Phosphorylation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CTP Synthetase at Ser by Protein Kinases A and C Regulates Phosphatidylcholine Synthesis by the CDP-choline Pathway*

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae URA7-encoded CTP synthetase is phosphorylated and stimulated by protein kinases A and C. Previous studies have revealed that Ser is the target site for protein kinase A. Using a purified S424A mutant CTP synthetase enzyme, we examined the effect of Ser phosphorylation on protein kinase C phosphorylation. The S424A mutation in CTP synthetase caused a 50% decrease in the phosphorylation of the enzyme by protein kinase C and an 80% decrease in the stimulatory effect on CTP synthetase activity by protein kinase C. The S424A mutation caused increases in the apparent Km values of CTP synthetase and ATP of 20-and 2-fold, respectively, in the protein kinase C reaction. The effect of the S424A mutation on the phosphorylation reaction was dependent on time and protein kinase C concentration. A CTP synthetase synthetic peptide (SLGRKDSHSA) containing Ser was a substrate for protein kinase C. Comparison of phosphopeptide maps of the wild type and S424A mutant CTP synthetase enzymes phosphorylated by protein kinases A and C indicated that Ser was also a target site for protein kinase C. Phosphorylation of Ser accounted for 10% of the total phosphorylation of CTP synthetase by protein kinase C. The incorporation of [methyl-H]choline into phosphocholine, CDP-choline, and phosphatidylcholine in cells carrying the S424A mutant CTP synthetase enzyme was reduced by 48, 32, and 46%, respectively, when compared with control cells. These data indicated that phosphorylation of Ser by protein kinase A or by protein kinase C was required for maximum phosphorylation and stimulation of CTP synthetase and that the phosphorylation of this site played a role in the regulation of phosphatidylcholine synthesis by the CDP-choline pathway.