title: Activation of MEK-1 and SEK-1 by Tpl-2 proto-oncoprotein, a novel MAP kinase kinase kinase.
abstract: The Tpl-2 protein serine/threonine kinase was originally identified, in a C-terminally deleted form, as the product of an oncogene associated with the progression of Moloney murine leukemia virus-induced T cell lymphomas in rats. The kinase domain of Tpl-2 is homologous to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene product, STE11, which encodes a MAP kinase kinase kinase. This suggested that Tpl-2 might have a similar activity. Consistent with this hypothesis, immunoprecipitated Tpl-2 and Tpl-2deltaC (a C-terminally truncated mutant) phosphorylated and activated recombinant fusion proteins of the mammalian MAP kinase kinases, MEK-1 and SEK-1, in vitro. Furthermore, transfection of Tpl-2 into COS-1 cells or Jurkat T cells. markedly activated the MAP kinases, ERK-1 and SAP kinase (JNK), which are substrates for MEK-1 and SEK-1, respectively. Tpl-2, therefore, is a MAP kinase kinase kinase which can activate two MAP kinase pathways. After Raf and Mos, Tpl-2 is the third serine/threonine oncoprotein kinase that has been shown to function as a direct activator of MEK-1.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cellular Immunology, National Institute of Medical Research, London, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salmeron
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Carlile
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pappin
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Narsimhan
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005326:Fetal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D036122:Receptor, EphA4; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D005326:Fetal Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D036122:Receptor, EphA4; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; C069937:MAP3K8 protein, human; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; C482125:MAP2K1 protein, human; C482559:MAP2K4 protein, human; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; C501009:HRAS protein, human; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)