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Query: EC:2.7.11.25 (MEKK1)
 1,856 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Both MAP kinases and the protein kinase p74raf-1 are activated by many growth factors in a c-ras-dependent manner and by oncogenic p21ras. We were therefore interested in determining the relationship between MAP kinases and raf. The MAP kinase ERK2 is activated by expression of oncogenically activated raf, independently of cellular ras. Overexpressed p74raf-1 potentiates activation of ERK2 by EGF and TPA. MAP kinase kinase inactivated by phosphatase 2A treatment is phosphorylated and reactivated by incubation with p74raf-1 immunoprecipitated from phorbol ester-treated cells. We conclude that raf protein kinase is upstream of MAP kinases and is either a MAP kinase kinase kinase or a MAP kinase kinase kinase kinase.
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PMID:Activation of the MAP kinase pathway by the protein kinase raf. 133 Mar 21

The Rho subfamily of GTPases is involved in control of cell morphology in mammals and yeast. The mammalian Rac and Cdc42 proteins control formation of lamellipodia and filopodia, respectively. These proteins also activate MAP kinase (MAPK) cascades that regulate gene expression. Constitutively activated forms of Rac and Cdc42Hs are efficient activators of a cascade leading to JNK and p38/Mpk2 activation. RhoA did not exhibit this activity, and none of the proteins activated the ERK subgroup of MAPKs. JNK, but not ERK, activation was also observed in response to Dbl, an oncoprotein that acts as a nucleotide exchange factor for Cdc42Hs. Results with dominant interfering alleles place Rac1 as an intermediate between Ha-Ras and MEKK in the signaling cascade leading from growth factor receptors and v-Src to JNK activation. JNK and p38 activation are likely to contribute to the biological effects of Rac, Cdc42Hs, and Dbl on cell growth and proliferation.
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PMID:Selective activation of the JNK signaling cascade and c-Jun transcriptional activity by the small GTPases Rac and Cdc42Hs. 760 May 82

Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) plays an important role in the cellular effects of nerve growth factor (NGF). Although the precise pathway by which NGF activates MAP kinase is not clear, several enzymes have been identified that may form a linear phosphorylation cascade, in which MAP kinase is activated by MAP kinase kinase (MEK). A key enzyme that links the ras-GTP complex to MEK is widely believed to be the raf kinase. However, immunoprecipitation experiments in PC-12 cells revealed that raf is not the major NGF-dependent MEK kinase [Zheng, Ohmichi, Saltiel and Guan (1994) Biochemistry 33, 5595-5599]. We have identified a protein kinase from PC-12 cells that catalyses both the phosphorylation and activation of MEK. This activity is stimulated 3-fold in cells treated with NGF. The partial purification on FPLC and characterization of this MEK kinase indicate that it is distinct from raf, MEK, MAP kinase and other previously described NGF-stimulated protein kinases. The activity of this enzyme is unaffected by direct addition to the assay of heparin, staurosporine, K252A and the heat-stable cyclic AMP-dependent kinase peptide inhibitor, but is slightly inhibited by NaF and calcium ions. Comparison of its behaviour on gel permeation and sucrose-density gradients indicates a molecular mass in the region of 50,000 Da. Moreover, isoelectric focusing of the enzyme revealed a pI of approx. 7.3. The kinase activity is specific for ATP as substrate with a Km of 11 microM, and requires Mg2+ as a cofactor. Analysis of the activation of this enzyme in PC-12 cells transfected with a dominant inhibitory mutant of p21ras suggests that this MEK kinase resides downstream of ras in the MAP kinase activation pathway. Moreover, site-directed mutation of the residues on MEK that are phosphorylated by raf does not completely abrogate phosphorylation by the MEK kinase, suggesting that this enzyme may share some phosphorylation sites with raf, but also phosphorylates MEK on other sites.
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PMID:Nerve growth factor stimulates a novel protein kinase in PC-12 cells that phosphorylates and activates mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK). 773 91

We previously purified a protein factor, named REKS (Ras-dependent Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase (ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase Kinase (MEK) Stimulator), from Xenopus eggs by use of a cell-free assay system in which recombinant GTP gamma S (guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate)-Ki-Ras activates recombinant MEK. By use of this assay system, we purified here bovine REKS to near homogeneity from the cytosol fraction of bovine brain by successive chromatographies of Mono S, Mono Q, GTP gamma S-glutathione S-transferase-Ha-Ras-coupled glutathione-agarose, and Mono Q columns. It was composed of three proteins with masses of about 95, 32, and 30 kDa as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The 95-, 32-, and 30-kDa proteins were identified by immunoblot analysis to be B-Raf protein kinase, 14-3-3 protein, and 14-3-3 protein, respectively. Moreover, the REKS activity was specifically immunoprecipitated by an anti-B-Raf antibody. Bovine REKS was activated by lipid-modified GTP gamma S-Ki-Ras far more effectively than by a lipid-unmodified one. Lipid-modified GDP-Ki-Ras was inactive. Exogenous addition of 14-3-3 proteins stimulated further the REKS activity both in the presence and absence of GTP gamma S-Ki-Ras. These results indicate that at least one of the direct targets of Ras is B-Raf complexed with 14-3-3 proteins in bovine brain.
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PMID:Purification of a Ras-dependent mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase from bovine brain cytosol and its identification as a complex of B-Raf and 14-3-3 proteins. 774 15

