Tyrosine hydroxylase. Activation by protein phosphorylation and end product inhibition

Protein phosphorylation activates tyrosine hydroxylase in crude extracts of rat striatum, hypothalamus, and adrenal glands by a reduction in the apparent Km value for 6-methyltetrahydropterin. Removal of endogenous catecholamines by gel filtration or cation exchange results in a similar activation. Phosphorylation causes only a small additional reduction in the apparent Km for reduced pterin in striatal extracts from which catecholamines have been removed. Kinetic analysis indicates that protein phosphorylation causes a significant increase in the Ki for end product dopamine, whereas gel filtration or cation exchange treatment has little effect on the dopamine Ki value. None of the above treatments appears to change the molecular weight of the enzyme. At physiological concentrations of dopamine, the increase in Ki by phosphorylation would effectively release tyrosine hydroxylase from end product feedback inhibition.