Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The MEI4 gene product is required for meiotic induction of recombination and viable spore production in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. DNA sequence analysis shows that the MEI4 gene encodes a 450-amino-acid protein bearing no homology to any previously identified protein. The MEI4 coding region is interrupted by a small intron located near the 5' end of the gene. Efficient splicing of the MEI4 transcript is not dependent on the MER1 protein, which is required for splicing the transcript of another meiotic gene, MER2. Expression of a mei4::lacZ fusion gene is meiosis-specific and depends on both heterozygosity at the mating-type locus and nutrient limitation. Northern (RNA) blot hybridization analysis suggests that MEI4 gene expression is regulated at the level of transcription. A functional MEI4 gene is not required for meiotic induction of transcription of the MER1, MER2, MEK1, RED1, SPO11, or RAD50 gene. Cytological analysis of mei4 mutant strains during meiotic prophase demonstrates that the chromosomes form long axial elements that fail to undergo synapsis. The meiosis II division is delayed in mei4 strains.
Mol Cell Biol 1992 Mar
PMID:MEI4, a meiosis-specific yeast gene required for chromosome synapsis. 154 15

Mammalian MEK1 and MEK2 contain a proline-rich (PR) sequence that is absent both from the yeast homologs Ste7 and Byr1 and from a recently cloned activator of the JNK/stress-activated protein kinases, SEK1/MKK4. Since this PR sequence occurs in MEKs that are regulated by Raf family enzymes but is missing from MEKs and SEKs activated independently of Raf, we sought to investigate the role of this sequence in MEK1 and MEK2 regulation and function. Deletion of the PR sequence from MEK1 blocked the ability of MEK1 to associate with members of the Raf family and markedly attenuated activation of the protein in vivo following growth factor stimulation. In addition, this sequence was necessary for efficient activation of MEK1 in vitro by B-Raf but dispensable for activation by a novel MEK1 activator which we have previously detected in fractionated fibroblast extracts. Furthermore, we found that a phosphorylation site within the PR sequence of MEK1 was required for sustained MEK1 activity in response to serum stimulation of quiescent fibroblasts. Consistent with this observation, we observed that MEK2, which lacks a phosphorylation site at the corresponding position, was activated only transiently following serum stimulation. Finally, we found that deletion of the PR sequence from a constitutively activated MEK1 mutant rendered the protein nontransforming in Rat1 fibroblasts. These observations indicate a critical role for the PR sequence in directing specific protein-protein interactions important for the activation, inactivation, and downstream functioning of the MEKs.
Mol Cell Biol 1995 Oct
PMID:A proline-rich sequence unique to MEK1 and MEK2 is required for raf binding and regulates MEK function. 756 70

The protein kinase domains of mouse A-Raf and B-Raf were expressed as fusion proteins with the hormone binding domain of the human estrogen receptor in mammalian cells. In the absence of estradiol, 3T3 and rat1a cells expressing delta A-Raf:ER and delta B-Raf:ER were nontransformed, but upon the addition of estradiol the cells became oncogenically transformed. Morphological oncogenic transformation was more rapid and distinctive in cells expressing delta B-Raf:ER compared with cells expressing delta A-Raf:ER. Biochemical analysis of cells transformed by delta A-Raf:ER and delta B-Raf:ER revealed several interesting differences. The activation of delta B-Raf:ER consistently led to the rapid and robust activation of both MEK and p42/p44 MAP kinases. By contrast, the activation of delta A-Raf:ER led to a weak activation of MEK and the p42/p44 MAP kinases. The extent of activation of MEK in cells correlated with the ability of the different Raf kinases to phosphorylate and activate MEK1 in vitro. delta B-Raf:ER phosphorylated MEK1 approximately 10 times more efficiently than delta Raf-1:ER and at least 500 times more efficiently than delta A-Raf:ER under the conditions of the immune-complex kinase assays. These results were confirmed with epitope-tagged versions of the Raf kinase domains expressed in insect cells. The activation of all three delta Raf:ER proteins in 3T3 cells led to the hyperphosphorylation of the resident p74raf-1 and mSOS1 proteins, suggesting the possibility of "cross-talk" between the different Raf kinases and feedback regulation of intracellular signaling pathways. The activation of either delta B-Raf:ER or delta Raf-1:ER in quiescent 3T3 cells was insufficient to promote the entry of the cells into DNA synthesis. By contrast, the activation of delta A-Raf:ER in quiescent 3T3 cells was sufficient to promote the entry of the cells into S phase after prolonged exposure to beta-estradiol. The delta Raf:ER system has allowed us to reveal significant differences between the biological and biochemical properties of oncogenic forms of the Raf family of protein kinases. We anticipate that cells expressing these proteins and other estradiol-regulated protein kinases will be useful tools in future attempts to unravel the complex web of interactions involved in intracellular signal transduction pathways.
Mol Cell Biol 1995 Nov
PMID:Conditionally oncogenic forms of the A-Raf and B-Raf protein kinases display different biological and biochemical properties in NIH 3T3 cells. 756 95

