Identification and requirement of three ribosome binding domains in dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR)

The interferon-inducible, double-stranded (ds) RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) regulates protein synthesis initiation by phosphorylating the alpha-subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF-2). The amino-terminal half of PKR contains two dsRNA binding domains, and the kinase domain resides in the carboxy-terminal half of the protein. PKR is a ribosomal-associated protein. In this report, we provide evidence that PKR contains three ribosome interaction sites, two that are localized in each of the dsRNA binding domains and one that is localized in the kinase domain. All three domains can associate with polysomes independently. The ribosome association of the dsRNA binding domains requires dsRNA binding activity. Ribosome interaction of either the individual or the combined dsRNA binding domains was disrupted by 0.1 M KCl. In contrast, the ribosome interaction of intact PKR and the isolated kinase domain was largely resistant to 0.5 M KCl. These results indicate that all three domains of PKR contribute to the high-affinity ribosomal association. After dissociation of polysomes with EDTA, both intact PKR and the isolated kinase domain were primarily associated with the 60S ribosomal subunit. Coexpression of the adenovirus VAI RNA, an RNA polymerase III gene product that binds and inactivates PKR, disrupted ribosomal association of intact PKR, but not of the isolated PKR kinase domain. The results support a model where VAI RNA induces a major conformational change in PKR to prohibit ribosome association of all interaction sites. In contrast, other inhibitors of PKR including vaccinia virus E3L and K3L gene products, and the HIV trans-activating response (TAR) element binding protein TRBP, did not disrupt ribosome association of PKR. The results suggest a novel mechanism by which viral RNAs may inactivate PKR through disrupting ribosome association.