The generation of phosphoserine stretches in phosphoproteins: mechanism and significance. 2015

Luca Cesaro, and Lorenzo A Pinna
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58B, 35131 Padova, Italy. lorenzo.pinna@unipd.it.

In the infancy of studies on protein phosphorylation the occurrence of clusters of three or more consecutive phosphoseryl residues in secreted and in cellular phosphoproteins was reported. Later however, while the reversible phosphorylation of Ser, Thr and Tyr residues was recognized to be the most frequent and general mechanism of cell regulation and signal transduction, the phenomenon of multi-phosphorylation of adjacent residues was entirely neglected. Nowadays, in the post-genomic era, the availability of large phosphoproteomics database makes possible a comprehensive re-visitation of this intriguing aspect of protein phosphorylation, aimed at shedding light on both its mechanistic occurrence and its functional meaning. Here we describe an analysis of the human phosphoproteome disclosing the existence of more than 800 rows of 3 to >10 consecutive phosphoamino acids, composed almost exclusively of phosphoserine, while clustered phosphothreonines and phosphotyrosines are almost absent. A scrutiny of these phosphorylated rows supports the conclusion that they are generated through the major contribution of a few hierarchical protein kinases, with special reference to CK2. Also well documented is the combined intervention of CK1 and GSK3, the former acting as priming and primed, the latter as primed kinase. The by far largest proportion of proteins containing (pS)n clusters display a nuclear localization where they play a prominent role in the regulation of transcription. Consistently the molecular function of the by far largest majority of these proteins is the ability to bind other macromolecules and/or nucleotides and metal ions. A "String" analysis performed under stringent conditions reveals that >80% of them are connected to each other by physical and/or functional links, and that this network of interactions mostly take place at the nuclear level.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010750 Phosphoproteins Phosphoprotein
D010768 Phosphoserine The phosphoric acid ester of serine. Serine Phosphate,Phosphorylserine,Seryl Phosphate,Phosphate, Serine,Phosphate, Seryl
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013912 Threonine An essential amino acid occurring naturally in the L-form, which is the active form. It is found in eggs, milk, gelatin, and other proteins. L-Threonine,L Threonine
D014443 Tyrosine A non-essential amino acid. In animals it is synthesized from PHENYLALANINE. It is also the precursor of EPINEPHRINE; THYROID HORMONES; and melanin. L-Tyrosine,Tyrosine, L-isomer,para-Tyrosine,L Tyrosine,Tyrosine, L isomer,para Tyrosine
D047389 Casein Kinase I A casein kinase that was originally described as a monomeric enzyme with a molecular weight of 30-40 kDa. Several ISOENZYMES of casein kinase I have been found which are encoded by separate genes. Many of the casein kinase I isoenzymes have been shown to play distinctive roles in intracellular SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION. Casein Kinase 1,Casein Kinase Ibeta,Casein Kinase Igamma,Casein Kinase Ikappa,Casein Kinase Itau,Kappa Casein Kinase,Protein Kinase CK1,Protein Kinase CKI,tau Casein Kinase I,Kinase 1, Casein,Kinase I, Casein
D047390 Casein Kinase II A ubiquitous casein kinase that is comprised of two distinct catalytic subunits and dimeric regulatory subunit. Casein kinase II has been shown to phosphorylate a large number of substrates, many of which are proteins involved in the regulation of gene expression. Casein Kinase 2,Casein Kinase 2 alpha Subunit,Casein Kinase 2 alpha' Subunit,Casein Kinase 2 beta Subunit,Casein Kinase 2alpha,Casein Kinase 2alpha',Casein Kinase TS,Casein Kinase-2,Protein Kinase CK2,Protein Kinase CKII,2alpha', Casein Kinase,Kinase 2alpha', Casein,Kinase CKII, Protein
D038362 Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 A glycogen synthase kinase that was originally described as a key enzyme involved in glycogen metabolism. It regulates a diverse array of functions such as CELL DIVISION, microtubule function and APOPTOSIS. GSK-3,gsk-3 Gene Product

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