Biochemical studies of the excitable membrane of Paramecium. IV. Protein kinase activities of cilia and ciliary membrane.

Two protein kinases (ATP: protein phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.37) were detected in disrupted cilia of Paramecium tetraurelia. One of the enzymes exhibited maximum activity at pH 6.0, required 4 mM Mg2+ for its maximum activity and was stimulated by cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. Histone was a good exogenous protein substrate for this enzyme, but protamine sulfate was not. The other protein kinase showed a peak of activity at pH 8.0, required 10 mM Mg2+ for its maximum activity and was slightly inhibited by cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. Protamine sulfate was a good exogenous substrate for this enzyme. The pH 8.0 activity partitioned preferentially with the axonemes, but the pH 6.0 activity was divided almost equally between the axonemes and the membranes. We also found indirect evidence for the presence in cilia of phosphoprotein phosphatase (phosphoprotein phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.16) and adenyl cyclase (ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1) activity.