scholarly journals Ral signals through a MAP4 Kinase-p38 MAP kinase cascade in C. elegans cell fate patterning

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Shin ◽  
Rebecca E.W. Kaplan ◽  
Tam Duong ◽  
Razan Fakieh ◽  
David J. Reiner

SummaryC. elegans vulval precursor cell (VPC) fates are patterned by an EGF gradient. High dose EGF induces 1° VPC fate, while lower dose EGF contributes to 2° fate in support of LIN-12/Notch. We previously showed that the EGF 2°-promoting signal is mediated by LET-60/Ras switching effectors, from the canonical Raf-MEK-ERK MAP kinase cascade that promotes 1° fate to the non-canonical RalGEF-Ral that promotes 2° fate. Of oncogenic Ras effectors, RalGEF-Ral is by far the least well-understood. We use genetic analysis to identify an effector cascade downstream of C. elegans RAL-1/Ral, starting with an established Ral binding partner, Exo84 of the exocyst complex. Additionally, RAL-1 signals through GCK-2, a CNH domain-containing MAP4 kinase, and PMK-1/p38 MAP kinase cascade to promote 2° fate. Our study delineates a Ral-dependent developmental signaling cascade in vivo, thus providing the mechanism by which lower EGF dose is transduced.

Cell Reports ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 2669-2681.e5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Shin ◽  
Rebecca E.W. Kaplan ◽  
Tam Duong ◽  
Razan Fakieh ◽  
David J. Reiner

Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 150 (4) ◽  
pp. 1407-1417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon J Dowell ◽  
Anne L Bishop ◽  
Susan L Dyos ◽  
Andrew J Brown ◽  
Malcolm S Whiteway

Abstract The mating pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is widely used as a model system for G protein-coupled receptor-mediated signal transduction. Following receptor activation by the binding of mating pheromones, G protein βγ subunits transmit the signal to a MAP kinase cascade, which involves interaction of Gβ (Ste4p) with the MAP kinase scaffold protein Ste5p. Here, we identify residues in Ste4p required for the interaction with Ste5p. These residues define a new signaling interface close to the Ste20p binding site within the Gβγ coiled-coil. Ste4p mutants defective in the Ste5p interaction interact efficiently with Gpa1p (Gα) and Ste18p (Gγ) but cannot function in signal transduction because cells expressing these mutants are sterile. Ste4 L65S is temperature-sensitive for its interaction with Ste5p, and also for signaling. We have identified a Ste5p mutant (L196A) that displays a synthetic interaction defect with Ste4 L65S, providing strong evidence that Ste4p and Ste5p interact directly in vivo through an interface that involves hydrophobic residues. The correlation between disruption of the Ste4p-Ste5p interaction and sterility confirms the importance of this interaction in signal transduction. Identification of the Gβγ coiled-coil in Ste5p binding may set a precedent for Gβγ-effector interactions in more complex organisms.


2005 ◽  
Vol 206 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Mizumura ◽  
Kohsuke Takeda ◽  
Shu Hashimoto ◽  
Takashi Horie ◽  
Hidenori Ichijo

FEBS Letters ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 428 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Engelman ◽  
Caryn Chu ◽  
Anning Lin ◽  
Hanjoong Jo ◽  
Tsuneya Ikezu ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 4073-4085 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel J. Buchsbaum ◽  
Beth A. Connolly ◽  
Larry A. Feig

ABSTRACT Tiam1 and Ras-GRF1 are guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that activate the Rac GTPase. The two GEFs have similar N-terminal regions containing pleckstrin homology domains followed by coiled-coils and additional sequences that function together to allow regulated GEF activity. Here we show that this N-terminal region of both proteins binds to the scaffold protein IB2/JIP2. IB2/JIP2 is a scaffold for the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade because it binds to the Rac target MLK3, the MAP kinase kinase MKK3, and the p38 MAP kinase. Expression of IB2/JIP2 in cells potentiates the ability of Tiam1 or Ras-GRF1 to activate the p38 MAP kinase cascade but not the Jnk MAP kinase cascade. In addition, Tiam1 or Ras-GRF1 binding to IB2/JIP2 increases the association of the components of the p38 MAP kinase signaling cassette with IB2/JIP2 in cells and activates scaffold-associated p38. These findings imply that Tiam1 and Ras-GRF1 can contribute to Rac signaling specificity by their ability to form a complex with a scaffold that binds components of one of the many known Rac effector pathways.


2003 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 6672-6675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuto Matsunaga ◽  
Hiroyuki Yamaguchi ◽  
Thomas W. Klein ◽  
Herman Friedman ◽  
Yoshimasa Yamamoto

ABSTRACT A possible involvement of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade in the inhibition of macrophage interleukin-12 (IL-12) production by Legionella pneumophila infection was examined. The results of MAP kinase inhibition by p42/44 and p38 MAP kinase inhibitors and of p42/44 MAP kinase activity assays indicate that L. pneumophila infection of macrophages causes a selective inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-12 production by activating the p42/44 MAP kinase cascade. In addition, it was also revealed that the p38 MAP kinase may be important for the production of IL-12 but not for the inhibition caused by L. pneumophila infection.


1997 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 2539-2551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Csilla Csank ◽  
Constantin Makris ◽  
Sylvain Meloche ◽  
Klaus Schröppel ◽  
Martin Röllinghoff ◽  
...  

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are pivotal components of eukaryotic signaling cascades. Phosphorylation of tyrosine and threonine residues activates MAP kinases, but either dual-specificity or monospecificity phosphatases can inactivate them. The Candida albicans CPP1 gene, a structural member of the VH1 family of dual- specificity phosphatases, was previously cloned by its ability to block the pheromone response MAP kinase cascade in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cpp1p inactivated mammalian MAP kinases in vitro and acted as a tyrosine-specific enzyme. In C. albicansa MAP kinase cascade can trigger the transition from the budding yeast form to a more invasive filamentous form. Disruption of theCPP1 gene in C. albicans derepressed the yeast to hyphal transition at ambient temperatures, on solid surfaces. A hyphal growth rate defect under physiological conditions in vitro was also observed and could explain a reduction in virulence associated with reduced fungal burden in the kidneys seen in a systemic mouse model. A hyper-hyphal pathway may thus have some detrimental effects onC. albicans cells. Disruption of the MAP kinase homologue CEK1 suppressed the morphological effects of the CPP1 disruption in C. albicans. The results presented here demonstrate the biological importance of a tyrosine phosphatase in cell-fate decisions and virulence in C. albicans.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document