Poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase is phosphorylated by protein kinase C in vitro

Poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase from bovine thymus was phosphorylated effectively by protein kinase C in vitro. The phosphorylation was dependent on the activators of this kinase, Ca2+ and phospholipid. The apparent Km for the synthetase was about 8 microM, which was lower than that for histone H1. Though the synthetase was a weak substrate for Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, other protein kinases, cyclic AMP-dependent and cofactor-independent protein kinases did not phosphorylate the synthetase. Phosphorylation of the synthetase by protein kinase C resulted in appreciable inhibition of the synthetase activity.