N-Terminus of the Protein Kinase CLK1 Induces SR Protein Hyper-Phosphorylation

SR proteins are essential splicing factors that are regulated through multisite phosphorylation of their RS (arginine-serine-rich) domains by two major families of protein kinases. The SRPKs efficiently phosphorylate the arginine-serine dipeptides in the RS domain using a conserved docking groove in the kinase domain. In contrast, CLKs lack a docking groove and phosphorylate both arginine-serine and serine-proline dipeptides, modifications that generate a hyper-phosphorylated state important for unique SR protein-dependent splicing activities. All CLKs contain long, flexible N-terminal extensions (140-300 residues) that resemble the RS domains present in their substrate SR proteins. We showed that the N-terminus in CLK1 contacts both the kinase domain and the RS domain of the SR protein SRSF1. This interaction not only is essential for facilitating hyper-phosphorylation but also induces cooperative binding of SRSF1 to RNA. The N-terminus of CLK1 enhances the total phosphoryl contents of a panel of physiological substrates including SRSF1, SRSF2, SRSF5 and Tra2β1 by 2-3-fold. These findings suggest that CLK1-dependent hyper-phosphorylation is the result of a general mechanism in which the N-terminus acts as a bridge connecting the kinase domain and the RS domain of the SR protein.

Source: BJ Signal - May 29, 2014 Category: Biochemistry Authors: B E. Aubol, R M. Plocinik, M Keshwani, M L. McGlone, J C. Hagopian, G Ghosh, X Fu, J A. Adams Tags: BJ Biomolecules Source Type: research