A Pef/Y Substrate Recognition and Signature Motif Plays a Critical Role in Dapk-Related Kinase Activity.
Temmerman, K., De Diego, I., Pogenberg, V., Simon, B., Jonko, W., Li, X., Wilmanns, M.(2014) Chem Biol 21: 264
- PubMed: 24440081 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.12.008
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2W4K, 2XUU, 4B4L - PubMed Abstract: 
Knowledge about protein kinase substrate preferences is biased toward residues immediately adjacent to the site of phosphorylation. By a combined structural, biochemical, and cellular approach, we have discovered an unexpected substrate recognition element with the consensus sequence PEF/Y in the tumor suppressor death-associated protein kinase 1. This motif can be effectively blocked by a specific pseudosubstrate-type interaction with an autoregulatory domain of this kinase. In this arrangement, the central PEF/Y glutamate interacts with a conserved arginine distant to the phosphorylation site in sequence and structure. We also demonstrate that the element is crucial for kinase activity regulation and substrate recognition. The PEF/Y motif distinguishes close death-associated protein kinase relatives from canonical calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases. Insight into this signature and mode of action offers new opportunities to identify specific small molecule inhibitors in PEF/Y-containing protein kinases.
Organizational Affiliation: 
European Molecular Biology Laboratory Hamburg, Notkestrasse 85, 22603 Hamburg, Germany; European Molecular Biology Laboratory Heidelberg, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.