Eukaryotic transcriptional regulation and chromatin-associated protein phosphorylation by cyclic AMP.

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) analogs or agents that increase intracellular cyclic AMP rapidly stimulate transcription of the prolactin gene in a line of cultured rat pituitary cells. This effect is correlated with the phosphorylation of a chromatin-associated basic protein designated BPR. These data are consistent with the postulate that increased intracellular cyclic AMP concentrations induce rapid transcriptional effects on specific genes in eukaryotes, mediated by direct or indirect phosphorylation of a specific chromatin-associated protein or proteins.