Dual-specific autophosphorylation of kinase IKK2 enables phosphorylation of substrate IκBα through a phosphoenzyme intermediate

Rapid and high-fidelity phosphorylation of serine residues at positions 32 and 36 of IκBα by IKK2/β, a highly conserved prototypical Ser/Thr kinase in vertebrates, is critical for canonical NF-κB activation. Here, we report that human IKK2 not only phosphorylates substrate serine residues and autophosphorylates its own activation loop, but also autophosphorylates at a tyrosine residue proximal to the active site and is, therefore, a dual-specificity kinase. We observed that mutation of Y169, an autophosphorylatable tyrosine located at the DFG +1 (DLG in IKK1/α and 2) position, to phenylalanine renders IKK2 incapable of catalyzing phosphorylation at S32 within its IκBα substrate. We also observed that mutation of the phylogenetically conserved ATP-contacting residue K44 in IKK2 to methionine converts IKK2 to an enzyme that no longer catalyzes specific phosphorylation of IκBα at S32 or S36, but rather directs phosphorylation of IκBα at other residues. Lastly, we report evidence of a phospho-relay from autophosphorylated IKK2 to IκBα in the presence of ADP. These observations suggest an unusual evolution of IKK2, in which autophosphorylation of tyrosine(s) in the activation loop and the conserved ATP-contacting K44 residue provide its signal-responsive substrate specificity and ensure fidelity during NF-κB activation.