Phosphorylation on the PPP2R5D B regulatory subunit modulates the biochemical properties of protein phosphatase 2A

To characterize the biochemical properties of the PP2A regulatory B subunit, PPP2R5D, we analyzed its phosphorylation sites, stoichiometry and effect on holoenzyme activity. PPP2R5D was phosphorylated on Ser-53, Ser-68, Ser-81, and Ser-566 by protein kinase A, and mutations at all four of these sites abolished any significant phosphorylation in vitro. In HEK293 cells, however, the Ser-566 was the major phosphorylation site after PKA activation by forskolin, with marginal phosphorylation on Ser-81. Inhibitory tyrosine phosphorylation on Tyr-307 of the PP2A catalytic C subunit was decreased after forskolin treatment. Kinetic analysis showed that overall PP2A activity was increased with phosphorylation by PPP2R5D phosphorylation. The apparent Km was reduced from 11.25 mu M to 1.175 mu M with PPP2R5D phosphorylation, resulting in an increase in catalytic activity. These data suggest that PKA-mediated activation of PP2A is enabled by PPP2R5D phosphorylation, which modulates the affinity of the PP2A holoenzyme to its physiological substrates. [BMB reports 2010; 43(4): 263-267]