※ MAPK family introduction

    MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) are serine/threonine specific protein kinases belonging to CMGC kinase group. MAPKs play an important role in directing cellular responses to a diverse array of stimuli, such as mitogens, osmotic stress, heat shock and proinflammatory cytokines. MAPKs are involved in regulation of a variety of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, gene expression, differentiation, mitosis, cell survival and cell apoptosis. Three subfamilys constitute MAPK family, extracellular-receptor kinases (ERK), the c-Jun N-terminal kinases/stress-activated protein kinases (JNK/SAPK) and p38 MAPKinases. MAPK signaling pathways are important in animals, fungi and plants. ERK1/2 pathway is best understood in animals, which is essential for cell proliferation and cell cycle. Fus3 pathway is also well studied in fungi, which is responsible for cell cycle and mating in responses to pheromone stimulation. MAPKs pathway in plants may response to osmotic shock, oxidative stress, cold and anti-pathogen responses (1).

Reference
1. Wikipedia Annotation:    Mitogen-activated protein kinase