Calcium/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) phosphorylates and activates tyrosine hydroxylase.

Protein kinase C, purified to homogeneity, was found to phosphorylate and activate tyrosine hydroxylase that had been partially purified from pheochromocytoma PC 12 cells. These actions of protein kinase C required the presence of calcium and phospholipid. This phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase reduced the Km for the cofactor 6-methyltetrahydropterine from 0.45 mM to 0.11 mM, increased the Ki for dopamine from 4.2 microM to 47.5 microM, and produced no change in the Km for tyrosine. Little or no change in apparent Vmax was observed. These kinetic changes are similar to those seen upon activation of tyrosine hydroxylase by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Two-dimensional phosphopeptide maps of tyrosine hydroxylase were identical whether the phosphorylation was catalyzed by protein kinase C or by the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Both protein kinases phosphorylated serine residues. The results suggest that protein kinase C and cAMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylate the same site(s) on tyrosine hydroxylase and activate tyrosine hydroxylase by the same mechanism.