Molecular surface sequence analysis of several E. coli enzymes and implications for existence of casein kinase-2...

Casein kinase-2 (CK2) is known as pleiotropic eukaryotic protein kinase that phosphorylates significant number of cellular proteins. Not all functions of the protein were registered up to the present time. However, it is known that this Ser/Thr-specific kinase is involved in the cell cycle progression and is essentially required for the eukaryotic cell viability. Fully automated molecular surface analysis procedure for identification of functionally significant surface residues and sequences on the base of protein spatial structure was elaborated. Using the elaborated procedure, several E. coli enzymes spatial structures and sequences were investigated. It was found that most of the casein kinase 2 potential sites found in sequences of enzymes are accessible for modification. Four of the 5 structures studied have CK2 consensus sites that may definitely influence the activity of the enzyme upon phosphorylation. Some of the potential "CK2-sites" has amino acid contents characteristic for physiological substrates of casein kinase 2 in eukaryotes. The main point of the elaborated method and the structural evidence for existence of a putative casein kinase E. coli predecessor or a protein with similar kinase activity are discussed. Physiological, biochemical, structural and evolutionary aspects of the existence of the putative predecessor are considered.