PHKB

UniProt ID: Q93100
Organism: Homo sapiens
Review Status: INITIALIZED
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Gene Description

PHKB encodes the beta regulatory subunit of phosphorylase kinase (PhK), a large ~1.3 MDa (alpha-beta-gamma-delta)4 hexadecameric enzyme complex that controls glycogenolysis. Within the holoenzyme the gamma subunit (PHKG1 in muscle, PHKG2 in liver) is the catalytic Ser/Thr protein kinase, the alpha (PHKA1/PHKA2) and beta (PHKB) subunits are large non-catalytic regulatory subunits, and the delta subunit is calmodulin. PHKB is a shared component of both the muscle and liver holoenzymes. It forms a central beta4 scaffold that connects the four alpha-beta-gamma-delta modules and possesses a glucoamylase-like fold that lacks detectable enzyme activity. PHKB is a target of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA); phosphorylation of the alpha and beta subunits, together with Ca2+ sensing by the delta (calmodulin) subunit, relieves autoinhibition of the catalytic gamma subunit, allowing PhK to phosphorylate glycogen phosphorylase (converting it from the b to the a form) and thereby trigger glycogen breakdown. PhK is a cytosolic enzyme. Loss-of-function mutations in PHKB cause glycogen storage disease type IXb (combined liver and muscle phosphorylase kinase deficiency, autosomal recessive, generally mild).

