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Query: EC:2.7.10.1 (ERK)
95,504 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The C-terminal region of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 and 2 (MKK1 and MKK2) may function in regulating interactions with upstream kinases or the magnitude and duration of ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase activity. The MKK C-terminal region contains a proline-rich region that reportedly functions in regulating interactions with the Raf-1 kinase and ERK activity. In addition, phosphorylation sites in the C terminus of MKK1 have been suggested to either sustain or attenuate MKK1 activity. To further understand how phosphorylation at the C terminus of MKK1 and protein interactions regulate MKK1 function, we have generated several MKK1 C-terminal deletion mutants and examined their function in regulating MKK1 localization, ERK protein activation, and cell growth. A deletion of C-terminal amino acids encompassing two putative alpha-helices between residues 330 and 379 caused a re-distribution of mutant MKK1 proteins to membrane compartments. Immunofluorescence analysis of MKK1 mutants revealed a loss of homogenous cytosolic distribution that is typically observed with MKK1 wild type, suggesting this region regulates MKK1 cellular localization. In contrast, MKK1 C-terminal deletion mutants localized to various sized punctate regions that overlapped with lysosome compartments. ERK activation in response to constitutively active Raf-1 or growth factor stimulus was attenuated in cells expressing MKK1 C-terminal deletion mutants. This could be partly explained by the inability of Raf-1 to phosphorylate MKK1 C-terminal deletion mutants even though the phosphorylation sites were intact in these mutants. Finally, we show that cells expressing MKK1 C-terminal deletion mutants displayed characteristic patterns of apoptotic cell death and reduced cell proliferation. These findings identify a novel C-terminal region between amino acid residues 330 and 379 on MKK1 that is necessary for regulating the cytoplasmic distribution and subsequent ERK protein activation necessary for cell survival and viability.
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PMID:Identification of a C-terminal region that regulates mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 cytoplasmic localization and ERK activation. 1160 1

First published September 5, 2001; 10.1152/ajpcell.00077.2001.-Protective mechanisms for lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) against cell death caused by Clostridium difficile toxin, or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) plus D-galactosamine, were investigated in a murine hepatocyte cell line AML12 expressing Edg2 LPA receptor. In these models of hepatocellular injury, LPA prevented hepatocyte damage, suppressed apoptosis, and enhanced cell survival in a dose-dependent fashion. The protective effects of LPA were abolished by wortmannin and LY-294002, specific inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate kinase (PI 3-kinase), and by PD-98059 and U-0126, inhibitors of MEK1/MEK2. In nontreated hepatocytes, LPA elicited a gradual and sustained increase in phosphorylation of Erk1/Erk2 over 180 min of stimulation and downstream phosphorylation of p90RSK and transcription factor Elk-1. In C. difficile toxin-treated cells, LPA-induced phosphorylation of Erk1/Erk2 was rapid but transient, while p90RSK and Elk-1 phosphorylation did not change significantly. LPA stimulated phosphorylation of Akt in a time-dependent manner in both intact and toxin-treated AML12 hepatocytes. Wortmannin and LY-294002 abolished phosphorylation of Akt, further supporting activation of PI 3-kinase/Akt as a signaling pathway, which mediates hepatocyte protection by LPA. Taken together, these results demonstrate that LPA prevents cell apoptosis induced by C. difficile toxin and TNF-alpha/D-galactosamine in the AML12 murine hepatocyte cell line. Cell protection by LPA involves activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase Erk1/Erk2 cascade and PI 3-kinase-dependent phosphorylation of Akt.
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PMID:Enhancement of survival by LPA via Erk1/Erk2 and PI 3-kinase/Akt pathways in a murine hepatocyte cell line. 1169 60

Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to identify the cells within organotypic slice cultures of the developing mouse cerebral cortex that respond to estradiol treatment by phosphorylation of ERK1 and ERK2. Estrogen-responsive cells resembled neurons morphologically and expressed the neuronal marker microtubule-associated protein 2B. The intracellular distribution of the phospho-ERK signal was both cytoplasmic and nuclear, but inhibition of protein synthesis abolished the appearance of the nuclear signal. ERK1and ERK2 also coimmunoprecipitated with heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in the cerebral cortical explants. Geldanamycin effectively disrupted this association and prevented ERK phosphorylation. Surprisingly, MEK2 but not MEK1 was the principal mediator of estradiol-induced activation of ERK. Our data demonstrate the requirement for Hsp90 in estrogen-induced activation of ERK1 and ERK2 by MEK2 in the developing mouse cerebral cortex and also provide insight into alternative mechanisms by which estradiol may influence cytoplasmic and nuclear events in responsive neurons via the MAP kinase cascade.
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PMID:Estradiol-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in explants of the mouse cerebral cortex: the roles of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and MEK2. 1174 28

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1 and ERK2) are essential components of pathways through which signals received at membrane receptors are converted into specific changes in protein function and gene expression. As with other members of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family, ERK1 and ERK2 are activated by phosphorylations catalyzed by dual-specificity protein kinases known as MAP/ERK kinases (MEKs). MEKs exhibit stringent specificity for individual MAP kinases. Indeed, MEK1 and MEK2 are the only known activators of ERK1 and ERK2. ERK2 small middle dotMEK1/2 complexes can be detected in vitro and in vivo. The biochemical nature of such complexes and their role in MAP kinase signaling are under investigation. This report describes the use of a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify point mutations in ERK2 that impair its interaction with MEK1/2, yet do not alter its interactions with other proteins. ERK2 residues identified in this screen are on the surface of the C-terminal domain of the kinase, either within or immediately preceding alpha-helix G, or within the MAP kinase insert. Some mutations identified in this manner impaired the two-hybrid interaction of ERK2 with both MEK1 and MEK2, whereas others had a predominant effect on the interaction with either MEK1 or MEK2. Mutant ERK2 proteins displayed reduced activation in HEK293 cells following epidermal growth factor treatment, consistent with their impaired interaction with MEK1/2. However, ERK2 proteins containing MEK-specific mutations retained kinase activity, and were similar to wild type ERK2 in their activation following overexpression of constitutively active MEK1. Unlike wild type ERK2, proteins containing MEK-specific point mutations were constitutively localized in the nucleus, even in the presence of overexpressed MEK1. These data suggest an essential role for the MAP kinase insert and residues within or just preceding alpha-helix G in the interaction of ERK2 with MEK1/2.
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PMID:Identification of novel point mutations in ERK2 that selectively disrupt binding to MEK1. 1182 56

The ERKs are a subfamily of the MAPKs that have been implicated in cell growth and differentiation. By using the rat ERK7 cDNA to screen a human multiple tissue cDNA library, we identified a new member of the ERK family, ERK8, that shares 69% amino acid sequence identity with ERK7. Northern analysis demonstrates that ERK8 is present in a number of tissues with maximal expression in the lung and kidney. Fluorescence in situ hybridization localized the ERK8 gene to chromosome 8, band q24.3. Expression of ERK8 in COS cells and bacteria indicates that, in contrast to constitutively active ERK7, ERK8 has minimal basal kinase activity and a unique substrate profile. ERK8, which contains two SH3-binding motifs in its C-terminal region, associates with the c-Src SH3 domain in vitro and co-immunoprecipitates with c-Src in vivo. Co-transfection with either v-Src or a constitutively active c-Src increases ERK8 activation indicating that ERK8 can be activated downstream of c-Src. ERK8 is also activated following serum stimulation, and the extent of this activation is reduced by pretreatment with the specific Src family inhibitor PP2. The ERK8 activation by serum or Src was not affected by the MEK inhibitor U0126 indicating that activation of ERK8 does not require MEK1, MEK2, or MEK5. Although most closely related to ERK7, the relatively low sequence identity, minimal basal activity, and different substrate profile identify ERK8 as a distinct member of the MAPK family that is activated by an Src-dependent signaling pathway.
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PMID:ERK8, a new member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family. 1187 70

