Biochemical examination of the potential eukaryotic-type protein kinase genes in the complete genome of the unicellular Cyanobacterium synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

The complete genome of the unicellular motile cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 harbors seven putative genes for a subfamily Pkn2 of the eukaryotic-type (or "Hanks-type") protein kinase. Previously, SpkA and SpkB were shown to have protein kinase activity and to be required for cell motility. Here, the other five genes were examined. These genes, except for spkG (slr0152), were successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. Eukaryotic-type protein kinase activity of the expressed SpkC (Slr0599), SpkD (S110776) and SpkF (Slr1225) was demonstrated as autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of the general substrate proteins. SpkE (Slr1443) did not show any activity, a finding consistent with its lack of several key amino acid residues in its kinase motif. Gene-disrupted mutants showed no discernible defect in phenotype except that spkD was apparently essential for survival.