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are activated upon a variety of extracellular stimuli in different cells. In macrophages, colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) stimulates proliferation, while bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhibits cell growth and causes differentiation and activation. Both CSF-1 and LPS rapidly activate the MAPK network and induce the phosphorylation of two distinct ternary complex factors (TCFs), TCF/Elk and TCF/SAP. CSF-1, but not LPS, stimulated the formation of p21ras. GTP complexes. Expression of a dominant negative ras mutant reduced, but did not abolish, CSF-1-mediated stimulation of MEK and MAPK. In contrast, activation of the MEK kinase Raf-1 was Ras independent. Treatment with the phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C inhibitor D609 suppressed LPS-mediated, but not CSF-1-mediated, activation of Raf-1, MEK, and MAPK. Similarly, down-regulation or inhibition of protein kinase C blocked MEK and MAPK induction by LPS but not that by CSF-1. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate pretreatment led to the sustained activation of the Raf-1 kinase but not that of MEK and MAPK. Thus, activated Raf-1 alone does not support MEK/MAPK activation in macrophages. Phosphorylation of TCF/Elk but not that of TCF/SAP was blocked by all treatments that interfered with MAPK activation, implying that TCF/SAP was targeted by a MAPK-independent pathway. Therefore, CSF-1 and LPS target the MAPK network by two alternative pathways, both of which induce Raf-1 activation. The mitogenic pathway depends on Ras activity, while the differentiation signal relies on protein kinase C and phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C activation.
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PMID:Ras-dependent and -independent pathways target the mitogen-activated protein kinase network in macrophages. 779 56

In PC12 cells, cAMP stimulates the MAP kinase pathway by an unknown mechanism. Firstly, we examined the role of calcium ion mobilization and of protein kinase C in cAMP-stimulated MAP kinase activation. We show that cAMP stimulates p44mapk independently of these events. Secondly, we studied the role of B-Raf in this process. We observed that NGF, PMA and cAMP induce the phosphorylation of B-Raf as well as an upward shift in its electrophoretic mobility. We show that B-Raf is activated following NGF and PMA treatment of PC12 cells, and that it can phosphorylate and activate MEK-1. However, cAMP inhibits B-Raf autokinase activity as well as its ability to phosphorylate and activate MEK-1. This inhibition is likely to be due to a direct effect since we found that PKA phosphorylates B-Raf in vitro. Further, we show that B-Raf binds to p21ras, but more important, this binding to p21ras is virtually abolished with B-Raf from PC12 cells treated with CPT-cAMP. Hence, these data indicate that the PKA-mediated phosphorylation of B-Raf hampers its interaction with p21ras, which is responsible for the PKA-mediated decrease in B-Raf activity. Finally, our work suggests that in PC12 cells, cAMP stimulates MAP kinase through the activation of an unidentified MEK kinase and/or the inhibition of a MEK phosphatase.
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PMID:Regulation of the MAP kinase cascade in PC12 cells: B-Raf activates MEK-1 (MAP kinase or ERK kinase) and is inhibited by cAMP. 783 30

We have previously identified a protein factor, named REKS (Ras-dependent Extracellular signal-regulated kinase/Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) Stimulator), which is necessary for Ras-dependent MEK activation. In this study, we attempted to highly purify and characterize REKS. We have highly purified REKS by successive column chromatographies using a cell-free assay system in which REKS activates recombinant extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 through recombinant MEK in a guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S)-Ki-Ras-dependent manner. REKS formed a stable complex with GTP gamma S-Ras; REKS was coimmunoprecipitated with GTP gamma S-Ki-Ras or GTP gamma S-Ha-Ras, but not with GDP-Ki-Ras or GDP-Ha-Ras by an anti-Ras antibody. REKS was absorbed to a GTP gamma S-glutathione S-transferase (GST)-Ha-Ras-coupled glutathione-agarose column but not to a GDP-GST-Ha-Ras-coupled glutathione-agarose column and was coeluted with GTP gamma S-GST-Ha-Ras by reduced glutathione. The minimum molecular mass of REKS was estimated to be about 98 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. REKS phosphorylated this 98-kDa protein as well as recombinant MEK. REKS was not recognized by any of the anti-c-Raf-1, anti-Mos, and anti-mSte11 antibodies. These results indicate that REKS is a Ras-dependent MEK kinase.
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PMID:Purification and characterization of REKS from Xenopus eggs. Identification of REKS as a Ras-dependent mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase. 785 6

