Developmental changes in the protein kinase activity of chick brain

The protein kinase activity in the postmitochondrial and postribosomal fractions from chick brain at various stages of development was examined. It has been found, that the overall level of protein kinases activity, assayable under the experimental conditions, increases during embryogenesis, sharply decreases at the hatch, and again increases thereafter. The subcellular distribution of protein kinases alters during ontogenetic development. The embryonal protein kinases of both subcellular fractions differ in the protein substrate specificity, cAMP- and salts-sensitivity from those of the adult ones. Thanks to use of ribosomal proteins as an exogenous substrates it was possible to visualize the developmental changes in the protein kinase pattern.