Rabbit anti-Human MAP3K4 Polyclonal Antibody

Uniprot Id

Q9Y6R4

Target Species

Human

Target Name

MAP3K4

Target Full Name

Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 4

Target Function

Component of a protein kinase signal transduction cascade. Activates the CSBP2, P38 and JNK MAPK pathways, but not the ERK pathway. Specifically phosphorylates and activates MAP2K4 and MAP2K6.

Target Subcellular Location

Cytoplasm, perinuclear region.

Target Protein Families

Protein kinase superfamily, STE Ser/Thr protein kinase family, MAP kinase kinase kinase subfamily

Target Tissue Specificity

Expressed at high levels in heart, placenta, skeletal muscle and pancreas, and at lower levels in other tissues.

Target Synonyms

dJ473J16.1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 4); FLJ42439; KIAA0213; M3K4_HUMAN; MAP three kinase 1; MAP/ERK kinase kinase 4; MAP3K4; MAPK/ERK kinase kinase 4; MAPKKK4; MEK kinase 4; MEKK 4; MEKK4; Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 4; MTK1; predicted protein of HQ0412; PRO0412; RP3-473J16.4; SSK2/SSK22 MAP kinase kinase kinase; yeast; homolog of

Target Background

The central core of each mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is a conserved cascade of 3 protein kinases: an activated MAPK kinase kinase (MAPKKK) phosphorylates and activates a specific MAPK kinase (MAPKK), which then activates a specific MAPK. While the ERK MAPKs are activated by mitogenic stimulation, the CSBP2 and JNK MAPKs are activated by environmental stresses such as osmotic shock, UV irradiation, wound stress, and inflammatory factors. This gene encodes a MAPKKK, the MEKK4 protein, also called MTK1. This protein contains a protein kinase catalytic domain at the C terminus. The N-terminal nonkinase domain may contain a regulatory domain. Expression of MEKK4 in mammalian cells activated the CSBP2 and JNK MAPK pathways, but not the ERK pathway. In vitro kinase studies indicated that recombinant MEKK4 can specifically phosphorylate and activate PRKMK6 and SERK1, MAPKKs that activate CSBP2 and JNK, respectively but cannot phosphorylate PRKMK1, an MAPKK that activates ERKs. MEKK4 is a major mediator of environmental stresses that activate the CSBP2 MAPK pathway, and a minor mediator of the JNK pathway. Several alternatively spliced transcripts encoding distinct isoforms have been described.