Ca2+ and cyclic AMP regulate phosphorylation of same two membrane-associated proteins specific to nerve tissue.

It was shown previously that addition of cyclic AMP (cAMP) to a synaptic membrane fraction incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP stimulated the phosphorylation of two proteins, designated proteins Ia and Ib, found only in nerve tissue. Addition of Ca2+ plus veratridine to synaptosomes preincubated with 32Pi stimulated the phosphorylation of two proteins with similar apparent molecular weights. Various techniques have now been used to determine whether the two proteins phosphorylated in synaptosomes in the presence of Ca2+ plus veratridine are the same as proteins Ia and Ib phosphorylated in synaptic membranes in the presence of cAMP. The proteins phosphorylated by the two procedures were extracted under similar conditions, had similar apparent molecular weights and charges, and were digested by collagenase at similar rates and to the same radioactive intermediates and end products. Furthermore, the two sets of proteins were digested by three other proteolytic enzymes to phosphopeptides with similar molecular weights. The results indicate that Ca2+ and cAMP are each capable of regulating the phosphorylation of proteins Ia and Ib.