title: The stress-activated protein kinase subfamily of c-Jun kinases.
abstract: The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases Erk-1 and Erk-2 are proline-directed kinases that are themselves activated through concomitant phosphorylation of tyrosine and threonine residues. The kinase p54 (M(r) 54,000), which was first isolated from cycloheximide-treated rats, is proline-directed like Erks-1/2, and requires both Tyr and Ser/Thr phosphorylation for activity. p54 is, however, distinct from Erks-1/2 in its substrate specificity, being unable to phosphorylate pp90rsk but more active in phosphorylating the c-Jun transactivation domain. Molecular cloning of p54 reveals a unique subfamily of extracellularly regulated kinases. Although they are 40-45% identical in sequence to Erks-1/2, unlike Erks-1/2 the p54s are only poorly activated in most cells by mitogens or phorbol esters. However, p54s are the principal c-Jun N-terminal kinases activated by cellular stress and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, hence they are designated stress-activated protein kinases, or SAPKs. SAPKs are also activated by sphingomyelinase, which elicits a subset of cellular responses to TNF-alpha (ref. 9). SAPKs therefore define a new TNF-alpha and stress-activated signalling pathway, possibly initiated by sphingomyelin-based second messengers, which regulates the activity of c-Jun.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Laboratory, Medical Services, Massachusetts General Hospital East, Charlestown 02129.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kyriakis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nikolakaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rubie
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Avruch
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Woodgett
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006358:Hot Temperature; D051379:Mice; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048056:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase / Q000494:pharmacology; D013552:Swine; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003513:Cycloheximide; D011494:Protein Kinases; D048056:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 9; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase