Molecular determinants that mediate selective activation of p38 MAP kinase isoforms
Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Molecular Medicine
Medical Subject Headings
Amino Acid Motifs; Amino Acid Sequence; Amino Acid Substitution; Animals; COS Cells; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein; Kinases; Enzyme Activation; Isoenzymes; MAP Kinase Kinase 3; MAP Kinase Kinase 6; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; *Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Molecular Sequence Data; Phosphorylation; Phosphothreonine; Phosphotyrosine; Protein Binding; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Deletion; Substrate Specificity; Transfection; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences
The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) group is represented by four isoforms in mammals (p38alpha, p38beta2, p38gamma and p38delta). These p38 MAPK isoforms appear to mediate distinct functions in vivo due, in part, to differences in substrate phosphorylation by individual p38 MAPKs and also to selective activation by MAPK kinases (MAPKKs). Here we report the identification of two factors that contribute to the specificity of p38 MAPK activation. One mechanism of specificity is the selective formation of functional complexes between MAPKK and different p38 MAPKs. The formation of these complexes requires the presence of a MAPK docking site in the N-terminus of the MAPKK. The second mechanism that confers signaling specificity is the selective recognition of the activation loop (T-loop) of p38 MAPK isoforms. Together, these processes provide a mechanism that enables the selective activation of p38 MAPK in response to activated MAPKK.
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Citation: EMBO J. 2000 Mar 15;19(6):1301-11. Link to article on publisher's site
Enslen, Herve; Brancho, Deborah Marie; and Davis, Roger J., "Molecular determinants that mediate selective activation of p38 MAP kinase isoforms" (2000). GSBS Student Publications. Paper 343.