title: Convergence and divergence of stress-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways at the level of two distinct mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases.
abstract: Plants respond to biotic and abiotic stresses by inducing overlapping sets of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and response genes. To define the mechanisms of how different signals can activate a common signaling pathway, upstream activators of SIMK, a salt stress- and pathogen-induced alfalfa MAPK, were identified. Here, we compare the properties of SIMKK, a MAPK kinase (MAPKK) that mediates the activation of SIMK by salt stress, with those of PRKK, a distantly related novel MAPKK. Although both SIMKK and PRKK show strongest interaction with SIMK, SIMKK can activate SIMK without stimulation by upstream factors. In contrast, PRKK requires activation by an upstream activated MAPKK kinase. SIMKK mediates pathogen elicitor signaling and salt stress, but PRKK transmits only elicitor-induced MAPK activation. Of four tested MAPKs, PRKK activates three of them (SIMK, MMK3, and SAMK) upon elicitor treatment of cells. However, PRKK is unable to activate any MAPK upon salt stress. In contrast, SIMKK activates SIMK and MMK3 in response to elicitor, but it activates only SIMK upon salt stress. These data show that (1) MAPKKs function as convergence points for stress signals, (2) MAPKKs activate multiple MAPKs, and (3) signaling specificity is obtained not only through the inherent affinities of MAPKK-MAPK combinations but also through stress signal-dependent intracellular mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Vienna Biocenter, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohrgasse 9, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardinale
authors.forename: Irute
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meskiene
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ouaked
authors.forename: Heribert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirt
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015870:Gene Expression; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D000455:Medicago sativa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D012965:Sodium Chloride; C096860:MMK2 protein, Medicago sativa; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C419564:salt stress-induced MAP kinase; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; C419563:SIMKK protein, Medicago sativa