Skip to main content
PMC home page
The EMBO Journal logoLink to The EMBO Journal
. 1993 Oct;12(10):3903–3911. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1993.tb06068.x

Multiple and cooperative phosphorylation events regulate the CREM activator function.

R P de Groot 1, J den Hertog 1, J R Vandenheede 1, J Goris 1, P Sassone-Corsi 1
PMCID: PMC413673  PMID: 8404858

Abstract

Phosphorylation is one of the major mechanisms by which the activity of transcription factors can be regulated. We have investigated the role of phosphorylation in the regulation of the transcription factor CREM. We show that the CREM tau activator is phosphorylated on multiple serine and threonine residues in vivo. Stimulation of various signal transduction pathways by forskolin, TPA or Ca2+ ionophore leads to enhanced phosphorylation of serine 117, concomitant with an increase in the transactivation potential of CREM tau. We have identified multiple kinases that can also phosphorylate S117 in vitro. Moreover, we show that casein kinase I and II cooperatively phosphorylate CREM tau on multiple residues, eliciting enhanced DNA binding. Cooperative phosphorylation is also observed with other kinases. These results show that the activity of CREM tau is regulated by multiple phosphorylation events, suggesting that CREM could be considered as a nuclear effector where signalling pathways may converge and/or cross-talk.

Full text

PDF
3909

Images in this article

3904Image
on p.3904
3905Image
on p.3905
3906Image
on p.3906
3907Image
on p.3907
3908Image
on p.3908
3909Image
on p.3909
3909Image
on p.3909

