A new paradigm for MAPK: structural interactions of hERK1 with mitochondria in HeLa cells.
Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) are members of the MAPK family and participate in the transduction of stimuli in cellular responses. Their long-term actions are accomplished by promoting the expression of specific genes whereas faster responses are achieved by direct phosphorylation of downstream effectors located throughout the cell. In this study we determined that hERK1 translocates to the mitochondria of HeLa cells upon a proliferative stimulus. In the mitochondrial environment, hERK1 physically associates with (i) at least 5 mitochondrial proteins with functions related to transport (i.e. VDAC1), signalling, and metabolism; (ii) histones H2A and H4; and (iii) other cytosolic proteins. This work indicates for the first time the presence of diverse ERK-complexes in mitochondria and thus provides a new perspective for assessing the functions of ERK1 in the regulation of cellular signalling and trafficking in HeLa cells.
Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany. sgalli@qo.fcen.uba.ar
Soledad
S
Galli
Olaf
O
Jahn
Reiner
R
Hitt
Doerte
D
Hesse
Lennart
L
Opitz
Uwe
U
Plessmann
Henning
H
Urlaub
Juan Jose
JJ
Poderoso
Elizabeth A
EA
Jares-Erijman
Thomas M
TM
Jovin
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3