Regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibits phosphoprotein phosphatase

The activity of a purified high molecular weight phosphoprotein phosphatase was inhibited by purified type II cAMP-dependent protein kinase. This effect required cAMP and was obtained in the absence of ATP. The isolated type II regulatory subunits (R-subunits) from several species also inhibited the phosphatase activity in both crude extracts and purified preparations. Half maximal inhibition was observed at 0.06-0.25 microM, well within the physiological range of R-subunit concentrations. The inhibitory potency of R-subunit was greater using the thiophosphorylated form. Limited trypsinization of the R-subunit abolished the inhibitory activity. The C-subunit released the bound cAMP when combined with R-subunit, but the phosphatase did not, implying that the inhibited species is a R.cAMP-phosphatase complex. The results suggest that the R-subunit might have at least one physiological role in addition to inhibition of the C-subunit, i.e., inhibition of phosphatase. The latter would occur only when cAMP is elevated.