Existing Annotations Review

GO Term Evidence Action Reason
GO:0005964 phosphorylase kinase complex
IBA
GO_REF:0000033
ACCEPT
Summary: PHKB is the beta subunit of phosphorylase kinase, so it is a constituent of the phosphorylase kinase complex. This phylogenetic (IBA) assignment is accurate and represents a core cellular-component annotation.
Reason: PHKB is definitionally a subunit of the (alpha-beta-gamma-delta)4 phosphorylase kinase holoenzyme. The IBA propagation is consistent with UniProt SUBUNIT and with cryo-EM of the human muscle complex.
Supporting Evidence:
file:human/PHKB/PHKB-uniprot.txt
are regulatory subunits, gamma (PHKG1 or PHKG2) is the catalytic
PMID:38548794
wherein four Ξ±Ξ²Ξ³Ξ΄ modules are connected by the central Ξ²4 scaffold
GO:0005516 calmodulin binding
IEA
GO_REF:0000002
KEEP AS NON CORE
Summary: InterPro-based (IEA) calmodulin-binding annotation. UniProt annotates three predicted calmodulin-binding regions in PHKB (aa 7-29, 768-795, 920-951; ECO:0000255) and carries the Calmodulin-binding keyword. This is plausible but is a secondary/inferred activity - the primary calmodulin (delta) subunit of PhK binds the catalytic gamma subunit, not PHKB.
Reason: The calmodulin-binding regions of PHKB are computationally predicted (ECO:0000255) rather than experimentally demonstrated, and calmodulin sensing in PhK is chiefly mediated by the integral delta (calmodulin) subunit acting on the gamma subunit. Retain as a plausible non-core molecular function of the regulatory beta subunit rather than as its defining function.
Supporting Evidence:
file:human/PHKB/PHKB-uniprot.txt
note="Calmodulin-binding"
GO:0005886 plasma membrane
IEA
GO_REF:0000044
KEEP AS NON CORE
Summary: UniProtKB-SubCell IEA mapping to plasma membrane, derived from the UniProt "Cell membrane; Lipid-anchor; Cytoplasmic side" location. That location is itself an ECO:0000305 inference based on predicted C-terminal farnesylation (by similarity to rabbit PHKB), not on direct human evidence. Phosphorylase kinase is otherwise well established as a cytosolic enzyme.
Reason: The plasma-membrane assignment rests on an inferred lipid anchor (farnesylation of the C-terminal cysteine, by similarity), and UniProt itself notes uncertainty about the C-terminal processing. The functionally dominant localization of the PhK holoenzyme is cytosolic (see the Reactome-based cytosol annotations). Keep as a weak, non-core membrane-association annotation.
Supporting Evidence:
file:human/PHKB/PHKB-uniprot.txt
Cell membrane {ECO:0000305}; Lipid-anchor
GO:0005975 carbohydrate metabolic process
IEA
GO_REF:0000002
MODIFY
Summary: InterPro-based (IEA) annotation to the broad parent term carbohydrate metabolic process. PHKB is a regulatory subunit of phosphorylase kinase, whose specific role is the control of glycogen breakdown; a more precise glycogen catabolic / glycogen metabolic term better captures its biology.
Reason: The term is correct but too general. PHKB acts specifically in glycogen catabolism via the phosphorylase kinase complex; the more specific glycogen metabolic / glycogen catabolic process terms (already present as other annotations) are preferable.
Supporting Evidence:
file:human/PHKB/PHKB-uniprot.txt
Glycan biosynthesis; glycogen metabolism.
GO:0005977 glycogen metabolic process
IEA
GO_REF:0000120
ACCEPT
Summary: IEA annotation (InterPro + UniPathway) to glycogen metabolic process. This accurately reflects PHKB's biological role as a regulatory subunit of the phosphorylase kinase complex that controls glycogen breakdown, and matches the UniProt pathway assignment.
Reason: Glycogen metabolic process correctly describes the biological role of PHKB. It is corroborated by an independent TAS annotation to the same term (PMID:9402963) and by the UniProt pathway "Glycan biosynthesis; glycogen metabolism".
Supporting Evidence:
file:human/PHKB/PHKB-uniprot.txt
Glycan biosynthesis; glycogen metabolism.
GO:0005515 protein binding
IPI
PMID:21418524
Substrate preference and phosphatidylinositol monophosphate ...
MARK AS OVER ANNOTATED
Summary: IntAct IPI protein-binding annotation, interactant PASK/PASKIN (Q96RG2). The cited paper concerns PASKIN substrate preference and phosphatidylinositol inhibition; PHKB is recorded only as a high-throughput binary interactant. The bare protein binding term (GO:0005515) conveys no specific molecular function.
Reason: Bare protein binding (GO:0005515) is uninformative and is discouraged as a molecular-function annotation. The interaction is not the subject of this paper and no informative function follows from it, so it is retained but flagged as an over-annotation rather than removed.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:21418524
regulates glycogen synthesis
GO:0005515 protein binding
IPI
PMID:25051373
KIAA1199 interacts with glycogen phosphorylase kinase Ξ²-subu...
MARK AS OVER ANNOTATED
Summary: IntAct IPI protein-binding annotation, interactant CEMIP/KIAA1199 (Q8WUJ3). Pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation showed PHKB binds the C-terminal region of KIAA1199, proposed to promote glycogen breakdown and cancer-cell survival. Although this is real interaction evidence, the annotated term is the uninformative bare protein binding (GO:0005515).
Reason: The binding is experimentally supported, but the GO:0005515 protein binding term captures no specific molecular function and is discouraged. The biologically meaningful role (regulation of glycogen breakdown via the phosphorylase kinase complex) is captured by the process/complex annotations, so this bare-binding term is flagged as an over-annotation and retained.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:25051373
the glycogen phosphorylase kinase Ξ²-subunit (PHKB) interacted with the
GO:0005515 protein binding
IPI
PMID:25416956
A proteome-scale map of the human interactome network.
MARK AS OVER ANNOTATED
Summary: IntAct IPI protein-binding annotation, interactant CAMK2B (Q13554), from a proteome-scale binary interactome map. PHKB is one of ~14,000 systematically screened interactions. The annotated term is the uninformative bare protein binding (GO:0005515).
Reason: Bare protein binding (GO:0005515) from a high-throughput interactome screen provides no specific molecular-function information and is discouraged. Retained but flagged as an over-annotation.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:25416956
