• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1233-1244
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• 2017

CDPKs have pivotal roles in plant $Ca^{2+}$-mediated transduction signaling. A total of 29 CDPK genes have been identified in rice (Oryza sativa L.), but their key functions have not been completely noted. This study focused on the OsCPK11 gene, which has not been studied, to determine its functional characteristics. A study of tissue-specific expressions revealed that the OsCPK11 gene is expressed in young leaves, mature leaves and flowers of rice. An expression of the gene was also confirmed in gibberellin-treated aleurone layers of rice. Regarding the phenotypic characteristics of Tos17-inserted OsCPK11 mutants, the heights of the mutants were not distinguishable from the heights of wild type plants, but the number of caryopses and the caryopses' weights were significantly statistically different. In addition, many grains of the mutants had white belly materials in their endosperm. The cDNA of the OsCPK11 was cloned, and an OsCPK11 protein of about 60.5 kD was obtained by using a GST affinity chromatography and an SDS-PAGE. An analysis of the amino-acid sequence of the protein indicated that the OsCPK11 protein has the structural characteristics of typical CDPKs. The results provided useful information about the functions of the OsCPK11 gene and further noted the roles CDPKs have in $Ca^{2+}$-mediated signaling in plants.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1393-1402
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• 2017

In plants, calcium ($Ca^{2+}$)-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are important sensors of $Ca^{2+}$ signals. Previous research demonstrated the expression of the OsCPK11 gene in various tissues at the transcription level, but its developmental and biochemical functions at the protein level were not determined. This study was aimed to identify biochemical characteristics of OsCPK11. GST- OsCPK11 was expressed in E. coli and used for an in vitro kinase assay. Biochemical analyses identified OsCPK11 as a CDPK. OsCPK11 autophosphorylated itself and transphosphorylated histone III-s and MBP as substrates in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$. The activity of the recombinant OsCPK11 was influenced by $Mg^{2+}$, with optimum activity detected at pH 7.0-7.5. OsCPK11 activity was not affected by $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, or $Na^+$ in the presence of a high level of $Ca^{2+}$. Autophosphorylation of OsCPK11 decreased $Ca^{2+}$ sensitivity of OsCPK11. An anti-OsCPK11 rabbit antibody recognized 95.5 kD of GST-OsCPK11, as shown by an immunoblot analysis. These results shed light on the function of OsCPK11 in $Ca^{2+}$-mediated signaling in rice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 2021

Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are known to be involved in regulating plant responses to abiotic stresses such as salinity, cold temperature and dehydration,. Although CDPKs constitute a large multigene family consisting of 31 genes in rice, only a few rice CDPKs' functions have been identified. Therefore, in order to elucidate the functions of OsCPK11 in rice, this study was intended to focus on the expression pattern analysis of OsCPK11 in wild type and ND0001 oscpk11 mutant plants under these abiotic stresses. For the salt, cold and drought stress treatment, seedlings were exposed to 200 mM NaCl, 4℃ and 20% PEG 6,000, respectively. RT-PCR and quantitative real-time PCR were performed to determine the expression patterns of OsCPK11 in wild type and ND0001 mutant plants. RT-PCR results showed that OsCPK11 transcripts in the wild type and heterozygous mutant were detected, but not in the homozygous mutant. Real-time PCR results showed that relative expression of OsCPK11 of wild type plants was increased and reached to the highest level at 24 hr, at 6 hr and at 24 hr under salt, cold and drought stress conditions, respectively. Relative expression of OsCPK11 of ND0001 homozygous plant was significantly reduced compared to that of wild type. These results suggested that oscpk11 homozygous mutant knocks out OsCPK11 and OsCPK11 might be involved in salt, cold and drought stress signaling by regulating its gene expression.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.319-324
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• 2010

A family of calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) is a unique enzyme which plays crucial roles in intracellular calcium signaling in plants, algae, and protozoa. CDPKs of malaria parasites are known to be key regulators for stage-specific cellular responses to calcium, a widespread secondary messenger that controls the progression of the parasite. In our study, we identified a gene encoding Plasmodium vivax CDPK4 (PvCDPK4) and characterized its molecular property and cellular localization. PvCDPK4 was a typical CDPK which had well-conserved N-terminal kinase domain and C-terminal calmodulin-like structure with 4-EF hand motifs for calcium-binding. The recombinant protein of EF hand domain of PvCDPK4 was expressed in Echerichia coli and a 34 kDa product was obtained. Immunofluorescence assay by confocal laser microscopy revealed that the protein was expressed at the mature schizont of P. vivax. The expression of PvCDPK4-EF in schizont suggests that it may participate in the proliferation or egress process in the life cycle of this parasite.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.607-617
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• 2006

A novel calcium-dependent protein kinase gene (designated as IiCPK2) was cloned from tetraploid Isatis indigotica. The full-length cDNA of IiCPK2 was 2585 bp long with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1878 bp encoding a polypeptide of 625 amino acid residues. The predicted IiCPK2 polypeptide included three domains: a kinase domain, a junction domain (or autoinhibitory region), and a C-terminal calmodulin-like domain (or calcium-binding domain), which presented a typical structure of plant CDPKs. Further analysis of IiCPK2 genomic DNA revealed that it contained 7 exons, 6 introns and the length of most exons was highly conserved. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR revealed that the expression of IiCPK2 in root, stem and leaf were much higher in tetraploid sample than that in diploid progenitor. Further expression analysis revealed that gibberellin ($GA_3$), NaCl and cold treatments could up-regulate the IiCPK2 transcription. All our findings suggest that IiCPK2 might participate in the cold, high salinity and GA3 responsive pathways.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2020

Calcium is one of the important secondary signaling molecules in plant cells. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPK)-the sensor proteins of Ca²⁺ and phosphorylating enzymes-are the most abundant serine/threonine kinases in plant cells. They convert and transmit signals in response to various stimuli, resulting in specific responses in plants. In rice, 31 CDPK gene families have been identified, which are mainly involved in plant growth and development and are known to play roles in response to various stress conditions. However, little is known about the biochemical characteristics of CDPK proteins. In this study, OsCPK11-a CDPK in rice-was partially purified, and its biochemical characteristics were found. Partially purified OsCPK11 from rice seedlings was obtained by three-step column chromatography that involved anion exchange chromatography consisting of DEAE, hydrophobic interaction chromatography consisting of phenyl-Sepharose, and gel filtration chromatography consisting of Sephacryl-200HR. An in vitro kinase assay using partially purified OsCPK11 was also performed. This partially purified OsCPK11 had a molecular weight of 54 kDa and showed a strong hydrophobic interaction with the hydrophobic resin. In vitro kinase assay showed that the OsCPK11 also had Ca²⁺-dependent autophosphorylation activity. The OsCPK11 phosphorylated histone III-S, and the optimum pH for its kinase activity was found to be 7.5~8.0. The native OsCPK11 shared several biochemical characteristics with recombinant OsCPK11 studied previously, and both had Ca²⁺-dependent autophosphorylation activity and favored histone III-S as a substrate for kinase activity, which also had a Ca²⁺-dependence.