It is important for the understanding of protein kinase action to differentiate between regulation at the enzyme and at the substrate levels. For example, the inhibitors dinitrophenol-tyrosine and tyrphostins act at the enzyme level to inhibit phosphorylation of all substrates by c-Src and v-Src kinases. In contrast, polylysine acts at the substrate level to stimulate Src-mediated phosphorylation of beta-casein but to inhibit phosphorylation of alpha-casein. Here we demonstrate novel enzyme-specific and substrate-specific modulations of Src kinase activity of potential physiological significance. At the enzyme level, we observed that c-Src kinase preferentially phosphorylates alpha-casein, while the v-Src kinase prefers beta-casein. At the substrate level we observed substrate-specific modulation by physiological factors including sphingosine, sphingosine derivatives and the ganglioside GM3. Galactosyl-sphingosine (psychosine) was more effective in stimulating phosphorylation of beta-casein and poly(E1A1Y1) than sphingosine. Glucosyl- and lactosyl-sphingosine were ineffective. Rat was extensively phosphorylated by c-Src in the presence of polylysine, and to a lesser extent in the sphingosine and galactosyl-sphingosine. These unexpected differences point out another potential mechanism for regulation of c-Src and v-Src kinase activities and may help to explain some of the pleotyptic manifestations of protein tyrosine kinase actions.