Human parainfluenza virus type 3 phosphoprotein: identification of serine 333 as the major site for PKC zeta phosphorylation.

The human parainfluenza virus type 3 P protein is an RNA polymerase subunit involved in both transcription and replication during the life cycle of the virus. Our laboratory has recently shown that the P protein is phosphorylated both in vitro and in vivo by the cellular protein kinase C (PKC) isoform zeta and that this phosphorylation is essential for viral replication. To identify the site(s) of phosphorylation, we have used CNBr cleavage, phosphoamino acid analysis, and two-dimensional tryptic peptide mapping of the in vitro and in vivo phosphorylated P protein. We demonstrate that when bacterially expressed unphosphorylated P is labeled in vitro with either commercial PKC or purified recombinant PKC zeta P protein has one major phosphorylation site. By site-directed mutagenesis of PKC consensus sites in the P protein, the primary phosphorylation site is found to be Ser 333. The same site appeared to be modified when viral P protein was phosphorylated in vitro by the PKC packaged within the virion and in the P protein of progeny virion labeled in vivo.