A gene located at 71F in Drosophila melanogaster encodes a novel zinc-finger protein that interacts with protein kinase CK2

Drosophila melanogaster protein kinase CK2 (DmCK2) is a Ser/Thr protein kin ase composed of catalytic alpha and regulatory beta subunits associated as an alpha (2)alpha (2) heterotetramer. Using the two-hybrid system, we have screened a Drosophila embryo cDNA library in order to identify proteins tha t interact with DmCK2 alpha. One of these cDNAs encodes a novel previously undescribed zinc-finger protein, which we call ZFP47. ZFP47 interacts with DmCK2 alpha but not with DmCK2 beta, indicating that this interaction is sp ecific for the catalytic subunit of CK2. In situ hybridization to polytene chromosomes indicates that the corresponding gene is located at the 72A int erval of chromosome III. Sequence analysis indicates that ZFP47 contains a consensus site for phosphorylation by CK2, 4 C2H2-type zinc-fingers, and a bipartite nuclear localization signal. Consistent with the prediction of a site for phosphorylation by CK2, we demonstrate that ZFP47 is phosphorylate d by CK2 purified from Drosophila embryos. These studies demonstrate that Z FP47 is a new physiological partner and substrate of CK2.