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Agostinis P., Marin O., James P., Hendrix P., Merlevede W., Vandenheede J. R., Pinna L. A. Phosphorylation of the phosphatase modulator subunit (inhibitor-2) by casein kinase-1. Identification of the phosphorylation sites. FEBS Lett. 1992 Jun 29;305(2):121–124. doi: 10.1016/0014-5793(92)80877-j. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Borrelli E., Montmayeur J. P., Foulkes N. S., Sassone-Corsi P. Signal transduction and gene control: the cAMP pathway. Crit Rev Oncog. 1992;3(4):321–338. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Boyle W. J., van der Geer P., Hunter T. Phosphopeptide mapping and phosphoamino acid analysis by two-dimensional separation on thin-layer cellulose plates. Methods Enzymol. 1991;201:110–149. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(91)01013-r. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brindle P. K., Montminy M. R. The CREB family of transcription activators. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 1992 Apr;2(2):199–204. doi: 10.1016/s0959-437x(05)80274-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dash P. K., Karl K. A., Colicos M. A., Prywes R., Kandel E. R. cAMP response element-binding protein is activated by Ca2+/calmodulin- as well as cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Jun 1;88(11):5061–5065. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.11.5061. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. DePaoli-Roach A. A. Synergistic phosphorylation and activation of ATP-Mg-dependent phosphoprotein phosphatase by F A/GSK-3 and casein kinase II (PC0.7). J Biol Chem. 1984 Oct 10;259(19):12144–12152. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Delmas V., Laoide B. M., Masquilier D., de Groot R. P., Foulkes N. S., Sassone-Corsi P. Alternative usage of initiation codons in mRNA encoding the cAMP-responsive-element modulator generates regulators with opposite functions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 May 15;89(10):4226–4230. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.10.4226. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Dent P., Campbell D. G., Hubbard M. J., Cohen P. Multisite phosphorylation of the glycogen-binding subunit of protein phosphatase-1G by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and glycogen synthase kinase-3. FEBS Lett. 1989 May 8;248(1-2):67–72. doi: 10.1016/0014-5793(89)80433-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Flint K. J., Jones N. C. Differential regulation of three members of the ATF/CREB family of DNA-binding proteins. Oncogene. 1991 Nov;6(11):2019–2026. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Flotow H., Roach P. J. Synergistic phosphorylation of rabbit muscle glycogen synthase by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and casein kinase I. Implications for hormonal regulation of glycogen synthase. J Biol Chem. 1989 Jun 5;264(16):9126–9128. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Foulkes N. S., Borrelli E., Sassone-Corsi P. CREM gene: use of alternative DNA-binding domains generates multiple antagonists of cAMP-induced transcription. Cell. 1991 Feb 22;64(4):739–749. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(91)90503-q. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Foulkes N. S., Laoide B. M., Schlotter F., Sassone-Corsi P. Transcriptional antagonist cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) down-regulates c-fos cAMP-induced expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Jun 15;88(12):5448–5452. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.12.5448. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Foulkes N. S., Mellström B., Benusiglio E., Sassone-Corsi P. Developmental switch of CREM function during spermatogenesis: from antagonist to activator. Nature. 1992 Jan 2;355(6355):80–84. doi: 10.1038/355080a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Foulkes N. S., Sassone-Corsi P. More is better: activators and repressors from the same gene. Cell. 1992 Feb 7;68(3):411–414. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90178-f. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Glass D. B., Cheng H. C., Mende-Mueller L., Reed J., Walsh D. A. Primary structural determinants essential for potent inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase by inhibitory peptides corresponding to the active portion of the heat-stable inhibitor protein. J Biol Chem. 1989 May 25;264(15):8802–8810. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Gonzalez G. A., Menzel P., Leonard J., Fischer W. H., Montminy M. R. Characterization of motifs which are critical for activity of the cyclic AMP-responsive transcription factor CREB. Mol Cell Biol. 1991 Mar;11(3):1306–1312. doi: 10.1128/mcb.11.3.1306. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Gonzalez G. A., Montminy M. R. Cyclic AMP stimulates somatostatin gene transcription by phosphorylation of CREB at serine 133. Cell. 1989 Nov 17;59(4):675–680. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90013-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Gonzalez G. A., Yamamoto K. K., Fischer W. H., Karr D., Menzel P., Biggs W., 3rd, Vale W. W., Montminy M. R. A cluster of phosphorylation sites on the cyclic AMP-regulated nuclear factor CREB predicted by its sequence. Nature. 1989 Feb 23;337(6209):749–752. doi: 10.1038/337749a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Green S., Issemann I., Sheer E. A versatile in vivo and in vitro eukaryotic expression vector for protein engineering. Nucleic Acids Res. 1988 Jan 11;16(1):369–369. doi: 10.1093/nar/16.1.369. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Habener J. F. Cyclic AMP response element binding proteins: a cornucopia of transcription factors. Mol Endocrinol. 1990 Aug;4(8):1087–1094. doi: 10.1210/mend-4-8-1087. