A Brain Synaptosomal Adenylyl Cyclase of High Specific Activity Is Photolabeled with Azido-ATP

Partially purified adenylyl cyclase preparations of high specific activity (60 ± 10 µmol cAMP/(mg·min)) were obtained from rat brain synaptosomes (Orlando, C., d'Alayer, J., Baillat, G., Castets, F., Jeannequin, O., Mazié, J. C., & Monneron, A. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 3215–3222). Adenylyl cyclase activity was stimulated 4-fold by Ca²⁺/calmodulin and 2-fold by forskolin or by Mn²⁺. These preparations contained two major proteins of 140 and 110 kDa. The 140-kDa protein was identified as the neural cell adhesion molecule. The 11 ?-kDa protein was specifically recognized by affinity-purified antibodies directed against a peptide corresponding to sequence 976–1013 of adenylyl cyclase type I. It was photolabeled by [α-³²P]8- and 2-N₃ATP in a light-dependent manner and was by far the most heavily labeled component of FC fractions. Saturation was obtained with 30 µ? [³²P]8-N₃ATP. Photoinsertion of N₃ATP into the protein was largely prevented by ATP or adenylyl imidodiphosphate but not by ADP, AMP, or adenosine. A modest incorporation of N₃cAMP and photoinsertion of [α-³²P]N₃GTP into the 110-kDa protein were observed. Although some of the properties of the synaptosomal 110-kDa protein described here would match those expected from adenylyl cyclase type I, it appears that its specific activity is on the order of 1 mmol cAMP/(mg·min), about 200-fold that measured for brain adenylyl cyclases type I.