title: Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel human STE20-like kinase, hSLK.
abstract: We have cloned a human counterpart to a guinea pig STE20-like kinase cDNA, designated human SLK (hSLK), from a human lung carcinomatous cell line A549 cDNA library. hSLK cDNA encodes a novel 1204 amino acid serine/threonine kinase for which the kinase domain located at the N-terminus shares considerable homology to that of the STE20-like kinase family. The C-terminal domain of hSLK includes both the coiled-coil structure and four Pro/Glu/Ser/Thr-rich (PEST) sequences, but not the GTPase-binding domain (GBD) that is characteristic of the p21-activated kinase (PAK) family, polyproline consensus binding sites, or the Leu-rich domain seen in the group I germinal center kinases (GCKs). Northern blot analysis indicated that hSLK was ubiquitously expressed. hSLK overexpressed in COS-7 cells phosphorylates itself as well as myelin basic protein used as a substrate. On the other hand, hSLK cannot activate any of the three well-characterized mitogen-activated protein kinase MAPK (ERK, JNK/SAPK and p38) pathways. Moreover, hSLK kinase activity is not upregulated by constitutive active forms of GTPases (RasV12, RacV12 and Cdc42V12). These structural and functional properties indicate that hSLK should be considered to be a new member of group II GCKs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsujikawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kameda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kohama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D020298:U937 Cells; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000502:physiology; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / Q000502:physiology; D000099317:Hippo Kinases
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D020764:cdc42 GTP-Binding Protein; D020830:rac1 GTP-Binding Protein; C485733:SLK protein, human; D000099317:Hippo Kinases; C078754:STE20 protein, S cerevisiae