title: MEKK1 binds raf-1 and the ERK2 cascade components.
abstract: Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades are involved in transmitting signals that are generated at the cell surface into the cytosol and nucleus and consist of three sequentially acting enzymes: a MAP kinase, an upstream MAP/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK), and a MEK kinase (MEKK). Protein-protein interactions within these cascades provide a mechanism to control the localization and function of the proteins. MEKK1 is implicated in activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) and ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathways. We showed previously that MEKK1 binds directly to JNK/SAPK. In this study we demonstrate that endogenous MEKK1 binds to endogenous ERK2, MEK1, and another MEKK level kinase, Raf-1, suggesting that it can assemble all three proteins of the ERK2 MAP kinase module.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390-9041, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karandikar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Cobb
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D048728:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048728:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinase 1; C482576:MAP3K1 protein, human