※ MAPKAPK family introduction

    MAPKAPK (MAPK-activated protein kinases) belong to CAMK family. MAPKAPK are protein ser/thr kinases that can be phosphorylated and activated under extracellular stimulation through a MAPK-dependent pathway. Five members have been identified in human genome, which are known as the p90 ribosomal S6 kinase(RSK), the mitogen- and stress-activated kinase(MSK), the MAPK-interacting kinase(MNK), the MAPK-activated protein kinase 2/3 (MK2/3) and p32-regulated/activated protein kinase(MK5). Alignment of MAPK-binding sequences form MAPKAPKs show that regions of C-terminal D domains are present in all MAPKAPKs, which is necessary for efficient activation. Activated MAPKAPKs are involved in a variety of cellular processes via phosphorylation of a large rang of substrates, such as SRF, Nur77, LKB1, TSC2, DAPK,eIF4G, Spry2, p537 and so on. The involved functions include regulation of gene transcription, cell proliferation, cell growth, cell survival, mRNA translation, and cell cycle control and tumor suppression (1).

Reference
1. Cargnello, M. and Roux, P.P. (2011) Activation and function of the MAPKs and their substrates, the MAPK-activated protein kinases. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev, 75, 50-83. PMID: 21372320