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Description

Mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (UniProt: P21708, also known as EC: 2.7.11.24, MAP kinase 3, MAPK3, ERT2, ERK-1, Insulin-stimulated MAP2 kinase, MAP kinase isoform p44, p44-MAPK, MNK1, Microtubule-associated protein 2 kinase, p44-ERK1) is encoded by the mapk3 (also known as Erk1, Prkm3) gene (Gene ID: 50689) in rat. ERK1 (a.k.a. MAPK 3) and ERK2 (a.k.a. MAPK 1 or MAPK 2) are related serine/threonine kinases of the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway. ERK1/2 are activated by MEK1/2-catalyzed phosphorylation at their conserved Thr-Glu-Tyr (TEY) dual phosphorylation motif, first at the Tyr residue (human/rat ERK1 Tyr204/Tyr203, human/rat ERK2 Tyr187/Tyr183) and then at the Thr residue (human/rat ERK1 Thr202/Thr201, human/rat ERK2 Thr185/Thr181). ERK1/2 are proline-directed kinases that preferentially catalyze the phosphorylation of Pro-Xxx-Ser/Thr-Pro sequence motif in hundreds of cytoplasmic and nuclear substrates, including transcription factors such as Ets, Elk, and c-Fos. Besides this primary structure requirement, many ERK1/2 substrates possess a D-docking site and/or an F-docking site. A variety of scaffold proteins, including KSR1/2, IQGAP1, MP1, and -Arrestin1/2, also participate in the regulation of ERK1/2 MAP kinase cascade. Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling activity is upregulated in about one-third of all human cancers, and targeted inhibition against components of this signaling pathway represents a popular anticancer strategy.