The serine/threonine kinase Raf-1 acts downstream of Ras in the MAPK pathway leading to ERK activation in response to mitogens. Raf-1 has oncogenic potential, but is normally controlled by a complex interplay of inhibitory and activating mechanisms. Although Raf-1 is phosphorylated in unstimulated cells, mitogens cause its membrane recruitment by Ras and subsequent phosphorylation on additional sites. Some of these events modulate Raf-1 kinase activity while others determine interactions with other proteins. These changes regulate the ability of Raf-1 to phosphorylate its downstream targets MEK1 and MEK2. Rho family small G proteins act synergistically with Raf-1 to stimulate the ERK pathway by a cross-cascade mechanism that enhances MEK phosphorylation by Raf-1. Here we show that both Raf-1 and MEK1 are phosphorylated by PAK1 and that mutations at PAK1 phosphorylation sites in either protein prevent cross-cascade activation. In contrast, MEK1 activation by constitutively-active Raf-1 is refractory to mutations at PAK1 phosphorylation sites. Phosphorylation of MEK1 on serine 298 does not appear to regulate the interaction between Raf-1 and MEK1, but rather the ability of Raf-1 to phosphorylate MEK1 with which it is complexed in vivo. Our findings indicate that PAK1 primes MEK1 for activation by Raf-1 and imply another level of regulation in the ERK cascade.
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PMID:PAK1 primes MEK1 for phosphorylation by Raf-1 kinase during cross-cascade activation of the ERK pathway. 1194 6

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is an important enzyme in adipocyte and lipid metabolism with complex cellular regulation. Previous studies demonstrated an inhibition of LPL activity and synthesis following depletion of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms with long term treatment of 3T3-F442A adipocytes with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. To identify the specific PKC isoforms involved, we treated cells with antisense oligonucleotides that block expression of specific PKC isoforms. An antisense oligonucleotide to PKC alpha inhibited LPL activity by 78 +/- 8%, whereas antisense oligonucleotides directed against PKC delta or PKC epsilon had no effect on LPL activity. The change in LPL activity was maximal at 72 h and was accompanied by a decrease in LPL protein and LPL synthetic rate but no change in LPL mRNA, suggesting regulation at the level of translation. However, PKC depletion resulted in no change in the polysome profile, indicating that translation initiation was not affected. However, the addition of cytoplasmic extracts from adipocytes treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate or PKC alpha antisense oligomers inhibited LPL translation in vitro. This inhibition of LPL translation in vitro was lost when the LPL mRNA transcript did not contain nucleotides 1599-3200, thus implicating the 3'-untranslated region of LPL in the regulation of translation by PKC depletion. Both LPL activity and Raf1 activity were decreased in parallel following depletion of either total PKC or specific inhibition of PKC alpha. An antisense oligonucleotide to RAF1, which inhibited RAF1 activity, also inhibited LPL activity by 48 +/- 10%, and this decrease in LPL activity was not accompanied by a change in LPL mRNA. Cells were treated with U0126, a specific inhibitor of the ERK-activating kinases MEK1 and MEK2. Although U0126 inhibited ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation, U0126 had no effect on LPL activity, indicating that MEK/ERK pathways were not involved in this mechanism of LPL regulation. Together, these data indicate that PKC alpha and RAF1 are important in the translational regulation of LPL in adipocytes and that the mechanism of regulation is probably through an ERK-independent pathway.
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PMID:Regulation of lipoprotein lipase by protein kinase C alpha in 3T3-F442A adipocytes. 1214 72

