THE RETINOBLASTOMA-SUSCEPTIBILITY GENE-PRODUCT BECOMES PHOSPHORYLATED IN MULTIPLE STAGES DURING CELL-CYCLE ENTRY AND PROGRESSION

The retinoblastoma-susceptibility gene product (RB) undergoes cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. We characterized RB phosphorylation after mitogenic stimulation of primary human T lymphocytes, initially arrested in the G0 state. RB is phosphorylated in at least three steps when T cells are driven into the cell cycle. The first event occurs during mid G1 phase, the second during S phase, and the third in G2/M. Tryptic phosphopeptide mapping indicates that the different phosphorylation events occur, at least in part, on different residues in RB. Given the known relationship of the RB phosphorylation state to function, it is possible that RB regulates growth at multiple points in the cell cycle.