A mutant rat cell clone that suppresses the transformation defects of RAS effector loop substitutions is heterozygous for mutations in c-raf1 and MEK1. The mutant cells can be transformed by many otherwise defective RAS effector mutants, including RAS genes with the effector regions of distantly related GTPases, even though the encoded RAS proteins do not interact with either the mutant or wild-type RAF in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. While the significance of the c-raf1 mutation is unclear, the MEK1 mutation increases MEK1 activity and leads to activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase. The mutant MEK1 is coupled to the epidermal growth factor pathway but exhibits decreased physical interaction with RAF. When overexpressed, the MEK1 mutation is transforming and causes hyperphosphorylation of RAF. Signalling from RAS to MEK1 may be mediated by something other than RAF alone, but signalling through MEK1 is probably sufficient for RAS transformation.
Mol Cell Biol 1995 Sep
PMID:RAS signalling is abnormal in a c-raf1 MEK1 double mutant. 765 28

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.
Mol Cell Biol 1994 Oct
PMID:The mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade is activated by B-Raf in response to nerve growth factor through interaction with p21ras. 793 11

We have previously reported that immobilized p21ras forms a GMPPNP-dependent complex with a MEK activity. Furthermore, the association of the MEK activity was found to be independent of the presence of Raf-1. We have extended those observations to show that MEK1 is the MEK activity previously described to associate with immobilized p21ras.GMPPNP. The association between MEK1 and immobilized p21ras.GMPPNP increased its specific activity towards p42MAPK. We detected the specific association of B-Raf with immobilized p21ras.GMPPNP. In contrast to Raf-1-immunodepleted lysates, preclearance of the cytosolic B-Raf significantly reduced, by 96%, the amount of MEK1 activity associated with immobilized p21ras.GMPPNP. The decrease in MEK1 activity correlated with complete loss in the binding of both B-Raf and MEK1 proteins with immobilized p21ras.GMPPNP. These data suggest that the p21ras.GMPPNP-dependent activation of MEK1 in brain extracts is dependent on the presence of the B-Raf protein kinase.
Mol Cell Biol 1994 Nov
PMID:Association of MEK1 with p21ras.GMPPNP is dependent on B-Raf. 793 30

The simian virus 40 small tumor antigen (small t) specifically interacts with protein phosphatase type 2A (PP2A) in vivo and alters its catalytic activity in vitro. Among the substrates for PP2A in vitro are the activated forms of MEK and ERK kinases. Dephosphorylation of the activating phosphorylation sites on MEK and ERKs by PP2A in vitro results in a decrease in their respective kinase activities. Recently, it has been shown that overexpression of small t in CV-1 cells results in an inhibition of PP2A activity toward MEK and ERK2 and a constitutive upregulation of MEK and ERK2 activity. Previously, we have observed that overexpression of either ERK1, MEK1, or a constitutively active truncated form of c-Raf-1 (BXB) is insufficient to activate AP-1 in REF52 fibroblasts. We therefore examined whether overexpression of small t either alone or in conjunction with ERK1, MEK1, or BXB could activate AP-1. We found that coexpression of small t and either ERK1, MEK1, or BXB resulted in an increase in AP-1 activity, whereas expression of either small t or any of the kinases alone did not have any effect. Similarly, coexpression of small t and ERK1 activated serum response element-regulated promoters. Coexpression of kinase-deficient mutants of ERK1 and ERK2 inhibited the activation of AP-1 caused by expression of small t and either MEK1 or BXB. Coexpression of an interfering MEK, which inhibited AP-1 activation by small t and BXB, did not inhibit the activation of AP-1 caused by small t and ERK1. In contrast to REF52 cells, we observed that overexpression of either small or ERK1 alone in CV-1 cells was sufficient to stimulate AP-1 activity and that this stimulation was not enhanced by expression of small t and ERK1 together. These results show that the effects of small t on immediate-early gene expression depend on the cell type examined and suggest that the mitogen-activated protein kinase activation pathway is distinctly regulated in different cell types.
Mol Cell Biol 1994 Sep
PMID:Simian virus 40 small t antigen cooperates with mitogen-activated kinases to stimulate AP-1 activity. 806 56

