Identification of different specificity requirements between SGK1 and PKBalpha.

NDRG1 is phosphorylated by SGK1 (but not PKB) in vivo at three residues each contained within three nonapeptide repeats. Here, we demonstrate that this nonapeptide, like the NDRG1 protein, is phosphorylated by SGK1, but not by PKBalpha or RSK1 in vitro. The inability of PKBalpha and RSK1 to phosphorylate the nonapeptide was traced to residues n+1, n+2 and n-4 (where n is the phosphorylation site).