title: MAPK-Activated Protein Kinases (MKs): Novel Insights and Challenges.
abstract: Downstream of MAPKs, such as classical/atypical ERKs and p38 MAPKs, but not of JNKs, signaling is often mediated by protein kinases which are phosphorylated and activated by MAPKs and, therefore, designated MAPK-activated protein kinases (MAPKAPKs). Recently, novel insights into the specificity of the assembly of MAPK/MAPKAPK hetero-dimeric protein kinase signaling complexes have been gained. In addition, new functional aspects of MKs have been described and established functions have been challenged. This short review will summarize recent developments including the linear motif (LM) in MKs, the ERK-independent activation of RSK, the RSK-independent effects of some RSK-inhibitors and the challenged role of MK5/PRAK in tumor suppression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Hannover Medical University Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaestel
keywords: DMBA-induced skin tumors; ERK3/4; Ras-induced senescence; common docking motif; dendritic cells; macrophage-specific activation; mouse gene-targeting strategy; p38 MAPK