MAP2K6
Description
The MAP2K6 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 6) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 17.
Dual specificity mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 6, also known as MAP kinase kinase 6 (MAPKK 6) or MAPK/ERK kinase 6, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the MAP2K6 gene, on chromosome 17.
== Function == MAPKK 6 is a member of the dual specificity protein kinase family, which functions as a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase kinase. MAP kinases, also known as extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), act as an integration point for multiple biochemical signals. This protein phosphorylates and activates p38 MAP kinase in response to inflammatory cytokines or environmental stress. As an essential component of p38 MAP kinase mediated signal transduction pathway, this gene is involved in many cellular processes such as stress-induced cell cycle arrest, transcription activation and apoptosis.
== Interactions == MAP2K6 has been shown to interact with TAOK2, ASK1, MAPK14 and MAP3K7.
MAP2K6 (also known as MKK6) is a dual specificity protein kinase that acts as an essential component of the MAP kinase signal transduction pathway. It works with MAP3K3/MKK3 to phosphorylate threonine and tyrosine residues on the MAP kinases p38 MAPK11, MAPK12, MAPK13, and MAPK14, playing a crucial role in cellular responses to cytokines and various stresses. Both MAP2K3/MKK3 and MAP2K6/MKK6 are essential for activating MAPK11 and MAPK13 in response to environmental stress, with MAP2K6/MKK6 being the primary activator of MAPK11 in response to TNF. MAP2K6/MKK6 also phosphorylates and activates PAK6. The p38 MAP kinase pathway directly activates transcription factors, including ATF2 and ELK1. Within this pathway, MAP3K6/MKK6 mediates the phosphorylation of STAT4 through MAPK14 activation, which is essential for STAT4 activation and its subsequent gene regulation in response to IL-12 stimulation. This pathway is also critical for IL-6-induced SOCS3 expression, downregulation of IL-6-mediated gene induction, and IFNG-dependent gene transcription. MAP2K6/MKK6 plays a role in osteoclast differentiation via NF-kappa-B transactivation by TNFSF11, endochondral ossification, and possibly in the regulation of SOX9, a likely downstream target of the p38 MAPK pathway. It mediates apoptotic cell death in thymocytes and regulates melanocyte dendricity by modulating Rho family GTPases.
MAP2K6 is also known as MAPKK6, MEK6, MKK6, PRKMK6, SAPKK-3, SAPKK3.