Nerve growth factor (NGF) activates the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade through a p21ras-dependent signal transduction pathway in PC12 cells. The linkage between p21ras and MEK1 was investigated to identify those elements which participate in the regulation of MEK1 activity. We have screened for MEK activators using a coupled assay in which the MAP kinase cascade has been reconstituted in vitro. We report that we have detected a single NGF-stimulated MEK-activating activity which has been identified as B-Raf. PC12 cells express both B-Raf and c-Raf1; however, the MEK-activating activity was found only in fractions containing B-Raf. c-Raf1-containing fractions did not exhibit a MEK-activating activity. Gel filtration analysis revealed that the B-Raf eluted with an apparent M(r) of 250,000 to 300,000, indicating that it is present within a stable complex with other unidentified proteins. Immunoprecipitation with B-Raf-specific antisera quantitatively precipitated all MEK activator activity from these fractions. We also demonstrate that B-Raf, as well as c-Raf1, directly interacted with activated p21ras immobilized on silica beads. NGF treatment of the cells had no effect on the ability of B-Raf or c-Raf1 to bind to activated p21ras. These data indicate that this interaction was not dependent upon the activation state of these enzymes; however, MEK kinase activity was found to be associated with p21ras following incubation with NGF-treated samples at levels higher than those obtained from unstimulated cells. These data provide direct evidence that NGF-stimulated B-Raf is responsible for the activation of the MAP kinase cascade in PC12 cells, whereas c-Raf1 activity was not found to function within this pathway.
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PMID:The mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade is activated by B-Raf in response to nerve growth factor through interaction with p21ras. 793 11

Activation of tyrosine kinase receptors causes mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase stimulation via a pathway involving p21ras, p74raf-1 (acting as a MAP kinase kinase kinase), and MAP kinase kinases; however, the pathway by which heterotrimeric G-protein-coupled receptors activate MAP kinases is undefined. Since there are several MAP kinase kinase kinases it has been suggested that p74raf-1 may only couple tyrosine kinase receptors to MAP kinase activation. We therefore investigated the requirement for p21ras and p74raf-1 in G-protein receptor-mediated MAP kinase activation. Lysophosphatidic acid stimulates MAP kinase via a pertussis toxin-sensitive pathway, which is blocked by dominant negative Ras. Lysophosphatidic acid-stimulated MAP kinase activation is potentiated by overexpression of p74raf-1 and blocked by expression of a dominant negative Raf protein comprising the N-terminal 259 amino acids. We conclude that lysophosphatidic acid activates MAP kinases by a G-protein-coupled pathway that requires both p21ras and p74raf-1.
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PMID:Lysophosphatidic acid stimulates mitogen-activated protein kinase activation via a G-protein-coupled pathway requiring p21ras and p74raf-1. 840 93

Activity of the ubiquitously expressed Na+-H+ exchanger subtype NHE1 is stimulated upon activation of receptor tyrosine kinases and G protein-coupled receptors. The intracellular signaling pathways mediating receptor regulation of the exchanger, however, are poorly understood. Using transient expression of dominant interfering and constitutively active alleles in CCL39 fibroblasts, we determined that the GTPases Ha-Ras and Galpha 13 stimulate NHE1 through distinct signaling cascades. Exchange activity stimulated by constitutively active RasV12 occurs through a Rafl- and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)-dependent mechanism. Constitutively active Galpha 13QL, recently shown to stimulate the Jun kinase cascade, activates NHE1 through a Cdc42- and MEK kinase (MEKK1)-dependent mechanism that is independent of Rac1. Constitutively active Rac1V12 does stimulate NHE1 through a MEKK1-dependent mechanism, but dominant interfering Rac1N17 does not inhibit Galpha 13QL-mediated or constitutively active Cdc42V12-mediated stimulation of the exchanger. Conversely, Cdc42NI7 does not inhibit Rac1V12 activation of NHE1, suggesting that Rae I and Cdc42 independently regulate a MEKK1-dependent activation of the exchanger. Rapid (<10 min) stimulation of NHE1 with a Ga13/Gaz chimera also was inhibited by a kinase-inactive MEKK. Galpha 13QL, but not RasV12, also stimulates NHE1 through a RhoA-dependent pathway that is independent of MEKK, and microinjection of mutationally active Galpha 13 results in a Rho phenotype of increased stress fiber formation. These findings indicate a new target for Rho-like proteins: the regulation of H+ ex- change and intracellular pH. Our findings also suggest that a MEKK cascade diverges to regulate effectors other than transcription factors.
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PMID:G alpha 13 stimulates Na+-H+ exchange through distinct Cdc42-dependent and RhoA-dependent pathways. 862 3


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