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Phosphorylation Sites Within α4 Subunits of α4β2 Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors: A Comparison of Substrate Specificities for cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase (PKA) and Protein Kinase C (PKC)

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Abstract

The present study determined whether putative phosphorylation sites within the M3/M4 cytoplasmic domain of the human α4 subunit of α4β2 neuronal nicotinic receptors are substrates for cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) or protein kinase C (PKC). Five peptides corresponding to predicted phosphorylation sequences were synthesized, and phosphorylation was compared with standard peptide substrates for each kinase, that is, Kemptide for PKA and glycogen synthase (GS) 1-8 for PKC. VRCRSRSI had the highest affinity for PKA, with a Km of 44.5 μM; Kemptide had a Km of 7.7 μM. LMKRPSVVK and KARSLSVQH were also phosphorylated by PKA, but had lower affinities of 593 μM and 2896 μM, respectively. LMKRPSVVK had the highest affinity for PKC with a Km of 182 μM; GS 1–8 had a Km of 2.1 μM. VRCRSRSI had a comparative affinity for PKC with a Km of 327 μM. PCKCTCKK was not phosphorylated by PKA, but was a substrate for PKC with a Km of 1392 μM, whereas PGPSCKSP was not phosphorylated by either kinase. Based on these findings, results suggest that Ser-362 and Ser-486 on the human α4 subunit may be phosphorylated by either PKA or PKC, Ser-467 is a putative PKA site, and Thr-532 represents a likely PKC substrate; Ser-421 does not appear to be phosphorylated by either kinase.

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  1. Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of South Florida, College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida, 33612-4799

    Lynn Wecker & Christopher Q. Rogers

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  1. Lynn Wecker
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  2. Christopher Q. Rogers
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Correspondence to Lynn Wecker.

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Wecker, L., Rogers, C.Q. Phosphorylation Sites Within α4 Subunits of α4β2 Neuronal Nicotinic Receptors: A Comparison of Substrate Specificities for cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase (PKA) and Protein Kinase C (PKC). Neurochem Res 28, 431–436 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022892400362

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