Kinase Subfamily ERK5
Kinase Classification: Group CMGC: Family MAPK: Subfamily ERK5
ERK5 (Extracellular signal Regulated Kinase) is a variant Erk-like MAPK found in most animals, and part of a variant MAPK cascade that includes the MEK5 MAP2K and the MEKK2 MAP3K. There is a single ERK5 in human, which is also known as MAPK7.
Evolution
ERK5 is found as a single copy. It is secondarily lost from most insects and nematodes, along with its upstream pathway members, MEK5 and MEKK2. It is also likely found in fungi (HOG1), several plant lineages and other protists, though their sequence similarity to animal ERK5 is a little ambiguous.
Control of activity
Like most MAPK it is activated by dual phosphorylation of a TxY motif in the Activation loop by an upstream kinase (MEK5). Activation also induces translocation to the nucleus.
Domain Structure
All ERK5 have a kinase domain close to the N-terminus, and about 300-400 AA of unannotated C-terminal tail. Conservation profiling suggests that the tail includes some conserved motifs and a novel domain near the C-terminal tip.
Biological Function
Mammalian ERK5 activates the muscle transcription factors MEF2A, C, and D [1], downstream of EGF signaling
