pi/min/25 ng enzymes. GLUT4 was phosphorylated by $PKC-{\zeta}$ and the phosphorylation was increased on the vesicles immunoadsorpted from LDM and on GLUT4 immunoprecipitated from GLUT4- contianing vesicles of adipocytes treated with insulin. However, GLUT2 in hepatocytes was neither phosphorylated by $PKC-{\zeta}$ nor changed in response to insulin treatment. It was confirmed by measuring the subcellular distribution of GLUT2 based on GLUT2 immunoblot density among the four membrane fractions before and after insulin treatment. Total GLUT2 distributions at PM, LYSO, HDM and LDM were $37.7{\pm}12.0%,\;42.4{\pm}12.1%,\;19.2{\pm}5.0%\;and\;0.7{\pm}1.2%$ in the absence of insulin. Total GLUT2 distribution in the presence of insulin was almost same as that in the absence of insulin. Present data with previous findings suggest that GLUT4 translocation may be attributed to GLUT4 phosphorylation by $PKC-{\zeta}$ but GLUT2 does not translocate because GLUT2 is not phosphorylated by the kinase. Therefore, GLUT phosphorylation may be required in GLUT translocation mechanism.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

Previous studies showed that Cdc7 kinase of Schizosaccharomyces pombe phosphorylated the minichromosome maintenance (Mcm) complex efficiently in the presence of spMcm10 protein. The biochemical properties of the phosphorylated Mcm complexes were examined to understand the activation mechanism of the Mcm complex by Cdc7 kinase. The phosphorylation of Mcm complex in the presence of spMcm10 by Cdc7 kinase did not affect the stability of the Mcm complex containing all six subunits, and the changes in the sedimentation properties were not observed after the phosphorylation. The reconstitution of the Mcm complex using the purified proteins showed that the phosphorylation of Mcm2 proteins did not affect the interactions between Mcm proteins. The phosphorylation of the Mcm2-7 complex at the same condition also did not activate the other biochemical activities such as DNA helicase and single stranded (ss) DNA binding activities. On the other hand, spMcm10 protein that was used for the stimulation of Mcm phosphorylation showed single stranded DNA binding activity, and inhibited the DNA helicase activity of the Mcm4/6/7 complex. These inhibitory effects were reduced by the addition of Cdc7 kinase, suggesting that the phosphorylation by Cdc7 kinase decreased the interactions between spMcm10 and the Mcm complex. Taken together, these results suggested that the phosphorylation by Cdc7 kinase alone is not sufficient for the remodeling and the activation of the Mcm complex, and the additional factors or the phosphorylations might be required for the activation of the Mcm complex.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.196-200
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• 2005

The neurofibromatosis type2 (NF2) tumor suppressor gene product, merlin, is structurally related to the ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) family of proteins that anchor the actin cytoskeleton to specific membrane proteins and participate in cell signaling. However, the basis of the tumor suppressing activity of merlin is not well understood. Previously, we identified a role of merlin as an inhibitor of the Ras-ERK signaling pathway. Recent studies have suggested that phosphorylation of merlin, as of other ERM proteins, may regulate its function. To determine whether phosphorylation of merlin affects its suppression of Ras-ERK signaling, we generated plasmids expressing full-length merlin with substitutions of serine 518, a potential phosphorylation site. A substitution that mimics constitutive phosphorylation (S518D) abrogated the ability of merlin to suppress effects of the Ras-ERK signaling pathway such as Ras-induced SRE transactivation, Elk-mediated SRE transactivation, Ras-induced ERK phosphorylation and Ras-induced focus formation. On the other hand, an S518A mutant, which mimics nonphosphorylated merlin, acted like wild type merlin. These observations show that mimicking merlin phosphorylation impairs not only growth suppression by merlin but also its inhibitory action on the Ras-ERK signaling pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.516-522
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• 2005

The phosphorylation of C-terminal domain (CTD) of Rpb1p, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II plays an important role in transcription and the coupling of various cellular events to transcription. In this study, its role in DNA damage response is closely examined in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, focusing specifically on several transcription factors that mediate or respond to the phosphorylation of the CTD. CTDK-1, the pol II CTD kinase, FCP1, the CTD phosphatase, ESS1, the CTD phosphorylation dependent cis-trans isomerase, and RSP5, the phosphorylation dependent pol II ubiquitinating enzyme, were chosen for the study. We determined that the CTD phosphorylation of CTD, which occurred predominantly at serine 2 within a heptapeptide repeat, was enhanced in response to a variety of sources of DNA damage. This modification was shown to be mediated by CTDK-1. Although mutations in ESS1 or FCP1 caused cells to become quite sensitive to DNA damage, the characteristic pattern of CTD phosphorylation remained unaltered, thereby implying that ESS1 and FCP1 play roles downstream of CTD phosphorylation in response to DNA damage. Our data suggest that the location or extent of CTD phosphorylation might be altered in response to DNA damage, and that the modified CTD, ESS1, and FCP1 all contribute to cellular survival in such conditions.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.264-275
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• 2020

