Activation of the PCSM-protein phosphatase by a Ca2+-dependent protease

The inhibitor-1 phosphatase but not the phosphorylase phosphatase activity of a newly discovered 250 kDa polycation-stimulated (PCSM) protein phosphatase in rabbit skeletal muscle is increased up to 10-fold by a Ca2+-dependent protease. The enzyme-directed protease effect to which the PCSH and PCSL phosphatases are insensitive was progressively lost during purification of the enzyme. This could be explained by either a slow conversion of the enzyme to an active form of the enzyme with a change in specificity, or the loss of a protease-sensitive inhibitor of the inhibitor-1 phosphatase activity, resulting in a PCS phosphatase characterized by its high inhibitor-1/phosphorylase alpha activity ratio. The Ca2+-dependent protease is completely inhibited by EGTA or leupeptin.