Mitogen-activated protein kinase 3, also known as p44MAPK and ERK1, is an

enzyme An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different mol ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''MAPK3''

gene In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...

Function

The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) family. MAP kinases, also known as

extracellular signal-regulated kinases This glossary of biology terms is a list of definitions of fundamental terms and concepts used in biology, the study of life and of living organisms. It is intended as introductory material for novices; for more specific and technical definitions ...

(ERKs), act in a signaling cascade that regulates various cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and

cell cycle The cell cycle, or cell-division cycle, is the sequential series of events that take place in a cell (biology), cell that causes it to divide into two daughter cells. These events include the growth of the cell, duplication of its DNA (DNA re ...

progression in response to a variety of extracellular signals. This kinase is activated by upstream kinases, resulting in its translocation to the nucleus where it phosphorylates nuclear targets. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different protein isoforms have been described.

Clinical significance

It has been suggested that MAPK3, along with the gene IRAK1, is turned off by two

microRNA Micro ribonucleic acid (microRNA, miRNA, μRNA) are small, single-stranded, non-coding RNA molecules containing 21–23 nucleotides. Found in plants, animals, and even some viruses, miRNAs are involved in RNA silencing and post-transcr ...

s that were activated after the influenza A virus had been made to infect human lung cells.

Signaling pathways

Pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2 restores GSK3β activity and protein synthesis levels in a model of

tuberous sclerosis Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare multisystem autosomal dominant genetic disease that causes non-cancerous tumours to grow in the brain and on other vital organs such as the kidneys, heart, liver, eyes, lungs and skin. A combinatio ...

Interactions

MAPK3 has been shown to interact with: * DUSP3, * DUSP6 * GTF2I, * HDAC4, *

MAP2K1 Dual specificity mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''MAP2K1'' gene. Function The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the dual-specificity protein kinase family that acts as a mit ...

, * MAP2K2, * PTPN7, * RPS6KA2, and * SPIB.

References

External links