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a significant role in intracellular signaling and regulation, particularly when they are maintained at physiologic levels. However, excess ROS can cause cell damage and induce cell death. We recently reported that eIF2α phosphorylation protects hepatocytes from oxidative stress and liver fibrosis induced by fructose metabolism. Here, we found that hepatocyte-specific eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient mice have significantly reduced expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and altered EGFR-mediated signaling pathways. EGFR-mediated signaling pathways are important for cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival in many tissues and cell types. Therefore, we studied whether the reduced amount of EGFR is responsible for the eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient hepatocytes' vulnerability to oxidative stress. ROS such as hydrogen peroxide and superoxides induce both EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation and eIF2α phosphorylation. eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient primary hepatocytes, or EGFR knockdown cells, have decreased ROS scavenging ability compared to normal cells. Therefore, these cells are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress. However, overexpression of EGFR in these eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient primary hepatocytes increased ROS scavenging ability and alleviated ROS-mediated cell death. Therefore, we hypothesize that the reduced EGFR level in eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient hepatocytes is one of critical factors responsible for their susceptibility to oxidative stress.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.322-327
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• 2018

Post-translational modification of proteins regulates signaling cascades in eukaryotic system, including plants. Among these modifications, phosphorylation plays an important role in modulating the functional properties of proteins. Plants perceive environmental cues that directly affect the phosphorylation status of many target proteins. To determine the effect of environmentally induced phosphorylation in plants, in vivo methods must be developed. Various in vitro methods are available but, unlike in animals, there is no optimized methodology for detecting protein phosphorylation in planta. Therefore, in this study, a robust, and easy to handle Phos-Tag Mobility Shift Assay (PTMSA) is developed for the in vivo detection of protein phosphorylation in plants by empirical optimization of methods previously developed for animals. Initially, the detection of the phosphorylation status of target proteins using protocols directly adapted from animals failed. Therefore, we optimized the steps in the protocol, from protein migration to the transfer of proteins to PVDF membrane. Supplementing the electrophoresis running buffer with 5mM $NaHSO_3$ solved most of the problems in protein migration and transfer. The optimization of a fast and robust protocol that efficiently detects the phosphorylation status of plant proteins was successful. This protocol will be a valuable tool for plant scientists interested in the study of protein phosphorylation.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.96-104
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• 2022

Objective: Sarcoplasmic proteins include proteins that play critical roles in biological processes of living organisms. How seasons influence biological processes and meat quality of postmortem muscles through the regulation of protein phosphorylation remain to be investigated. In this study, the phosphorylation of sarcoplasmic proteins in pork longissimus muscle was investigated in four seasons. Methods: Sarcoplasmic proteins were extracted from 40 pork carcasses (10 for each season) and analyzed through ProQ Diamond staining for phosphorylation labeling and Sypro Ruby staining for total protein labeling. The pH of muscle, contents of glycogen and ATP were measured at 45 min, 3 h, and 9 h postmortem and the water (P_2b, P₂₁, and P₂₂) was measured at 3 h and 9 h. Results: A total of 21 bands were detected. Band 8 (heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein; heat shock 70 kDa protein 1B) had higher phosphorylation level in summer than that in other seasons at 45 min postmortem. The phosphorylation levels of 3 Bands were significantly different between fast and normal pH decline groups (p<0.05). The phosphorylation levels of 4 bands showed negative associations with immobilized water (P₂₁) and positive association with free water (P₂₂). Conclusion: The phosphorylation levels of sarcoplasmic proteins involved in energy metabolism and heat stress response at early postmortem time differed depending on the seasons. These proteins include heat shock protein 70, pyruvate kinase, phosphoglucomutase-1, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, and carbonic anhydrase 3. High temperatures in summer might result in the phosphorylation of those proteins, leading to pH decline and low water holding capacity.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.911-922
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• 2022

A structural protein of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), nucleocapsid (N) protein is phosphorylated by glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3 on the serine/arginine (SR) rich motif located in disordered regions. Although phosphorylation by GSK-3β constitutes a critical event for viral replication, the molecular mechanism underlying N phosphorylation is not well understood. In this study, we found the putative alpha-helix L/FxxxL/AxxRL motif known as the GSK-3 interacting domain (GID), found in many endogenous GSK-3β binding proteins, such as Axins, FRATs, WWOX, and GSKIP. Indeed, N interacts with GSK-3β similarly to Axin, and Leu to Glu substitution of the GID abolished the interaction, with loss of N phosphorylation. The N phosphorylation is also required for its structural loading in a virus-like particle (VLP). Compared to other coronaviruses, N of Sarbecovirus lineage including bat RaTG13 harbors a CDK1-primed phosphorylation site and Gly-rich linker for enhanced phosphorylation by GSK-3β. Furthermore, we found that the S202R mutant found in Delta and R203K/G204R mutant found in the Omicron variant allow increased abundance and hyper-phosphorylation of N. Our observations suggest that GID and mutations for increased phosphorylation in N may have contributed to the evolution of variants.