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Query: EC:2.7.11.24 (mitogen-activated protein kinase)
 95,810 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERKs) are members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family that are rapidly phosphorylated and activated in response to various extracellular stimuli, including growth factors. Of these, the ERK1 and ERK2 forms are by far the most abundant and the most studied. Much less is known about other ERK forms, including one previously designated ERK4 on the basis of its cross-reactivity with ERK1 and ERK2. We report here that ERK4 in rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells can be immunoprecipitated by anti-ERK antiserum R2 and have used this re-agent to characterize this species further. We find that ERK4 rapidly becomes tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to nerve growth factor (NGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) and, to a lesser degree, in response to insulin and a permeant cyclic AMP analogue. As in the case of ERK1 and ERK2, tyrosine phosphorylation of ERK4 occurs by a ras-dependent pathway in response to NGF and EGF and shows prolonged kinetics for NGF but not EGF treatment. Recognition by multiple antisera directed against various domains of ERK1 supports classification of ERK4 within the ERK family; however, two-dimensional gel analysis clearly distinguishes ERK4 from isoforms of ERK1. These findings thus reveal an additional member of the ERK family that is responsive to growth factors and that could play a distinct role in intracellular signaling.
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PMID:Tyrosine phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 4 in response to growth factors. 876 83

The activation of natural killer (NK) cells and induction of cytotoxicity are complex processes whose molecular mechanisms have not been clearly elucidated. Stimulation of the NKL human NK cell line with interleukin-2 (IL-2) or protein-bound polysaccharide K (PSK) leads to sustained growth and cytolytic activity in comparison to unstimulated NKL cells. Our previous results shown that IL-2 and PSK regulate different nuclear transcription factors in NKL cells, and that the signal transduction pathway used by these inducers is different. To determine the molecular basis for the different action of IL-2 and PSK, we investigated the upstream effects generated in human NKL cells by IL-2 and PSK on protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzymes and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Here we report the profile of unstimulated NKL cells as: PKCbeta>PKCalpha>PKCdelta =PKCepsilon. The PKCeta form was not expressed. The effects of PSK and IL-2 on these isoenzymes were different. IL-2 increased the expression of PKCalpha, PKCdelta and PKCepsilon, whereas PSK decreased the expression of PKCalpha, and also increased PKCdelta and PKCepsilon to higher levels than did IL-2. In MAPK expression we found that unstimulated NKL cells have the following profile: ERK2>ERK6>p38gamma>p38beta>ERK1. ERK3, ERK3 rel, ERK5/ERK4 and p38delta were not expressed. IL-2 decreased the expression of ERK2, whereas PSK did not, and both agents increased the expression of ERK3. These results shown that PSK and IL-2 produce different variations in PKC isoenzymes and MAPK in NKL cells.
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PMID:Different regulation of PKC isoenzymes and MAPK by PSK and IL-2 in the proliferative and cytotoxic activities of the NKL human natural killer cell line. 1253 41

MAPK-activated protein kinase 5 (MK5) was recently identified as a physiological substrate of the atypical MAPK ERK3. Complex formation between ERK3 and MK5 results in phosphorylation and activation of MK5, concomitant stabilization of ERK3, and the nuclear exclusion of both proteins. However, ablation of ERK3 in HeLa cells using small interfering RNA or in fibroblasts derived from ERK3 null mice reduces the activity of endogenous MK5 by only 50%, suggesting additional mechanisms of MK5 regulation. Here we identify the ERK3-related kinase ERK4 as a bona fide interaction partner of MK5. Binding of ERK4 to MK5 is accompanied by phosphorylation and activation of MK5. Furthermore, complex formation also results in the relocalization of MK5 from nucleus to cytoplasm. However unlike ERK3, ERK4 is a stable protein, and its half-life is not modified by the presence or absence of MK5. Finally, although knock-down of ERK4 protein in HeLa cells reduces endogenous MK5 activity by approximately 50%, a combination of small interfering RNAs targeting both ERK4 and ERK3 causes a further reduction in the MK5 activity by more than 80%. We conclude that MK5 activation is dependent on both ERK3 and ERK4 in these cells and that these atypical MAPKs are both physiological regulators of MK5 activity.
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PMID:Regulation of MAPK-activated protein kinase 5 activity and subcellular localization by the atypical MAPK ERK4/MAPK4. 1697 92

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are a family of serine/threonine kinases that play a central role in transducing extracellular cues into a variety of intracellular responses ranging from lineage specification to cell division and adaptation. Fourteen MAP kinase genes have been identified in the human genome, which define 7 distinct MAP kinase signaling pathways. MAP kinases can be classified into conventional or atypical enzymes, based on their ability to get phosphorylated and activated by members of the MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK)/MEK family. Conventional MAP kinases comprise ERK1/ERK2, p38s, JNKs, and ERK5, which are all substrates of MAPKKs. Atypical MAP kinases include ERK3/ERK4, NLK and ERK7. Much less is known about the regulation, substrate specificity and physiological functions of atypical MAP kinases.
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PMID:Atypical mitogen-activated protein kinases: structure, regulation and functions. 1716 75

ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) 4 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) 4] and ERK3 (MAPK6) are atypical MAPKs. One major difference between these proteins and the classical MAPKs is substitution of the conserved T-X-Y motif within the activation loop by a single phospho-acceptor site within an S-E-G motif. In the present study we report that Ser(186) of the S-E-G motif in ERK4 is phosphorylated in vivo. Kinase-dead ERK4 is also phosphorylated on Ser(186), indicating that an ERK4 kinase, rather than autophosphorylation, is responsible. Co-expression of MK5 [MAPK-activated protein kinase 5; also known as PRAK (p38-regulated/activated kinase)], a physiological target of ERK4, increases phosphorylation of Ser(186). This is not dependent on MK5 activity, but does require interaction between ERK4 and MK5 suggesting that MK5 binding either prevents ERK4 dephosphorylation or facilitates ERK4 kinase activity. ERK4 mutants in which Ser(186) is replaced with either an alanine residue or a phospho-mimetic residue (glutamate) are unable to activate MK5 and Ser(186) is also required for cytoplasmic anchoring of MK5. Both defects seem to reflect an impaired ability of the ERK4 mutants to interact with MK5. We find that there are at least two endogenous pools of wild-type ERK4. One form exhibits reduced mobility when analysed using SDS/PAGE. This is due to MK5-dependent phosphorylation and only this retarded ERK4 species is both phosphorylated on Ser(186) and co-immunoprecipitates with wild-type MK5. We conclude that binding between ERK4 and MK5 facilitates phosphorylation of Ser(186) and stabilization of the ERK4-MK5 complex. This results in phosphorylation and activation of MK5, which in turn phosphorylates ERK4 on sites other than Ser(186) resulting in the observed mobility shift.
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PMID:The Ser(186) phospho-acceptor site within ERK4 is essential for its ability to interact with and activate PRAK/MK5. 1824 30

MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 5 (MK5) was originally described as a protein kinase activated downstream of the p38 MAP kinase and is also named p38-regulated/activated protein kinase (PRAK). However, while MK5 is most similar in sequence to the two p38 regulated MAPKAP kinases MK2 and MK3, recent data has shown that in contrast to these enzymes MK5 is not activated in response to either cellular stress or pro-inflammatory cytokines. This lack of response to stimuli which cause robust activation of p38 MAP kinase in vivo is supported by data obtained using transgenic mice lacking MK5. Unlike animals lacking MK2 and MK3, MK5 null mice respond normally to endotoxic shock and display an unchanged pattern of cytokine expression in response to LPS. Clues as to the physiological function of MK5 have come from the recent observation that MK5 is uniquely regulated and activated following complex formation with the atypical MAP kinases ERK3 and ERK4. Thus, it is possible that MK5 is unique amongst the MAPKAP kinases in being regulated downstream of signaling pathways other than the classical MAP kinases p38 and ERK1/2.
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PMID:Does MK5 reconcile classical and atypical MAP kinases? 1850 33

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are typical examples of protein kinases whose enzymatic activity is mainly controlled by activation loop phosphorylation. The classical MAP kinases ERK1/ERK2, JNK, p38 and ERK5 all contain the conserved Thr-Xxx-Tyr motif in their activation loop that is dually phosphorylated by members of the MAP kinase kinases family. Much less is known about the regulation of the atypical MAP kinases ERK3 and ERK4. These kinases display structural features that distinguish them from other MAP kinases, notably the presence of a single phospho-acceptor site (Ser-Glu-Gly) in the activation loop. Here, we show that ERK3 and ERK4 are phosphorylated in their activation loop in vivo. This phosphorylation is exerted, at least in part, in trans by an upstream cellular kinase. Contrary to classical MAP kinases, activation loop phosphorylation of ERK3 and ERK4 is detected in resting cells and is not further stimulated by strong mitogenic or stress stimuli. However, phosphorylation can be modulated indirectly by interaction with the substrate MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 5 (MK5). Importantly, we found that activation loop phosphorylation of ERK3 and ERK4 stimulates their intrinsic catalytic activity and is required for the formation of stable active complexes with MK5 and, consequently, for efficient cytoplasmic redistribution of ERK3/ERK4-MK5 complexes. Our results demonstrate the importance of activation loop phosphorylation in the regulation of ERK3/ERK4 function and highlight differences in the regulation of atypical MAP kinases as compared to classical family members.
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PMID:Activation loop phosphorylation of the atypical MAP kinases ERK3 and ERK4 is required for binding, activation and cytoplasmic relocalization of MK5. 1872 Mar 73

