Recent studies have documented direct interaction between 14-3-3 proteins and key molecules in signal transduction pathways like Ras, Cbl, and protein kinases. In T cells, the 14-3-3 isoform has been shown to associate with protein kinase C and to negatively regulate interleukin-2 secretion. Here we present data that 14-3-3 interacts with protein kinase C (PKC), a subtype that differs from other PKC members in structure and activation mechanisms. Specific interaction of PKC and 14-3-3 can be shown in the T cell line Jurkat by immunocoprecipitiation and by pulldown assays of either endogenous or overexpressed proteins using PKC-specific antibodies and GST-14-3-3 fusion proteins, respectively. Using PKC deletion mutants, the 14-3-3 binding region is mapped within the regulatory C1 domain. Binding of 14-3-3 to PKC is significantly enhanced upon phorbol ester stimulation of PKC kinase activity in Jurkat cells and occurs via a Cbl-like serine containing consensus motif. However, 14-3-3 is not a substrate of PKC. In contrast 14-3-3 strongly down-regulates PKC kinase activity in vitro. Moreover, overexpression of 14-3-3 significantly reduced phorbol ester induced activation of PKC kinase activity in intact cells. We therefore conclude that 14-3-3 is a negative regulator of PKC in T cells.