Characterization of γ- and δ-subunits of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in rat gastric mucosal cell populations

Abstract

We searched for the occurrence of a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in rat gastric cell types as a likely member in the chain of gastrin- and muscarinic-receptor-mediated signal transmission. A Ca2+- and calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of major 50, 60 and 100 kDa substrates was observed in parietal cell cytosol and a major 60 and 61 kDa protein doublet was found to bind 125I-calmodulin in 125I-calmodulin-gel overlays. A specific substrate of the multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, autocamtide II, was phosphorylated in a calmodulin-dependent manner. The specific inhibitor of this enzyme, KN-62, antagonized protein kinase activity. RNA extracted from gastric mucosal cells was shown to contain sequences of the γ- and δ- but not α- and β-subunits of the calmodulin-dependent kinase II, and mRNA of both subtypes was demonstrated in highly purified parietal, chief and mucous cells. A calmodulin-dependent kinase II composed of γ- and δ-subunits is a likely mediator of Ca2+-dependent signal transmission in these populations of gastric cells.