MAP Kinase Activated Protein Kinase 2 (MAPKAPK2)

MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 2 is regulated through direct phosphorylation by p38 MAP kinase. In conjunction with p38 MAP kinase, this kinase is known to be involved in many cellular processes including stress and inflammatory responses, nuclear export, gene expression regulation and cell proliferation.

Heat shock protein HSP27 was shown to be one of the substrates of this kinase in vivo. Two transcript variants encoding two different isoforms have been found for this gene.The cDNA sequence revealed the following features (in 5-prime to 3-prime order): a proline-rich region containing 2 putative SH3-binding sites, a kinase catalytic domain, a threonine residue phosphorylated by MAP kinase, and a nuclear localization signal.