Phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 in suspension cultured HeLa cells

HeLa cell ribosomal protein S6, and the increase in its phosphorylation level that occurs after resuspending cells in fresh medium plus serum, were studied using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The maximum level of S6 phosphorylation occurs about 2 h after adding fresh medium and seum to cells that have been allowed to grow to high density; this results in an almost complete shift of the spot representing S6 in two-dimensional polacrylamide gels to a new location. Mixing experiments showed that the differences in the level of phosphorylation occur in vivo and are not an artifact of in vitro sample preparation. This method of stimulating S6 phosphorylation provides a convenient system for studying the functional significance of the phenomenon. Only one other ribosomal protein was detectably phosphorylated using [32P]-labeling and autoradiography of dried two-dimensional gels. The level of phosphorylation of this protein, L14, does not change after serum stimulation.