The structural domains of cAMP-dependent protein kinase I. Characterization of two sites of proteolytic cleavage and homologies to cAMP-dependent protein kinase II.

The regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase I has been cleaved proteolytically into two structurally independent domains. The larger domain (35K with trypsin or thermolysin and 31K with chymotrypsin) corresponded to the COOH-terminal end of the polypeptide chain and retained the cAMP binding site(s). The smaller domain (11 to 12K with trypsin), corresponding to the NH2-terminal region of the regulatory subunit, contained the region of dimer interaction. In the absence of reducing reagent, the two protomers of the native regulatory subunit and of the smaller domain could be covalently cross-linked by a disulfide bond. In addition to the two major domains, a 15-residue peptide that links the two domains has been isolated and partially characterized. Two major sites on the type I regulatory subunit were susceptible to proteolytic degradation. Site 1, susceptible to cleavage by both trypsin and thermolysin, has the following sequence: LysArg-Arg-Gly-Ala-Ile-Ser-Ala-. Cleavage at this site generated a 35K cAMP-binding fragment. Site 2 contained a chymotryptic cleavage site as well as a secondary tryptic site. The sequence at Site 2 was Val-Arg-Arg-Val-Ile-Ala. Cleavage here generated a 31K cAMP-binding fragment. Both sites contained 2 consecutive basic amino acid residues similar to the corresponding sequence in the type II regulatory subunit; however, in the case of the type I regulatory subunit, the serine at Site 1 does not serve as a site of autophosphorylation. In contrast to the dissociated regulatory subunit, the holoenzyme is partially protected from proteolytic degradation.