Purification and characterization of a specific histone H1 protein kinase from mouse plasmacytoma

A protein kinase with high specificity for histone H1 was purified from a plasmacytoma microsomal fraction by a high-salt wash, ammonium sulfate precipitation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, hydroxyapatite and Sephadex G-200 columns, and the main properties of this kinase were studied. A sulfhydryl compound, such as 2-mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol, was necessary for full activity. The optimum pH was 7.4-7.8. After purification, the histone H1 kinase was not stimulated by cAMP or cGMP. It was not inhibited by the heat-stable cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor from beef heart. It utilized preferentially GTP over ATP as phosphate donor. Km values for ATP and GTP were 58 microM and 1.4 microM respectively; the Km for histone H1 was 14 microgram ml-1. The molecular weight was approximately 90 000 by gel-exclusion chromatography. Analysis of the purified H1-specific protein kinase by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in dodecylsulfate showed two bands having molecular weights of approximately 64 000 and 54 000. Many characteristics of this kinase were similar to those of the chromatin-bound protein kinase reported by other workers in rapidly proliferating cells.