Inactivation of rabbit muscle phosphorylase phosphatase by cyclic AMP-dependent kinas

Partially purified rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.17; phosphoprotein phosphohydrolase) was inactivated when it was incubated with exogenous cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (EC 2.7.1.37; ATP:protein phosphotransferase), cyclic AMP, and ATP-Mg. Subsequent separation of the phosphatase by acrylamide gel electrophoresis or sucrose density centrifugation resulted in reactivation of the enzyme. The phosphatase decreased in molecular weight from approximately 70,000 to 52,000, and a phosphorylated inhibitor with molecular weight of 26,000 was found. Reactivation of phosphatase also occurred when it was incubated with MnCl2 or trypsin. The inhibitor was effective at less than 10(-8) M and was relatively heat stable. Its activity was destroyed by tryptic digestion and by dephosphorylation by a Mn-stimulated phosphatase. These observations support the possibility that phosphorylase phosphatase activity is controlled by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and a Mn-stimulated phosphatase by a reaction involving phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of a protein phosphatase inhibitor.