Protein kinase and phosphoproteins of avian myeloblastosis virus

A protein kinase associated with purified virions of avian myeloblastosis virus, BAI strain A, was highly purified by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. On the basis of molecular sieving on Sephadex G-200, the enzyme protein appeared to have a molecular weight of about 50,000 to 60,000; disc gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gels revealed the presence of at least two polypeptide chains; and isoelectric focusing on acrylamide gels revealed two protein bands with activity. Of the nonviral proteins used as phosphate acceptors, the greatest rate of phosphorylation was obtained with alpha-casein. Potential physiological substrates for this activity included specific virion polypeptide of avian myeloblastosis virus. One of the virion polypeptides found in association with reverse transcriptase activity from avian myeloblastosis virus accepted more phosphate than any of nonviral or viral polypeptides examined on the basis of nanomoles of 32P incorporated per milligram of protein.