title: IKK-gamma is an essential regulatory subunit of the IkappaB kinase complex.
abstract: Pro-inflammatory cytokines activate the transcription factor NF-kappaB by stimulating the activity of a protein kinase that phosphorylates IkappaB, an inhibitor of NF-kappaB, at sites that trigger its ubiquitination and degradation. This results in the nuclear translocation of freed NF-kappaB dimers and the activation of transcription of target genes. Many of these target genes code for immunoregulatory proteins. A large, cytokine-responsive IkappaB kinase (IKK) complex has been purified and the genes encoding two of its subunits have been cloned. These subunits, IKK-alpha and IKK-beta, are protein kinases whose function is needed for NF-kappaB activation by pro-inflammatory stimuli. Here, by using a monoclonal antibody against IKK-alpha, we purify the IKK complex to homogeneity from human cell lines. We find that IKK is composed of similar amounts of IKK-alpha, IKK-beta and two other polypeptides, for which we obtained partial sequences. These polypeptides are differentially processed forms of a third subunit, IKK-gamma. Molecular cloning and sequencing indicate that IKK-gamma is composed of several potential coiled-coil motifs. IKK-gamma interacts preferentially with IKK-beta and is required for the activation of the IKK complex. An IKK-gamma carboxy-terminal truncation mutant that still binds IKK-beta blocks the activation of IKK and NF-kappaB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0636, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Rothwarf
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zandi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Natoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002384:Catalysis; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D016350:Leucine Zippers; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017384:Sequence Deletion
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C496559:CHUK protein, human; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; C496560:IKBKB protein, human; C496565:IKBKE protein, human