+ Department of Biological Chemistry, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
* Department of Neoplastic Diseases, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
Abstract:
The phosphorylation patterns of isolated red blood cell (RBC) membranes labeled with [ γ-32p]ATP are altered by Zn++ ions. Zn++ ions caused an increased phosphate incorporation into a 72 KDa protein and several proteins in the 40–60 KDa region and a decrease in the labeling of a 53 KDa protein. The 72 KDa and 53 KDa proteins have been identified as protein 4.2 and a protease-cleaved fragment of protein 3, respectively. Evidence suggests that the changes in phosphorylation pattern may be due to the stimulation of endogenous membrane alkaline phosphatase(s). Our results suggest that Zn++, at physiological concentrations in the intact erythrocyte, could modulate the phosphorylation of selected proteins which may regulate their association in the cytoskeletal network.