Rabbit kidney cortex phosphorylase phosphatases: evidence for complexes between high molecular weight forms and...

Two forms of high molecular weight phosphorylase phosphatase have been partially resolved by gel filtration chromatography of rabbit kidney cortex extracts. Two heat-stable inhibitor proteins co-eluted with the phosphatase peaks. Phosphorylase phosphatase and heat-stable inhibitor activity also co-migrated on gel electrophoresis of cortex extracts. When extracts were heated to 95 degrees for 5 minutes prior to gel filtration or electrophoresis, phosphorylase phosphatase inhibitor activity eluted at a lower molecular weight and a higher mobility, respectively. Storing cortex extracts at -20 degrees for 6 months resulted in partial conversion of both phosphatase and inhibitor activities to lower molecular weight forms which co-eluted on gel filtration. The two inhibitor peaks from gel filtration chromatography were heat-treated and characterized. Both inhibitor peaks had molecular weight of 25,000 to 35,000. The inhibitory activity of one of the peaks was increased about 3.5-fold by incubation with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and ATP, and required higher concentrations of TCA to be precipitated. Hence, one of the inhibitor peaks resembled rabbit muscle inhibitor -1, while the other peak may represent an inhibitor similar to rabbit muscle inhibitor -2. These results represent the first indication that low molecular weight heat-stable inhibitor proteins may be bound to high molecular weight phosphorylase phosphatases in the cell.