[Autophosphorylation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase from pig brain]

Autophosphorylation of cyclic AMP-dependent pig brain protein kinase has been detected. Up to 1,5 moles of gamma-32P are transferred from [gamma-32P]ATP to the dimer of the regulatory subunit. The autophosphorylation reaction is Mg2+-dependent and occurs at a high rate: more than 50% of the radioactive label is incorporated during the first minute of incubation at 30 degrees. The pH dependence of this reaction differs from that of the phosphotransferase reaction. The phosphoholoenzyme is more sensitive to cyclic AMP than the dephosphoholoenzyme; however, both forms bind up to 2 moles of 3H-cyclic AMP per 1 mole of the holoenzyme. The activation and dissociation constants for both forms of the holoenzyme have been calculated. The autophosphorylation reaction has been shown to occur via an intramolecular mechanism; the phosphorylation of the regulatory subunit can occur only within the holoenzyme. The increase in the concentration of cyclic AMP causes the latter to produce an inhibitory effect on autophosphorylation. The regulatory action of autophosphorylation on cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases is discussed.