MAPKK kinase

The MEK proteins are themselves substrates for another type of protein kinase further upstream, the MEK kinases (MEKKs, also known as MAPKK kinases, MAPKKK). The MEK kinases include the various Raf kinases activated by Ras protein, Mos kinase and the protein kinases MEKKl, MEKK2 and MEKKS. 

The MEK kinases (MAPKK kinases) are Ser/Thr-specific protein kinases and are the entry point for signal transduction in a MAPK module. The best characterized representative, Raf-1 kinase, is activated by Ras protein in its GTP-bound form. Raf kinase phosphorylates downstream MEK proteins at two Ser residues, which are separated by three other amino acids. All known MEK proteins have a similar phosphorylation site in the conserved sequence LID/NSXANS/T (X any amino acid). Other representatives of the MEK kinase group are Mos kinase and the protein kinases MEKKl—3. 

Fig. 10.2. Components and activation of the ERK pathway. Ordering and specificity of protein kinases in the ERK pathway. ExtraceUular signals are registered via receptor tyrosine kinases and passed on to the Ras protein. Ras GTP activates protein kinases belonging to the group of MAPKK kinases (Raf kinases and MEEKs). The MAPKK kinases phosphorylate the downstream group of protein kinases, the MAPKKs at two Ser residues. The MAPKKs phosphorylate the MAPKs (ERKl and ERK2) at a Tyr and a Thr residue, and thus are classified as dual specificity kinases. MAPK mitogenic activated protein kinase ERK extracellularly regulated kinase MEK MAP/ERK kinase MAPKK MAPK kinase MAPKKK MAPKK kinase MEKK MEK kinase.

Mitogen activated protein kinase (MARK) cascades are three kinase modules activated by phosphorylation. The three kinase modules are composed of a MAPK, a MAPKK, and a MAPKKK. There are multiple members of each component of the MAPK cascade that are conserved from yeast to human. Activation of selective MAPK modules by specific stimuli regulates cell functions such as gene expression, adhesion, migration, differ entiation, and apoptosis. 

MAPK cascades are composed of three cytoplasmic kinases, the MAPKKK, MAPKK, and MAPK, that are regulated by phosphorylation (Fig. 1) [1, 2]. The MAPKKK, also called MEKK for MEK kinase, is a serine/threonine kinase. Selective activation of MAPKKKs by upstream cellular stimuli results in the phosphorylation of MAPKK, also called MEK for MAP/ERK kinase by the MAPKKK. MAPKKK members are structurally diverse and are differentially regulated by specific upstream stimuli. The MAPKK is phosphorylated by the MAPKKK on two specific serine/ threonine residues in its activation loop. The MAPKK family members are dual specificity kinases capable of phosphorylating critical threonine and tyrosine residues in the activation loop of the MAPKs. MAPKKs have the fewest members in the MAPK signaling module. MAPKs are a family of serine/threonine kinases that upon activation by their respective MAPKKs, are capable of phosphorylating cytoplasmic substrates as well as... 

This intermediate MAPK activator (MAPK kinase, MAPKK) is a 45 kDa phosphoprotein capable of phosphorylating MAPK on serine/threonine and tyrosine residues (Matsuda et al., 1992 Nakielny et al., 1992a Kosako et al., 1993). Like MAPK, the activity of MAPKK is regulated by phosphorylation. During oocyte maturation MAPKK is phosphorylated on threonine residues (Kosako et al., 1992), and this phosphorylation is required for its activity (Ahn et al., 1991 Gomez and Cohen, 1991 Kosako et al., 1992 Matsuda et al., 1992). MPF can activate both MAPKK and MAPK in vitro, with the activation of MAPK lagging behind that of MAPKK however, MPF cannot activate either purified MAPKK or MAPK that has been dephosphorylated by phosphatases (Matsuda et al., 1992). MAPKK and MAPK are therefore believed to function downstream of MPF (Fig. 3). 

Figure 3. MAP kinase regulatory pathway. The MAP kinase signaling pathway begins with activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) by exogenous signals, such as growth factors and insulin. The signal is then transmitted into the cell via activation of the Raf serine/threonine kinase either directly by the RTK or through the GTP-binding protein, Ras. The signal is then transmitted to the nucleus and to other cytoplasmic proteins via MAPKK and MAPK.

MAPK kinase (MAPKK). MAPK kinase itself is activated by phosphorylation by still another protein kinase, termed MAPK kinase kinase (MAPKKK). MAPK kinase kinase is activated upon interaction with a member of the Ras superfamily of small G proteins, which are bound to the plasma membrane (see Ch. 19). The exact mechanism of activation remains unknown, but it is believed that Ras and related proteins, in the activated GTP-bound form, can bind MAPK kinase kinase and thereby draw the kinase to the plasmalemma, where it is activated by as yet unknown factors, perhaps even an additional kinase, MAPK kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKKK). The mechanism governing the activation of Ras and related proteins by extracellular signals is quite complex and involves numerous Tinker proteins, for example She, Grb and Sos, that couple Ras to a variety of plasmalemma-associated growth factor-protein tyrosine kinase receptors (see Chs 20,24 and 27). 

Figure 21.9 The mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade (MAP kinase cascade). The active protein Ras activates Raf by promoting its recruitment to a cell membrane. Through a series of phosphorylations MAP kinase is activated as follows MAP kinase kinase kinase (Raf) phosphorylates MAP kinase kinase which, in turn, phosphorylates MAP kinase, the final target enzyme. MAP kinase phosphorylates transcription factors for genes that express proteins involved in proliferation. Another nomenclature for the enzymes is also used raf is MEKK MAPKK is MEK and finally ERK is MAP kinase (ERK is the abbreviation for extracellular-signal-related kinase) For comparison, the reader is referred to the metabolic phosphorylase cascade, which is discussed in Chapter 12 (Figure 12.12).

One of the downstream elements of the signal transduction pathway, MAPKK (or, MEK) is phosphorylated by a Ser/Thr protein kinase, known as Raf, and phosphorylated MAPKK then catalyzes phosphoryl transfer to MAP kinase. The following is a recent review on the molecular and physical properties of this phosphotransferase (or, MAP kinase kinase). 

Non-receptor serine/threonine kinases and dual specificity kinases cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) Phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI-3K) Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) MAPKK (ERK)... 

The MAPK/ERK proteins are at the lower end of signal transduction within a MAPK module and are generally preceded by two other protein kinases (Fig. 10.2). The MAPK/ERK proteins receive the signal in the form of an activating phosphorylation by a preceding protein kinase known as MAP/ERK kinase (MEK) or also MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK). 

MAPKK = Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Kinase... 

A MAP kinase module is composed of three kinases where MAP kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) will phosphorylate and induce a MAP kinase kinase (MAPKK), which will then phosphorylate and activate a MAP kinase. MAP kinase phosphory-lates either transcription factors that are nonkinase proteins or other kinases that are called MAP kinase-activating protein kinases (MK). There are four distinct classes of MAP kinases, which include ERKs, C-Jun-N-terminal kinases, p38 isoforms and ERK5. 

---