Differential requirement of MKK4 and MKK7 in JNK activation by distinct scaffold proteins

Different scaffold proteins play distinct roles in various signaling pathways by recruiting different downstream mole cules. Here, using MKK4(-/-) and MKK4(-/-)/7(-/-) murine embryonic fibroblast cells, we examined differential employment of MKK4 and MKK7 by scaffold proteins Axin, DvI, and Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) in mediating JNK activation. We present evidence that Axin depends mainly on MKK7 for activation of JNK, while DvI depends almost equally on MKK4 and MKK7 for JNK activation, In contrast, LMP-1-induced JNK activation is primarily dependent on MKK4. Our results demonstrate that Axin, DvI, and LMP-1 differentially utilize MKK4 and MKK7 for JNK activation. (c) 2006 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.