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The functional role of cysteine residues for c-Abl kinase activity.
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (2007)
  • Amanda Kae Leonberg
  • Yuh-Cherng Chai, John Carroll University
Abstract

S-glutathionylation, the formation of mixed disulfides of glutathione with cysteine residues of proteins, is a broadly observed physiological modification that occurs in response to oxidative stress. Since cysteine residues are particularly susceptible to oxidative modification by reactive oxygen species, S-glutathionylation can protect proteins from irreversible oxidation. In this study, we show that the kinase activity of the non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl is inhibited by in vitro thiol modification; specifically, the cysteine residues of c-Abl are modified by S-glutathionylation and by thiol alkylating agents such as 4-acetamido-4′-maleimidylstilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid and N-ethylmaleimide. Modification of cysteine residues of c-Abl tyrosine kinase using glutathione disulfide and thiol alkylating agents corresponds to a concomitant loss of kinase activity. We also demonstrate that S-glutathionylation of c-Abl can be reversed using a physiological system involving glutaredoxin and this reversal restores c-Abl kinase activity. To our knowledge, these are the first data to show S-glutathionylation of c-Abl, and this modification may represent a mechanism of regulation of c-Abl kinase activity in cells under oxidative stress.

Disciplines
Publication Date
October, 2007
Publisher Statement
Publisher's DOI: 10.1007/s11010-007-9501-y
Citation Information
Amanda Kae Leonberg and Yuh-Cherng Chai. "The functional role of cysteine residues for c-Abl kinase activity." Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Vol. 301 Iss. 1-2 (2007)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/yuh-cherng_chai/15/