Superiority of PLK-2 as alpha-synuclein phosphorylating agent relies on unique specificity determinants

Phosphorylation of alpha-synuclein at Set-129 is of crucial relevance to Parkinson's disease and related synucleinopathies. Here we provide biochemical evidence that PLK2 and to a lesser extent PLK3 are superior over CK2, as catalysts of Set-129 phosphorylation both in full length alpha-synuclein and in a peptide reproducing the C-terminal segment of the protein. By using substituted peptides we also show that the sequence surrounding Ser-129 is optimally shaped for undergoing phosphorylation by PLK2, with special reference to the two acidic residues at positions n-3 (Glu-126) and n+2 (Glu-131) whose replacement with alanine abrogates phosphorylation. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.