Find MAPK3 Products Interaction Network for MAPK3 MAPK3 Details

Related Pathways ERK / MAPK Signaling SAPK / JNK Signaling p38 MAPK Signaling View All Pathways

Synonyms: ERK-1, Esrk1, HS44KDAP, HUMKER1A, Mapk p44, MAPK3, Mapkapk3, MGC20180, P44, p44-erk, P44ERK1, P44MAPK, PRKM3

MAPK Family Pathway 

The MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) super-family is composed of three major sets of kinases: the extracellular-receptor kinases (ERK) include ERK1; ERK2; ERK3/ERK4, ERK5, and two types of MAPK-related kinases that respond to cellular stress and inflammatory signal: the c-Jun N-terminal kinases/stress-activated protein kinases (JNK/SAPK) which include JNK1, JNK2 and JNK3 and the p38 MAPKinases: p38alpha, p38beta2, p38gamma and p38delta. Activation of specific MAPkinases involves highly regulated and modulated cascades of phosphorylation events mediated by sequential and concerted activation of upstream kinases. ERKs are phosphorylated by members of the MEK family; JNK/SAPKs and p38 MAPKs are phosphorylated by SEKs and MKKs. These are MAPK-kinases (MAP2Ks). The MAP2Ks are phosphorylated by MAPK-kinase kinases (MAP3Ks). A wide variety of kinases can provide MAP3K function to the MAPK pathways. MAP3Ks are activated by a wide range of kinase activities modulated by cell receptors, especially through small GTPases such as the p21Ras super-family composed of Ras, Rho and Rab families. Cellular and context specificity is achieved via a wide variety of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that activate specific GTPases in response to closely linked receptor signal inputs.

Upon activation, specific MAPKs activate specific MAPK-activated protein kinases (MAPKAPKs) which depending upon cell phenotype and context phosphorylate cytoplasmic and nuclear substrates that affect cell processes both directly and through gene expression. MAPKs can also directly phosphorylate gene transcription factors such as Elk1, c-Jun and ATF2. The phosphorylation of MAPKAPK substrates and gene transcription factors induces a wide variety of cellular processes involved with proliferation, differentiation, development, cell division, oncogenesis and survival.