Characterization of protein kinase activity associated with rat liver polysomal messenger ribonucleoprotein particles.

Poly(adenylic acid)-containing rat liver polysomal messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (pmRNP) were isolated and found to contain protein kinase activity. The association of the enzyme(s) with the particles was confirmed by experiments showing that the protein kinase activity comigrated with the pmRNP on metrizamide gradients and bound to oligo-(dT)-cellulose columns only under conditions where the pmRNP bound. The following properties were determined for the pmRNP-associated kinase(s). Casein and phosvitin were preferred substrates over histone and protamine. The optimal MgCl2 and KCl concentrations were found to be 12.5 and 50 mM, respectively. MnCl2 and CaCl2 could not replace MgCl2 and were inhibitory at low concentrations. The optimum pH range was 7.7--9.0, and the enzyme activity was cAMP independent. A molecular weight of 55 000--60 000 was determined for the kinase(s) by sucrose gradient analysis. The enzyme(s) was capable of phosphorylating proteins endogenous to the pmRNP. Membrane-bound pmRNP contained much less kinase activity than free pmRNP while pmRNP from hepatoma 7777 contained an elevated level of the enzyme(s). The relationship between the protein kinase activity and one of the pmRNP proteins of molecular weight 66 000 is discussed.