Plasminogen (PG), urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and tiss
ue-type PA (t-PA) are the main molecules involved in fibrinolysis and
in many other physiological and pathological processes. In the present
study we report that human t-PA, purified from human melanoma cells,
and PG, purified from human plasma, both contain P-Tyr residues, as re
vealed by immunoblotting analyses with monoclonal anti-P-Tyr antibodie
s. In addition HPLC amino acid analysis of acid-hydrolyzed t-PA, PG an
d u-PA, shows that: (i) P-Ser and P-Tyr residues are present in t-PA;
(ii) P-Thr and P-Tyr are present in PG; (iii) P-Ser, P-Thr and P-Tyr a
re present in u-PA. The utilization of monoclonal anti-P-Ser and anti-
P-Thr antibodies in immunoblotting experiments has confirmed these dat
a which indicate that phosphorylation is a common feature of PAs and o
f PG.