A temperature-sensitive MEK mutation demonstrates the conservation of the signaling pathways activated by receptor tyrosine kinases

Genes Dev. 1994 Sep 15;8(18):2176-87. doi: 10.1101/gad.8.18.2176.

Abstract

MEK, a dual specificity threonine/tyrosine kinase, has been postulated to be a convergent point for signaling from receptor protein tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and G-protein-coupled receptors. In contrast to yeast and mammalian cells where several MEKs have been isolated, only one Drosophila MEK (D-Mek) has been characterized to date. Previous studies have shown that D-Mek acts in the Torso RTK signaling pathway. To demonstrate that D-Mek also operates downstream of other RTKs, we generated a temperature-sensitive allele of D-mek (D-mekts) by site-directed mutagenesis based on the amino acid change of a yeast cdc2ts mutation. Using D-mekts, we show that in addition to its role in Torso signaling, D-Mek operates in the Sevenless and in the Drosophila epidermal growth factor RTK pathways. Because loss-of-function mutations in D-mek and the upstream receptors give rise to similar phenotypes, it suggests that D-mek is the only MEK activated by Drosophila RTKs. In addition, we demonstrate that different RTK pathways respond differently to alteration in D-Mek activity.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Conserved Sequence
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Drosophila / genetics
  • Drosophila / growth & development
  • Drosophila / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Genes, Insect
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1
  • Male
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutation*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Species Specificity
  • Temperature

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases