Gabriel B. Kalmar

Identification of two essential phosphorylated threonine residues in the catalytic domain of Mekk1. Indirect activation by Pak3 and protein kinase C.

The 78-kDa protein kinase Mekk1 plays an important role in the stress response pathway that involves the activation of downstream kinases Sek1 and stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase. Conserved serine and threonine residues located between the kinase subdomains VII and VIII of many protein kinases are phosphorylated for maximal kinase activation. Two threonine residues within this region in Mekk1 at positions 560 and 572, but not the serine at 557, were shown to be essential for catalytic activity in this study. When these threonine residues were replaced with alanine, there was a significant loss in phosphotransferase activity toward the primary substrate, Sek1, and a large decrease in autophosphorylation activity. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrated that these threonine residues cannot be replaced with either serine or glutamic acid for preservation of phosphotransferase activity. Further examination of the Mekk1 mutants isolated from 32P-labeled transfected COS cells showed that Thr-560 and Thr-572 were indeed phosphorylated after two-dimensional tryptic-chymotryptic phosphopeptide analysis. Additional determinants in the NH2-terminal domain of Mekk1 also play a role in the regulation of Mekk1 activity. Although Pak3 and PKC can activate Mekk1 in vivo, this interaction is indirect and independent, since there was no direct phosphorylation of Mekk1 by Pak3 or PKC or of Pak3 by PKC, respectively.

Reaction of Coat Proteins of Two Comoviruses in Different Aggregation States with Monoclonal Antibodies

Summary Monoclonal antibodies were produced against two comoviruses, cowpea mosaic virus and cowpea severe mosaic virus. The antibodies were tested for their recognition of coat proteins of each virus in various conformational states by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Three groups of epitopes were identified on the basis of antibody binding to native or denatured virions. Antibodies specific for epitopes exposed only after virus denaturation were cross-reactive, recognizing both viruses. Antibodies binding epitopes of the other two groups recognized intact virions and varied in their degree of cross-reactivity.

Serological Differentiation between Top Component and Nucleoprotein Components of Comoviruses

Summary Rabbit antisera produced against two comoviruses (cowpea mosaic virus and cowpea severe mosaic virus) were used in plate-trapped ELISA and liquid phase competition ELISA. In the latter, the top component competed against bound unfractionated virus more effectively than did nucleoprotein components. One murine monoclonal antibody elicited to cowpea mosaic virus and three monoclonal antibodies to cowpea severe mosaic virus exhibited differential binding to top component, relative to either middle or bottom components in plate-trapped or antibody-trapped ELISAs. Differential binding to centrifugal components of virus by two of these monoclonal antibodies was maintained in liquid phase competition assays. These data suggest that the encapsidation of RNA alters the configuration of the virion surface in the vicinity of the antibody epitopes. Ribonuclease digestion of intact or denatured virus did not affect the binding of monoclonal antibodies.