A novel fragmentation of human myelin basic protein: identification of phosphorylated domains

Human myelin basic protein (MBP) was fragmented into three major polypeptides comprised of a NH2-terminal domain (residues 1-83), a middle domain (residues 84-119) which contains an experimental allergic encephalitogenic determinant and a highly conserved triproline sequence, and a COOH-terminal domain (residues 120-170) by Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease at pH 4.0. These three polypeptides could be identified and purified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Analysis of the sites of phosphorylation of the component 1 of human MBP, the most cationic species, catalyzed by a purified Ca2+-activated and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase and cAMP-dependent protein kinase revealed that although these protein kinases could incorporate approximately 6 and 4 mol 32P, respectively, into MBP, none of the potential sites were located within the middle domain.