Recombinant rabbit tryptophan hydroxylase is a substrate for cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

A full-length cDNA clone for rabbit tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) was modified and subcloned into a bacterial expression vector. Expression of this gene in the protease-deficient strain of bacteria, BL21[DE3], produced TPH immunoreactive protein which exhibited enzyme activity. Treatment of the recombinant enzyme (in bacterial extracts) with the purified catalytic subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase and [gamma-32P]-ATP resulted in specific phosphorylation of TPH. This expression system provides a means of generating and purifying large amounts of this important enzyme. Moreover, these experiments establish that TPH will serve as an in vitro substrate for cAMP-dependent protein kinase.