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are serine/threonine protein kinases activated by dual phosphorylation on threonine and tyrosine residues. A MAP kinase kinase (MKK1 or MEK1) has been identified as a dual-specificity protein kinase that is sufficient to phosphorylate MAP kinases p42mapk and p44mapk on the regulatory threonine and tyrosine residues. Because of the multiplicity of MAP kinase isoforms and the diverse circumstances and agonists leading to their activation, we thought it unlikely that a single MKK could accommodate this complexity. Indeed, two protein bands with MKK activity have previously been identified after renaturation following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We now report the molecular cloning and characterization of a second rat MAP kinase kinase cDNA, MKK2. MKK2 cDNA contains an open reading frame encoding a protein of 400 amino acids, 7 residues longer than MKK1 (MEK1). The amino acid sequence of MKK2 is 81% identical to that of MKK1, but nucleotide sequence differences occur throughout the aligned MKK2 and MKK1 cDNAs, indicating that MKK2 is the product of a distinct gene. MKK1 and MKK2 mRNAs are expressed differently in rat tissues. Both cDNAs when expressed in COS cells displayed the ability to phosphorylate and activate p42mapk and p44mapk, both MKK1 and MKK2 were activated in vivo in response to serum, and both could be phosphorylated and activated by the v-Raf protein in vitro. However, differences between MKK1 and MKK2 in sites of phosphorylation by proline-directed protein kinases predict differences in feedback regulation.
Mol Cell Biol 1993 Aug
PMID:Identification and characterization of a new mammalian mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase, MKK2. 839 35

We investigated the effect of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA ) on v-Mos kinase activity. Increase in PKA activity in vivo brought about either by forskolin treatment or by overexpression of PKA catalytic subunit resulted in a significant inhibition of v-Mos kinase activity. The purified PKA catalytic subunit was able to phosphorylate recombinant p37v-mos in vitro, suggesting that the mechanism of in vivo inhibition of v-Mos kinase involves direct phosphorylation by PKA. Combined tryptic phosphopeptide two-dimensional mapping analysis and in vitro mutagenesis studies indicated that Ser-56 is the major in vivo phosphorylation site on v-Mos. In vivo phosphorylation at Ser-56 correlated with slower migration of the v-Mos protein during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, even though Ser-56 was phosphorylated by PKA, this phosphorylation was not involved in the inhibition of v-Mos kinase. The alanine-for-serine substitution at residue 56 did not affect the ability of v-Mos to autophosphorylate in vitro or, more importantly, to activate MEK1 in transformed NIH 3T3 cells. We identified Ser-263 phosphorylation, the Ala-263 mutant of v-Mos was not inhibited by forskolin treatment. From our results, we propose that the known inhibitory role of PKA in the initiation of oocyte maturation in mice could be explained at least in part by its inhibition of Mos kinase.
Mol Cell Biol 1996 Mar
PMID:Inhibition of v-Mos kinase activity by protein kinase A. 862 81

Expression of the ovine P-450 side-chain cleavage enzyme gene (CYP11A1) is stimulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) through a pathway that involves c-Jun in JEG-3 placental cells. Growth factor signaling involves ras-dependent and ras-independent signaling pathways, which in turn regulate gene transcription through related but distinct mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways (MAPKs) including the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and the stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs). We investigated the intracellular signaling pathways governing EGF induction of the CYP11A1 promoter. EGF stimulation of the CYP11A1 promoter (4-fold) was reduced 60% by a dominant negative mutant of ras (N17), and 30-40% by antisense ras. EGF induced both ERK and SAPK activity in JEG-3 cells. EGF-induced CYP11A1 promoter activity was reduced 60% by the MEK1 inhibitor PD098059 and 50% by a dominant negative mutant of the ERK-specific regulator MEK1. In contrast, dominant negative mutants of the SAPK-specific activator, SEK1, induced a further increase in EGF-induced CYP11A1 promoter activity. Constitutively active mutants of ras (V12 or L61) increased CYP11A1 promoter activity 6- to 8-fold. Deletion of the EGF response element (EGF-RE) between -92 and -77 bp reduced ras induction by 60%; however, a residual 3-fold induction remained through the proximal -77 bp. Mutation of the EGF-RE AP-1-like sequence in the context of the native promoter reduced CYP11A1 promoter activation by ras 60%. The EGF-RE sequence was sufficient for 6-fold activation by ras in the context of an heterologous thymidine kinase promoter. Candidate transcription factor targets (c-Jun, c-Ets-2) for the ras-signaling cascade were examined for their effects on CYP11A1 promoter activity. Overexpression of c-Jun induced the CYP11A1 promoter through the EGF-RE; however, c-Ets-2 activation of the CYP11A1 promoter (12-fold) required the proximal ras-responsive promoter sequences that are distinct from the EGF/MEK/c-Jun-responsive element. Induction of the CYP11A1 promoter by EGF involves a ras/MEK1/AP-1-dependent pathway that is distinct from induction by ras/c-Ets-2.
Mol Endocrinol 1996 Sep
PMID:Stimulation of the P-450 side chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) promoter through ras- and Ets-2-signaling pathways. 888 43


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>