Phosphorylation in vivo of chicken oviduct progesterone receptor

Progesterone receptor from an oviduct tissue mince incubated with (32P)orthophosphate was purified using affinity chromatography, gel filtration, and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. Two receptor peaks were eluted from the DEAE column. Peak I contained one major protein band with a molecular weight of 90,000 and a 32P band at 90,000. Peak II also had a major 90,000-dalton protein band and a 32P band at the same position. In addition, peak II contained a major protein band at 104,000 daltons and a 32P band which appeared to be slightly larger. Peaks I and II from chickens injected with (32P)orthophosphate showed the same pattern of labeling. The 90,000-molecular weight proteins from peaks I and II and the 32P-labeled component of II with Mr greater than 104,000 all contained phosphoserine. On two-dimensional gels, the 90,000-dalton proteins from peaks I and II were indistinguishable. Both contained labeled phosphate. Two-dimensional gels separated the 104,000-dalton peptide from the slightly larger 32P-labeled protein which traveled close to it on a one-dimensional gel. The relationships of the 104,000-dalton protein and this phosphoprotein to the progesterone receptor are not known. The 90,000-dalton receptor form common to both peaks is a phosphoprotein.