Differential binding of RhoA, RhoB, and RhoC to protein kinase C-related kinase (PRK) isoforms PRK1, PRK2, and PRK3: PRKs have the highest affinity for RhoB.

Protein kinase C-related kinases (PRKs) are members of the protein kinase C superfamily of serine-threonine kinases and can be activated by binding to members of the Rho family of GTPases via a Rho-binding motif known as an HR1 domain. Three tandem HR1 domains reside at the N-terminus of the PRKs. We have assessed the ability of the HR1a and HR1b domains from the three PRK isoforms (PRK1, PRK2, and PRK3) to interact with the three Rho isoforms (RhoA, RhoB, and RhoC). The affinities of RhoA and RhoC for a construct encompassing both PRK1 HR1 domains were similar to those for the HR1a domain alone, suggesting that these interactions are mediated solely by the HR1a domain. The affinities of RhoB for both the PRK1 HR1a domain and the HR1ab didomain were higher than those of RhoA or RhoC. RhoB also bound more tightly to the didomain than to the HR1a domain alone, implicating the HR1b domain in the interaction. As compared with PRK1 HR1 domains, PRK2 and PRK3 domains bind less well to all Rho isoforms. Uniquely, however, the PRK3 domains display a specificity for RhoB that requires both the C-terminus of RhoB and the PRK3 HR1b domain. The thermal stability of the HR1a and HR1b domains was also investigated. The PRK2 HR1a domain was found to be the most thermally stable, while PRK2 HR1b, PRK3 HR1a, and PRK3 HR1b domains all exhibited lower melting temperatures, similar to that of the PRK1 HR1a domain. The lower thermal stability of the PRK2 and PRK3 HR1b domains may impart greater flexibility, driving their ability to interact with Rho isoforms.