Purification and characterization of a protein-tyrosine kinase from bovine thymus.

A protein-tyrosine kinase has been isolated from a soluble extract of bovine thymus based on its ability to phosphorylate the tyrosine-containing peptide angiotensin I. The purification procedure employs sequential chromatography on columns of DEAE-cellulose, heparin-agarose, casein-agarose, butyl-agarose, and Sephadex G-75. The purified enzyme (p40) is a monomer of Mr = 40,000. The p40 kinase contains an ATP-binding site as determined by photoaffinity labeling experiments and catalyzes an intramolecular autophosphorylation reaction that leads to its modification on tyrosine. Of several proteins tested only the cytoplasmic domain of the erythrocyte band 3 protein serves as a good substrate for p40 (Km = 12 microM). Increasing concentrations of NaCl stimulate the phosphorylation of angiotensin I, inhibit the phosphorylation of band 3, and have no effect on the autophosphorylation of p40. At low concentrations of NaCl, Mn2+ is the preferred divalent cation. Peptide mapping experiments indicate that p40 is distinct from pp60src and from the major phosphotyrosine containing proteins of T and B lymphocyte membranes.