A casein kinase II-type protein kinase has been purified from the cytosolic fraction of etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L.) plumules to about 90% purity as judged from Coomassie blue stained sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. This kinase has a tetrameric [alpha][alpha]'[beta]2 structure with a native molecular mass of 150 kD, and subunit molecular masses of 41 and 40 kD for the two catalytic subunits ([alpha] and [alpha]') and 35 kD for the putative regulatory subunit ([beta]).Casein and phosvitin can be used as artificial substrates for this kinase. Both serine and threonine residues were phosphorylated when mixed casein, [beta]-casein, or phosvitin were used as the substrate, whereas only serine was phosphorylated if [alpha]-casein or histone III-S was the substrate. The kinase activity was stimulated 130% by 0.5 mM spermine (the concentration required for 50% of maximal enzyme activity [A50] = 0.1 mM) and 80% by 2.5 mM spermidine (A50 = 0.4 mM), whereas putrescine and cadaverine had no effect. The kinase was very sensitive to inhibition by heparin (concentration for 50% inhibition [I50] = 0.025 [mu]g/mL). In contrast to most other casein kinase II-type protein kinases, this preparation was inhibited by K+ and Na+, with I50 values of 75 and 65 mM, respectively. Pretreatment of the purified kinase preparation in vitro with alkaline phosphatase caused a 5-fold decrease in its activity. Additionally, this kinase also lost its activity when its [beta] subunit was autophosphorylated in the absence of substrate. These results suggest that the activity of this casein kinase II protein kinase may be regulated by the phosphorylation state of two different sites in its multimeric structure.