a systematic map of ?14,000 high-quality human
GO:0005964 phosphorylase kinase complex
IEA
GO_REF:0000107
ACCEPT
Summary: Ensembl-Compara ortholog-transfer (IEA) annotation to phosphorylase kinase complex, duplicating the IBA and IPI assignments. Correct and consistent with PHKB being a defining subunit of the holoenzyme.
Reason: Redundant with the IBA and ComplexPortal IPI annotations to the same term; the cellular-component assignment is accurate.
Supporting Evidence:
file:human/PHKB/PHKB-uniprot.txt
are regulatory subunits, gamma (PHKG1 or PHKG2) is the catalytic
GO:0005964 phosphorylase kinase complex
IPI
PMID:38548794
Architecture and activation of human muscle phosphorylase ki...
ACCEPT
Summary: ComplexPortal IPI annotation to phosphorylase kinase complex, based on the cryo-EM structure of human muscle PhK, which resolves the beta subunit forming the central beta4 scaffold that connects the four alpha-beta-gamma-delta modules of the 1.3 MDa hexadecamer. This is strong, structure-based evidence for PHKB as a core component of the complex.
Reason: Direct structural evidence (cryo-EM) places PHKB in the phosphorylase kinase holoenzyme as the central scaffolding subunit. Core cellular-component annotation.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:38548794
The 1.3-megadalton PhK Ξ±4Ξ²4Ξ³4Ξ΄4 hexadecamer consists of a tetramer of
PMID:38548794
wherein four Ξ±Ξ²Ξ³Ξ΄ modules are connected by the central Ξ²4 scaffold
GO:0005980 glycogen catabolic process
IDA
PMID:38548794
Architecture and activation of human muscle phosphorylase ki...
ACCEPT
Summary: ComplexPortal IDA annotation to glycogen catabolic process. As a subunit of phosphorylase kinase, PHKB participates in the activation of glycogen phosphorylase and thereby in glycogen breakdown. The cryo-EM study shows the beta subunit both scaffolds the complex and, via its ADP-binding pocket, allosterically enhances PhK activity. This is the core biological process for the gene.
Reason: PHKB is a regulatory subunit of the kinase that triggers glycogenolysis; glycogen catabolic process accurately and specifically captures its core biological role. The beta subunit contributes to the process not only structurally but through an allosteric ADP-binding pocket that enhances activity.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:38548794
We also reveal an ADP-binding pocket in the Ξ²-subunit, which plays a
PMID:25051373
Glycogen phosphorylase kinase (PHK) is a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase that phosphorylates a serine residue in glycogen phosphorylase (PYG)
GO:0005829 cytosol
TAS
Reactome:R-HSA-71541
ACCEPT
Summary: Reactome TAS annotation placing PHKB in the cytosol, from the muscle phosphorylase kinase reaction (PYGM phosphorylation). Phosphorylase kinase is a cytosolic enzyme, and this is a core, accurate localization for the complex.
Reason: The phosphorylase kinase complex acts in the cytosol where it phosphorylates cytosolic glycogen phosphorylase; cytosol is the functionally dominant localization and is well supported by Reactome.
Supporting Evidence:
Reactome:R-HSA-71541
The cytosolic phosphorylase kinase complex catalyzes the phosphorylation
GO:0005829 cytosol
TAS
Reactome:R-HSA-71588
ACCEPT
Summary: Reactome TAS annotation placing PHKB in the cytosol, from the liver phosphorylase kinase reaction (PYGL phosphorylation). This is the liver-variant holoenzyme (PHKA2/PHKB/PHKG2/calmodulin) in which PHKB is a shared subunit. Cytosol is a core, accurate localization for the complex.
Reason: Duplicates the cytosol assignment from the muscle-variant reaction and is equally accurate; PHKB is the shared beta subunit of both the muscle and liver cytosolic holoenzymes.
Supporting Evidence:
Reactome:R-HSA-71588
The cytosolic phosphorylase kinase complex catalyzes the phosphorylation of glycogen phosphorylase (PYGL)
GO:0005977 glycogen metabolic process
TAS
PMID:9402963
Phosphorylase-kinase-deficient liver glycogenosis with an un...
ACCEPT
Summary: TAS annotation to glycogen metabolic process, from a study identifying a PHKB missense mutation (plus a splice-site mutation) causing phosphorylase kinase-deficient liver glycogenosis. Loss of PHKB function impairs glycogen breakdown, confirming PHKB's role in glycogen metabolism.
Reason: Human genetic evidence (PHKB mutations causing phosphorylase kinase deficiency / liver glycogenosis) directly supports involvement in glycogen metabolism. Consistent with the IEA annotation to the same term.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:9402963
liver glycogenosis caused by Phk deficiency
GO:0006091 generation of precursor metabolites and energy
TAS
PMID:9402963
Phosphorylase-kinase-deficient liver glycogenosis with an un...
KEEP AS NON CORE
Summary: TAS annotation to generation of precursor metabolites and energy. This is a broad parent process; glycogenolysis driven by phosphorylase kinase does mobilize glucose (glucose-1-phosphate) for energy, but the term is much less specific than the glycogen catabolic / glycogen metabolic annotations and does not describe the distinctive function of PHKB.
Reason: The term is not wrong - glycogen breakdown ultimately supplies glucose for energy production - but it is high-level and generic. The specific glycogen catabolic/metabolic annotations better capture PHKB's role, so this broad energy term is retained as non-core.
Supporting Evidence:
PMID:9402963
liver glycogenosis caused by Phk deficiency

Core Functions

Non-catalytic beta regulatory subunit of phosphorylase kinase; forms the central beta4 scaffold of the (alpha-beta-gamma-delta)4 holoenzyme and, as a PKA-phosphorylation target together with the alpha subunit and the calmodulin (delta) sensor, relieves autoinhibition of the catalytic gamma subunit, thereby contributing to the phosphorylase kinase activity of the assembled complex.

Molecular Function:
calmodulin binding
Directly Involved In:
Cellular Locations:
Supporting Evidence:
  • PMID:25051373
    cAMP levels that stimulate protein kinase A (PKA) to phosphorylate the Ξ±- and Ξ²-subunits (PHKA and PHKB)
  • file:human/PHKB/PHKB-uniprot.txt
    as a regulatory unit and modulates the activity of the holoenzyme in

References

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Notes

(PHKB-notes.md)

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