Utilizing mutants of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) that are defective for intrinsic mitogen-activated protein kinase or ERK kinase (MEK) binding, we have identified a convergent signaling pathway that facilitates regulated MEK-ERK association and ERK activation. ERK2-delta19-25 mutants defective in MEK binding could be phosphorylated in response to mitogens; however, signaling from the Raf-MEK pathway alone was insufficient to stimulate their phosphorylation in COS-1 cells. Phosphorylation of ERK2-delta19-25 but not of wild-type ERK2 in response to Ras V12 was greatly inhibited by dominant-negative Rac. Activated forms of Rac and Cdc42 could enhance the association of wild-type ERK2 with MEK1 but not with MEK2 in serum-starved adherent cells. This effect was p21-activated kinase (PAK) dependent and required the putative PAK phosphorylation sites T292 and S298 of MEK1. In detached cells placed in suspension, ERK2 was complexed with MEK2 but not with MEK1. However, upon replating of cells onto a fibronectin matrix, there was a substantial induction of MEK1-ERK2 association and ERK activation, both of which could be inhibited by dominant-negative PAK1. These data show that Rac facilitates the assembly of a mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling complex required for ERK activation and that this facilitative signaling pathway is active during adhesion to the extracellular matrix. These findings reveal a novel mechanism by which adhesion and growth factor signals are integrated during ERK activation.
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PMID:Rac-PAK signaling stimulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation by regulating formation of MEK1-ERK complexes. 1216 97

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades control gene expression patterns in response to extracellular stimuli. MAPK/ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) kinases (MEKs) activate MAPKs by phosphorylating them; activated MAPKs, in turn, phosphorylate target transcription factors, and are deactivated by phosphatases. One mechanism for maintaining signal specificity and efficiency is the interaction of MAPKs with their substrates and regulators through high-affinity docking sites. In the present study, we show that peptides corresponding to the MAPK-docking sites of MEK1, MEK2, Ste7, Elk-1 and MAPK phosphatase (MKP)-2 potently inhibit MEK2 phosphorylation of ERK2, ERK2 phosphorylation of Elk-1, and MKP-1 dephosphorylation of ERK2. Each peptide inhibited multiple reactions; for example, the MEK2 peptide inhibited not only MEK2, but also ERK2 and MKP-1. In addition, these docking-site peptides inhibited MEK2-ERK2 binding. The MAPK-docking site of MEK1 also potently stimulated ERK2-mediated phosphorylation of a target site on the same peptide. Control peptides with mutations of conserved basic and hydrophobic residues of the MAPK-docking site consensus lacked biological activity. We conclude that MEKs, MKPs and the Elk-1 transcription factor compete for binding to the same region of ERK2 via protein-protein interactions that are crucial for kinase/phosphatase activity.
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PMID:Docking sites on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinases, MAPK phosphatases and the Elk-1 transcription factor compete for MAPK binding and are crucial for enzymic activity. 1252 72

Specific docking interactions between MAPKs and their activating MAPK kinases (MKKs or MEKs) are crucial for efficient and accurate signal transmission. Here, we report the identification of a MAPK-docking site, or "D-site," in the N terminus of human MKK4/JNKK1. This docking site conforms to the consensus sequence for known D-sites in other MKKs and contains the first of the two cleavage sites for anthrax lethal factor protease that have been found in the N terminus of MKK4. This docking site was both necessary and sufficient for the high affinity binding of the MAPKs JNK1, JNK2, JNK3, p38 alpha, and p38 beta to MKK4. Mutations that altered conserved residues in this docking site reduced JNK/p38 binding. In addition, a peptide version of this docking site, as well as a peptide version of the JNK-binding site of the JIP-1 scaffold protein, inhibited both MKK4/JNK binding and MKK4-mediated phosphorylation of JNK1. These same peptides also inhibited JNK2-mediated phosphorylation of c-Jun and ATF2, suggesting that transcription factors, MKK4, and the JIP scaffold compete for docking to JNK. Finally, the selectivity of the MKK4, MEK1, and MEK2 D-sites for JNK versus ERK was quantified. The MEK1 and MEK2 D-sites displayed a strong selectivity for their cognate MAPK (ERK2) versus a non-cognate MAPK (JNK). In contrast, the MKK4 D-site exhibited only limited selectivity for JNK versus ERK.
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PMID:A docking site in MKK4 mediates high affinity binding to JNK MAPKs and competes with similar docking sites in JNK substrates. 1278 55


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