Fig. 3. LKB1 phosphorylates STRAD directly in vitro and in vivo. (A) LKB1-WT (wild type), but not LKB1-KD (kinase dead; D176Y), mediates phosphorylation of STRAD and shows enhanced autophosphorylation upon forced STRAD expression. Myc-tagged LKB1-WT, LKB1-KD and flag-STRAD were transfected into HEK-293T cells as indicated. Protein complexes were co-immunoprecipitated (IP) using either myc-Ab (M) or flag-Ab (F), and immunoblotted (WB) with α-myc or α-STRAD. In addition, the protein complexes were subjected to an in vitro kinase (IVK) assay. Cells transfected with the indicated constructs were metabolically labelled with [32P]phosphate for 3 h prior to lysing and co-immunoprecipitation. Protein complexes were separated by SDS–PAGE and visualized by autoradiography. (B) The LKB1-SL26 mutant does not bind to STRAD, which prevents STRAD phosphorylation and STRAD-mediated enhanced autophosphorylation of LKB1. Myc-tagged LKB1-WT, LKB1-SL26 and flag-STRAD were transfected into HEK-293T cells as indicated. Protein complexes were co-immunoprecipitated (IP) using either myc-Ab (M) or flag-Ab (F). Subsequently, they were immunoblotted (WB) with α-myc or α-STRAD. In addition, the protein complexes were subjected to an in vitro kinase assay (IVK), separated by SDS–PAGE and visualized by autoradiography. (C) LKB1–STRAD interaction is required for STRAD phosphorylation by LKB1. Anti-myc immunoprecipitated LKB1-WT, LKB1-KD and LKB1-SL26 were subjected to an in vitro kinase assay (IVK) alone, or after mixing with α-flag immunoprecipitated STRAD. Protein complexes were immunoblotted (WB) with α-myc or α-STRAD, and visualized by autoradiography. (D) LKB1 phosphorylates STRAD directly. Bacterially produced GST–LKB1- WT, GST–LKB1-KD and flag-STRAD were subjected to an in vitro kinase assay as indicated. Proteins were separated by SDS–PAGE, and immunoblotted (WB) with α-GST or α-flag. Phosphorylated proteins were visualized by autoradiography.