Actions of Rho family small G proteins and p21-activated protein kinases on mitogen-activated protein kinase family members

Evolutionary History of the Vertebrate Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases Family

BACKGROUND The mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) family pathway is implicated in diverse cellular processes and pathways essential to most organisms. Its evolution is conserved throughout the eukaryotic kingdoms. However, the detailed evolutionary history of the vertebrate MAPK family is largely unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The MAPK family members were collected from literat...

Susceptibility of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase family members to proteolysis by anthrax lethal factor.

The lethal factor (LF) produced by toxigenic strains of Bacillus anthracis is a Zn(2+)-endopeptidase that cleaves the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MAPKKs) MEK1, MEK2 and MKK3. Using genetic and biochemical approaches, we have extended the study of LF proteolytic specificity to all known MAPKK family members and found that LF also cleaves MKK4, MKK6 and MKK7, but not MEK5. The pepti...

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatases in Regenerative Myogenesis and Muscular Dystrophy

Activation of members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family by glucose in endothelial cells.

To better understand the molecular mechanisms for hyperglycemia-induced proatherogenic changes in endothelial cells, the effect of high glucose on activation of members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, including c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-1, -2, and -5, and p38 kinase, was examined in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial c...

Editorial: Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases