Regulation of bovine kidney branched-chain 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase complex by reversible phosphorylation

Bovine kidney mitochondrial branched-chain 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase complex is inactivated by covalent phosphorylation catalysed by a specific protein kinase intrinsic to the complex. It has been shown previously [Cook, K.G., Lawson, R. and Yeaman, S.J. (1983) FEBS Lett. 157, 59-62] that tryptic digestion of phosphorylated complex releases three phosphopeptides, indicative of multisite phosphorylation. In this communication we report several findings. (a) These three tryptic peptides contain only two sites of phosphorylation which are closely grouped on the alpha subunit of the E1 component of the complex. (b) The amino acid sequence of the phosphorylated region has been determined. (c) Conditions have been developed which allow investigation of the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the two sites. (d) Both sites can be dephosphorylated at significant rates in vitro by two cytosolic protein phosphatases, namely phosphatases 2A and 2C. Dephosphorylation of one site correlates closely with re-activation of the complex.