A synthetic peptide containing the autophosphorylation site of the transforming protein of Harvey sarcoma virus is phosphorylated by the EGF-stimulated tyrosine kinase.

The transforming proteins (p21) of Harvey and Kirsten sarcoma viruses threonine kinase activity, which phosphorylates threonine 59 of the p21 proteins themselves. A tridecapeptide: Arg-Arg-Leu56-Asp-Thr-Thr59-Gly-Gln-Glu-Tyr-Ser-Ala66 containing residues 56-66 of p21 is phosphorylated solely on tyrosine by the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated tyrosine kinase of A431 cell membranes. Km-Values of 240 and 80 microM and Vmax values of 1.7 and 0.1 nmol.min-1.mg-1 were obtained in the presence and absence of EGF, respectively.