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Hai T. W., Liu F., Coukos W. J., Green M. R. Transcription factor ATF cDNA clones: an extensive family of leucine zipper proteins able to selectively form DNA-binding heterodimers. Genes Dev. 1989 Dec;3(12B):2083–2090. doi: 10.1101/gad.3.12b.2083. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Hoeffler J. P., Meyer T. E., Yun Y., Jameson J. L., Habener J. F. Cyclic AMP-responsive DNA-binding protein: structure based on a cloned placental cDNA. Science. 1988 Dec 9;242(4884):1430–1433. doi: 10.1126/science.2974179. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Hunter T., Karin M. The regulation of transcription by phosphorylation. Cell. 1992 Aug 7;70(3):375–387. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90162-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Janknecht R., Hipskind R. A., Houthaeve T., Nordheim A., Stunnenberg H. G. Identification of multiple SRF N-terminal phosphorylation sites affecting DNA binding properties. EMBO J. 1992 Mar;11(3):1045–1054. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1992.tb05143.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Laoide B. M., Foulkes N. S., Schlotter F., Sassone-Corsi P. The functional versatility of CREM is determined by its modular structure. EMBO J. 1993 Mar;12(3):1179–1191. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1993.tb05759.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Lee C. Q., Yun Y. D., Hoeffler J. P., Habener J. F. Cyclic-AMP-responsive transcriptional activation of CREB-327 involves interdependent phosphorylated subdomains. EMBO J. 1990 Dec;9(13):4455–4465. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb07896.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar] [Retracted]
  27. Lin A., Frost J., Deng T., Smeal T., al-Alawi N., Kikkawa U., Hunter T., Brenner D., Karin M. Casein kinase II is a negative regulator of c-Jun DNA binding and AP-1 activity. Cell. 1992 Sep 4;70(5):777–789. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90311-y. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Meggio F., Deana A. D., Pinna L. A. Endogenous phosphate acceptor proteins for rat liver cytosolic casein kinases. J Biol Chem. 1981 Dec 10;256(23):11958–11961. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Nichols M., Weih F., Schmid W., DeVack C., Kowenz-Leutz E., Luckow B., Boshart M., Schütz G. Phosphorylation of CREB affects its binding to high and low affinity sites: implications for cAMP induced gene transcription. EMBO J. 1992 Sep;11(9):3337–3346. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1992.tb05412.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Pearson R. B., Kemp B. E. Protein kinase phosphorylation site sequences and consensus specificity motifs: tabulations. Methods Enzymol. 1991;200:62–81. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(91)00127-i. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Rehfuss R. P., Walton K. M., Loriaux M. M., Goodman R. H. The cAMP-regulated enhancer-binding protein ATF-1 activates transcription in response to cAMP-dependent protein kinase A. J Biol Chem. 1991 Oct 5;266(28):18431–18434. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Schulman H., Kuret J., Jefferson A. B., Nose P. S., Spitzer K. H. Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent microtubule-associated protein 2 kinase: broad substrate specificity and multifunctional potential in diverse tissues. Biochemistry. 1985 Sep 24;24(20):5320–5327. doi: 10.1021/bi00341a008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Sheng M., McFadden G., Greenberg M. E. Membrane depolarization and calcium induce c-fos transcription via phosphorylation of transcription factor CREB. Neuron. 1990 Apr;4(4):571–582. doi: 10.1016/0896-6273(90)90115-v. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Sheng M., Thompson M. A., Greenberg M. E. CREB: a Ca(2+)-regulated transcription factor phosphorylated by calmodulin-dependent kinases. Science. 1991 Jun 7;252(5011):1427–1430. doi: 10.1126/science.1646483. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Studier F. W., Rosenberg A. H., Dunn J. J., Dubendorff J. W. Use of T7 RNA polymerase to direct expression of cloned genes. Methods Enzymol. 1990;185:60–89. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(90)85008-c. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Treisman R. Identification of a protein-binding site that mediates transcriptional response of the c-fos gene to serum factors. Cell. 1986 Aug 15;46(4):567–574. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90882-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Vandenheede J. R., Yang S. D., Goris J., Merlevede W. ATP x Mg-dependent protein phosphatase from rabbit skeletal muscle. II. Purification of the activating factor and its characterization as a bifunctional protein also displaying synthase kinase activity. J Biol Chem. 1980 Dec 25;255(24):11768–11774. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Yamamoto K. K., Gonzalez G. A., Biggs W. H., 3rd, Montminy M. R. Phosphorylation-induced binding and transcriptional efficacy of nuclear factor CREB. Nature. 1988 Aug 11;334(6182):494–498. doi: 10.1038/334494a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Ziff E. B. Transcription factors: a new family gathers at the cAMP response site. Trends Genet. 1990 Mar;6(3):69–72. doi: 10.1016/0168-9525(90)90081-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. de Groot R. P., Sassone-Corsi P. Hormonal control of gene expression: multiplicity and versatility of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-responsive nuclear regulators. Mol Endocrinol. 1993 Feb;7(2):145–153. doi: 10.1210/mend.7.2.8385737. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The EMBO Journal are provided here courtesy of Nature Publishing Group

RESOURCES