We have cloned a novel member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. The cDNA of clone 29 was isolated from a rat prostate cDNA library and it encodes a protein of 485 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 54.2 kDa. Clone 29 protein is unique in that it is highly homologous to the rat estrogen receptor (ER) protein, particularly in the DNA-binding domain (95%) and in the C-terminal ligand-binding domain (55%). Expression of clone 29 in rat tissues was investigated by in situ hybridization and prominent expression was found in prostate and ovary. In the prostate clone 29 is expressed in the epithelial cells of the secretory alveoli, whereas in the ovary the granuloma cells in primary, secondary, and mature follicles showed expression of clone 29. Saturation ligand-binding analysis of in vitro synthesized clone 29 protein revealed a single binding component for 17beta-estradiol (E2) with high affinity (Kd= 0.6 nM). In ligand-competition experiments the binding affinity decreased in the order E2 > diethylstilbestrol > estriol > estrone > 5alpha-androstane-3beta,17beta-diol >> testosterone = progesterone = corticosterone = 5alpha-androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol. In cotransfection experiments of Chinese hamster ovary cells with a clone 29 expression vector and an estrogen-regulated reporter gene, maximal stimulation (about 3-fold) of reporter gene activity was found during incubation with 10 nM of E2. Neither progesterone, testosterone, dexamethasone, thyroid hormone, all-trans-retinoic acid, nor 5alpha-androstane-3alpha,I7beta-diol could stimulate reporter gene activity, whereas estrone and 5alpha-androstane-3beta,17beta-diol did. We conclude that clone 29 cDNA encodes a novel rat ER, which we suggest be named rat ERbeta to distinguish it from the previously cloned ER (ERalpha) from rat uterus.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/93/12/5925.full.pdf

Cloning of a novel receptor expressed in rat prostate and ovary.

https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/0092-8674(94)90380-8.pdf

JNK1: A protein kinase stimulated by UV light and Ha-Ras that binds and phosphorylates the c-Jun activation domain

Insulin activated endogenous protein kinase B alpha (also known as RAC/Akt kinase) activity 12‐fold in L6 myotubes, while after transfection into 293 cells PKBalpha was activated 20‐ and 50‐fold in response to insulin and IGF‐1 respectively. In both cells, the activation of PKBalpha was accompanied by its phosphorylation at Thr308 and Ser473 and, like activation, phosphorylation of both of these residues was prevented by the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase inhibitor wortmannin. Thr308 and/or Ser473 were mutated to Ala or Asp and activities of mutant PKBalpha molecules were analysed after transfection into 293 cells. The activity of wild‐type and mutant PKBalpha was also measured in vitro after stoichiometric phosphorylation of Ser473 by MAPKAP kinase‐2. These experiments demonstrated that activation of PKBalpha by insulin or insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) results from phosphorylation of both Thr308 and Ser473, that phosphorylation of both residues is critical to generate a high level of PKBalpha activity and that the phosphorylation of Thr308 in vivo is not dependent on phosphorylation of Ser473 or vice versa. We propose a model whereby PKBalpha becomes phosphorylated and activated in insulin/IGF‐1‐stimulated cells by an upstream kinase(s).

Mechanism of activation of protein kinase B by insulin and IGF-1. EMBO J 15 (23):6541-6551

Insulin activated endogenous protein kinase B alpha (also known as RAC/Akt kinase) activity 12-fold in L6 myotubes, while after transfection into 293 cells PKBalpha was activated 20- and 50-fold in response to insulin and IGF-1 respectively. In both cells, the activation of PKBalpha was accompanied by its phosphorylation at Thr308 and Ser473 and, like activation, phosphorylation of both of these residues was prevented by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin. Thr308 and/or Ser473 were mutated to Ala or Asp and activities of mutant PKBalpha molecules were analysed after transfection into 293 cells. The activity of wild-type and mutant PKBalpha was also measured in vitro after stoichiometric phosphorylation of Ser473 by MAPKAP kinase-2. These experiments demonstrated that activation of PKBalpha by insulin or insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) results from phosphorylation of both Thr308 and Ser473, that phosphorylation of both residues is critical to generate a high level of PKBalpha activity and that the phosphorylation of Thr308 in vivo is not dependent on phosphorylation of Ser473 or vice versa. We propose a model whereby PKBalpha becomes phosphorylated and activated in insulin/IGF-1-stimulated cells by an upstream kinase(s).

/pdf/mechanism-of-activation-of-protein-kinase-b-by-insulin-and-p87vb9j0qh.pdf

Mechanism of activation of protein kinase B by insulin and IGF-1.

Pro-inflammatory Cytokines and Environmental Stress Cause p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activation by Dual Phosphorylation on Tyrosine and Threonine (∗)

https://www.jbc.org/content/264/14/8222.full.pdf

Cloning, structure, and expression of the mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 sterol 26-hydroxylase, a bile acid biosynthetic enzyme.

The conversion of cholesterol into bile acids in the liver represents the major catabolic pathway for the removal of cholesterol from the body. In this complex biosynthetic pathway, at least 10 enzymes modify both the ring structure and side chain of cholesterol, resulting in the formation of the primary bile acids, cholic acid, and chenodeoxycholic acid. To gain insight into the details and regulation of this pathway, we have used protein sequencing and molecular cloning techniques to isolate and characterize a cDNA encoding the rabbit mitochondrial sterol 26-hydroxylase. This enzyme catalyzes the first step in the oxidation of the side chain of sterol intermediates in the biosynthesis of bile acids. The structure of the sterol 26-hydroxylase, as deduced by both DNA sequence analysis of the cDNA and protein sequence analysis, reveals it to be a mitochondrial cytochrome P-450. A signal sequence of 36 residues precedes a coding region of 499 amino acids, predicting a molecular weight of 56,657 for the mature protein. The identity of the 26-hydroxylase cDNA was further confirmed by expression in monkey COS cells employing a versatile eukaryotic expression vector. Blotting experiments revealed that the mRNA for this enzyme is expressed in many tissues and that it is encoded by a low copy number gene in the rabbit genome.

H. Jörnvall

Papers

Cloning, structure, and expression of the mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 sterol 26-hydroxylase, a bile acid biosynthetic enzyme.

Cloning, structure and expression of the mitochondrial cytochrome P-450 sterol 26-hydroxylase