title: Two leucines in the N-terminal MAPK-docking site of tomato SlMKK2 are critical for interaction with a downstream MAPK to elicit programmed cell death associated with plant immunity.
abstract: Tomato MAPK kinase SlMKK2 is a key protein regulating immunity-associated programmed cell death (PCD) in plants. We examined the role of the N-terminal MAPK-docking site (or D-site) of SlMKK2 in PCD elicitation. In vivo assays revealed that SlMKK2 interacted with the downstream MAPK SlMPK3 independent of PCD elicitation and two conserved leucines in the D-site were required for both interaction with SlMPK3 and PCD elicitation. These results demonstrate that two leucines in the D-site of SlMKK2 play a critical role in regulation of signal transfer to the downstream MAPK by regulating their physical interaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticultural Biotechnology, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 446-701, Republic of Korea. co35@khu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Chang-Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: JeeNa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Min-Seon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Byoung-Cheorl
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Gregory B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D007930:Leucine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D057865:Plant Immunity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C419564:salt stress-induced MAP kinase; D007930:Leucine