Phosphorylation of synaptic-membrane proteins from ox cerebral cortex in vitro. Preparation of fractions enriched in phosphorylated proteins by using extraction with detergents and urea, and gel filtration.

Synaptic-membrane fragments from ox cerebral cortex contain basal and cyclic AMP-stimulated protein kinase(s) that transfer 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP to hydroxyl groups of serine and threonine residues in membrane-protein substrates. In the present work, labelled membrane fragments were partitioned into soluble and insoluble fractions with Triton X-100, Nonidet P. 40, sodium deoxycholate and urea, and the distribution of 32P-labelled protein in the fractions was determined by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and radioautography. A high percentage of phosphorylated protein sustrates remained insoluble, including those whose phosphorylation was most highly stimulated by cyclic AMP. Whole membrane fragments and samples prepared by detergent extraction were fractionated on Sepharose 6B columns in the presence of low concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulphate and pooled fractions were analysed by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and radioautography. Phosphorylated proteins were fractionated on the basis of their molecular weight, but homogeneous protein was not obtained. The results are discussed in relation to the techniques used and the results obtained in other laboratories.