Cell-cycle-regulated phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein: identification of novel phosphorylation sites.

We report that the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) undergoes cell-cycle-regulated phosphorylation. In human amnion FL cells, CREB was expressed as two forms with different molecular masses, 45 and 45.5 kDa. Although asynchronous cells contained predominantly the 45 kDa forms, this form shifted to 45.5 kDa when the cells were synchronized with the early S-phase. Furthermore the expression of the 45.5 kDa band was increased when cells were treated with okadaic acid, confirming that the 45.5 kDa band was a phosphorylated form of the 45 kDa band. Mutation analysis indicated that neither Ser133, the target of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and calcium calmodulin kinase, nor Ser129, the target of glycogen synthetase kinase 3, was responsible for the expression of the 45.5 kDa band, but that Ser108, Ser111 and Ser114, located in a region matching the consensus sequence for the casein kinase II target, were required. A mutant in which Ser111 and Ser114 were each replaced by a glutamic residue, mimicking a phosphorylated state, had a higher activation potential in cAMP response element-mediated transcription. These results strongly suggest that the casein kinase II target region is involved in cell cycle-regulated phosphorylation of the CREB protein and also in transcriptional enhancement.