ERKs: a family of protein-serine/threonine kinases that are activated and tyrosine phosphorylated in response to insulin and NGF

Cell. 1991 May 17;65(4):663-75. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(91)90098-j.

Abstract

We recently described the purification and cloning of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1), which appears to play a pivotal role in converting tyrosine phosphorylation into the serine/threonine phosphorylations that regulate downstream events. We now describe cloning and characterization of two ERK1-related kinases, ERK2 and ERK3, and provide evidence suggesting that there are additional ERK family members. At least two of the ERKs are activated in response to growth factors; their activations correlate with tyrosine phophorylation, but also depend on additional modifications. Transcripts corresponding to the three cloned ERKs are distinctly regulated both in vivo and in a differentiating cell line. Thus, this family of kinases may serve as intermediates that depend on tyrosine phosphorylation to activate serine/threonine phosphorylation cascades. Individual family members may mediate responses in different developmental stages, in different cell types, or following exposure to different extracellular signals.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Astrocytes / enzymology
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Line
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Hippocampus / enzymology
  • Humans
  • Insulin / pharmacology*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 6
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nerve Growth Factors / pharmacology*
  • Organ Specificity
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein Kinases / isolation & purification
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Pseudogenes
  • Rats
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Teratoma
  • Tyrosine

Substances

  • Insulin
  • Nerve Growth Factors
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Tyrosine
  • Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 6
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Associated data

  • GENBANK/M60958
  • GENBANK/M60959
  • GENBANK/M60960
  • GENBANK/M60961
  • GENBANK/M60962
  • GENBANK/M61177
  • GENBANK/M64300
  • GENBANK/M64301
  • GENBANK/M64302
  • GENBANK/M64383
  • GENBANK/M64384