Extracellular signal-regulated kinases phosphorylate mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase 3/DUSP6 at serines 159 and 197, two sites critical for its proteasomal degradation.
Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase phosphatases (MKPs) are dual-specificity phosphatases that dephosphorylate phosphothreonine and phosphotyrosine residues within MAP kinases. Here, we describe a novel posttranslational mechanism for regulating MKP-3/Pyst1/DUSP6, a member of the MKP family that is highly specific for extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) inactivation. Using a fibroblast model in which the expression of either MKP-3 or a more stable MKP-3-green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimera was induced by tetracycline, we found that serum induces the phosphorylation of MKP-3 and its subsequent degradation by the proteasome in a MEK1 and MEK2 (MEK1/2)-ERK1/2-dependent manner. In vitro phosphorylation assays using glutathione S-transferase (GST)-MKP-3 fusion proteins indicated that ERK2 could phosphorylate MKP-3 on serines 159 and 197. Tetracycline-inducible cell clones expressing either single or double serine mutants of MKP-3 or MKP-3-GFP confirmed that these two sites are targeted by the MEK1/2-ERK1/2 module in vivo. Double serine mutants of MKP-3 or MKP-3-GFP were more efficiently protected from degradation than single mutants or wild-type MKP-3, indicating that phosphorylation of either serine by ERK1/2 enhances proteasomal degradation of MKP-3. Hence, double mutation caused a threefold increase in the half-life of MKP-3. Finally, we show that the phosphorylation of MKP-3 has no effect on its catalytic activity. Thus, ERK1/2 exert a positive feedback loop on their own activity by promoting the degradation of MKP-3, one of their major inactivators in the cytosol, a situation opposite to that described for the nuclear phosphatase MKP-1.
Marchetti
Sandrine
S
Institute of Signaling, Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, CNRS UMR 6543, Centre Antoine Lacassagne, 33 Ave. de Valombrose, 06189 Nice, France.
Gimond
Clotilde
C
Chambard
Jean-Claude
JC
Touboul
Thomas
T
Roux
Danièle
D
Pouysségur
Jacques
J
Pagès
Gilles
G
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D054642:Dual Specificity Phosphatase 6; D004795:Enzyme Stability; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048370:MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D010766:Phosphorylation; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012694:Serine; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048369:MAP Kinase Kinase 1; D048370:MAP Kinase Kinase 2; D054642:Dual Specificity Phosphatase 6; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex