title: Differential targeting of MAP kinases to the ETS-domain transcription factor Elk-1.
abstract: The activation of MAP kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathways results in the phosphorylation of transcription factors by the terminal kinases in these cascades. Different pathways are activated by mitogenic and stress stimuli, which lead to the activation of distinct groups of target proteins. The ETS-domain transcription factor Elk-1 is a substrate for three distinct classes of MAPKs. Elk-1 contains a targeting domain, the D-domain, which is distinct from the phosphoacceptor motifs and is required for efficient phosphorylation and activation by the ERK MAPKs. In this study, we demonstrate that members of the JNK subfamily of MAPKs are also targeted to Elk-1 by this domain. Targeting via this domain is essential for the efficient and rapid phosphorylation and activation of Elk-1 both in vitro and in vivo. The ERK and JNK MAPKs use overlapping yet distinct determinants in the D-domain for targeting to Elk-1. In contrast, members of the p38 subfamily of MAPKs are not targeted to Elk-1 via this domain. Our data therefore demonstrate that different classes of MAPKs exhibit differential requirements for targeting to Elk-1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, The Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, UK.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Whitmarsh
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sharrocks
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D016466:CHO Cells; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D051379:Mice; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C494113:Elk1 protein, mouse; D007375:Interleukin-1; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases