Phosphorylation induced by carp-dependent protein kinase was examined in a plasma membrane-enriched fraction from control and P-adrenergic-stimulated rat aortic myocytes. Phosphorylation of a 16 kDa protein which copurified with the plasma membrane marker (Nab + Kc)-ATPase was most prominent. It was decreased by pretreatment of the myocytes with isoproterenol and the effect of isoproterenol was inhibited by propranolol. Both phosphorylation induced by CAMP-dependent protein kinase and its inhibition by isoproterenoi pretreatment declined in preparations exposed to endogenous phosphatase. These results provide strong evidence that @-adrenergic stimuiation of aortic myocytes induces in situ phosphorylation of a 16 kDa plasma membrane protein.(Rat aorta)