ERK3 and ERK4 are atypical MAPKs in which the canonical TXY motif within the activation loop of the classical MAPKs is replaced by SEG. Both ERK3 and ERK4 bind, translocate, and activate the MAPK-activated protein kinase (MK) 5. The classical MAPKs ERK1/2 and p38 interact with downstream MKs (RSK1-3 and MK2-3, respectively) through conserved clusters of acidic amino acids, which constitute the common docking (CD) domain. In contrast to the classical MAPKs, the interaction between ERK3/4 and MK5 is strictly dependent on phosphorylation of the SEG motif of these kinases. Here we report that the conserved CD domain is dispensable for the interaction of ERK3 and ERK4 with MK5. Using peptide overlay assays, we have defined a novel MK5 interaction motif (FRIEDE) within both ERK4 and ERK3 that is essential for binding to the C-terminal region of MK5. This motif is located within the L16 extension lying C-terminal to the CD domain in ERK3 and ERK4 and a single isoleucine to lysine substitution in FRIEDE totally abrogates binding, activation, and translocation of MK5 by both ERK3 and ERK4. These findings are the first to demonstrate binding of a physiological substrate via this region of the L16 loop in a MAPK. Furthermore, the link between activation loop phosphorylation and accessibility of the FRIEDE interaction motif suggests a switch mechanism for these atypical MAPKs in which the phosphorylation status of the activation loop regulates the ability of both ERK3 and ERK4 to bind to a downstream effector.
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PMID:Docking of PRAK/MK5 to the atypical MAPKs ERK3 and ERK4 defines a novel MAPK interaction motif. 1947 79

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) or mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation, migration, and gene expression. The MAPK family includes ERK1/2, c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinases 1, 2, and 3, p38MAPK alpha, beta, gamma, and -delta, and ERK5 as conventional MAPKs and ERK3, ERK4 NLK, and ERK7 as atypical MAPKs. Like other MAPKs, ERK5 is activated by variety of stimuli, including growth factors, G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists, cytokines, and stress. However, the signaling pathway leading to ERK5 activation is not well understood compared with the other conventional MAPKs. For example, the pharmacological reagents that induce second messenger cAMP and Ca(2+) downstream of GPCRs do not activate ERK5 in neuronal cells. In addition, conflicting results have come from studies examining the involvement of small G-proteins in ERK5 activation by growth factors, and the details of the signaling pathway remain controversial. In addition, the physiological roles of ERK5 in neuronal cells have not been clarified. One reason was the lack of a selective ERK5 pharmacological inhibitor until the novel selective MEK5/ERK5 inhibitors BIX02188 and BIX02189 (Biochem Biophys Res Commun 377:120-125, 2008) reported last year. Another reason is that the use of interfering mutants is limited in neuronal cells because the transfection efficiency is low. Despite these difficulties, recent studies suggest that ERK5 mediates the promotion of neuronal survival and neuronal differentiation in vitro and in vivo. In this review, the signaling pathway leading to ERK5 activation through heterotrimeric and small G-proteins and the physiological roles of ERK5 in neuronal cells are summarized and discussed.
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PMID:The signaling pathway leading to extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) activation via G-proteins and ERK5-dependent neurotrophic effects. 1985 97

MK5, a member of the MAPK-activated protein kinase family, is highly expressed in the heart. Whereas MK2 and MK3 are activated by p38 MAPK, MK5 has also been shown to be activated by ERK3 and ERK4. We studied the regulation of MK5 in mouse heart. mRNA for 5 splice variants (MK5.1-5.5), including the original form (MK5.1), was detected. MK5 comprises 14 exons: exon 12 splicing was modified in MK5.2, MK5.3, and MK5.5. MK5.2 and MK5.5 lacked 6 bases at the 3'-end of exon 12, whereas MK5.3 lacked exon 12, resulting in a frame shift and premature termination of translation at codon 3 of exon 13. MK5.4 and MK5.5 lacked exons 2-6, encoding kinase subdomains I-VI, and were kinase-dead. All 5 MK5 variants were detected at the mRNA level in all mouse tissues examined; however, their relative abundance was tissue-specific. Furthermore, the relative abundance of variant mRNA was altered both during hypertrophy and postnatal cardiac development, suggesting that the generation or the stability of MK5 variant mRNAs is subject to regulation. When expressed in HEK293 cells, MK5.1, MK5.2 and MK5.3 were nuclear whereas MK5.4 and MK5.5 were cytoplasmic. A p38 MAPK activator, anisomycin, induced the redistribution of each variant. In contrast, MK5 co-immunoprecipitated ERK3, but not ERK4 or p38 alpha, in control and hypertrophying hearts. GST pull-down assays revealed unbound ERK4 and p38 alpha but no free MK5 or ERK3 in heart lysates. Hence, 1) in heart MK5 complexes with ERK3 and 2) MK5 splice variants may mediate distinct effects thus increasing the functional diversity of ERK3-MK5 signaling.
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PMID:Characterization of the expression and regulation of MK5 in the murine ventricular myocardium. 2021 76


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