AKAR2-AKAP12 fusion protein "biosenses" dynamic phosphorylation and localization of a GPCR-based scaffold

BACKGROUND: The cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) plays a pivotal role in virtually all cells, there being a multitude of important target molecules that are substrates for PKA in cell signaling. The spatial-temporal dynamics of PKA activation in living cells has been made accessible by the development of clever biosensors that yield a FRET signal in response to the phosphorylation by PKA. AKAR2 is genetically encoded fluorescent probe that acts as a biosensor for PKA activation. AKAP12 is a scaffold that docks PKA, G-protein-coupled receptors, cell membrane negatively-charged phospholipids, and catalyzes receptor resensitization and recycling. In the current work, the AKAR2 biosensor was fused to the N-terminus of AKAP12 to evaluate its ability to function and report on dynamic phosphorylation of the AKAP12 scaffold. RESULTS: AKAR2-AKAP12 can be expressed in mammalian cells, is fully functional, and reveals the spatial-temporal activation of AKAP12 undergoing phosphorylation by PKA in response to beta-adrenergic activation in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. CONCLUSION: The dynamic phosphorylation of AKAP12 "biosensed" by AKAR2-AKAP12 reveals the scaffold in association with the cell membrane, undergoing rapid phosphorylation by PKA. The perinuclear, cytoplasmic accumulation of phosphorylated scaffold reflects the phosphorylated, PKA-activated form of AKAP12, which catalyzes the resensitization and recycling of desensitized, internalized G-protein-coupled receptors.