Widespread distribution of the 14-3-3 protein in vertebrate brains and bovine tissues: correlation with the distributions of calcium-dependent protein kinases.

A highly specific antiserum was prepared against bovine brain 14-3-3 protein, a protein kinase-dependent activator of tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylases. The immunoassay using this antiserum proved the presence of 14-3-3 protein in various bovine tissues and in brains of various vertebrate species. The quantitative analysis indicated that the tissue distribution of 14-3-3 protein is more closely related to the known distributions of the Ca2(+)-dependent protein kinases, i.e., Ca2+/calmodulin- and Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinases, rather than those of tyrosine and tryptophan hydroxylases. This result, together with the available data on this protein, suggests potential roles of the 14-3-3 protein in more diverse kinase-mediated processes than the predicted role in monoamine synthesis.