title: Regulation of gene transcription by mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways.
abstract: Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways are key mediators of eukaryotic transcriptional responses to extracellular signals. These pathways control gene expression in a number of ways including the phosphorylation and regulation of transcription factors, co-regulatory proteins and chromatin proteins. MAPK pathways therefore target multiple components of transcriptional complexes at gene promoters and can regulate DNA binding, protein stability, cellular localization, transactivation or repression, and nucleosome structure. Recent work has uncovered further complexities in the mechanisms by which MAPKs control gene expression including their roles as integral components of transcription factor complexes and their interplay with other post-translational modification pathways. In this review I discuss these advances with particular focus on how MAPK signals are integrated by transcription factor complexes to provide specific transcriptional responses and how this relates to cellular function.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK. alan.j.whitmarsh@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Whitmarsh
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D025841:Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D025841:Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases