MAP3K3
MAP3K3 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 3, also known as MEKK3 and MAPKKK3) is a serine/threonine kinase that acts as a component of a protein kinase signal transduction cascade. It mediates activation of the NF-kappa-B, AP1 and DDIT3 transcriptional regulators. Browse Assay Genie's current range of MAP3K3 research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
MAP3K3 is a component of a protein kinase signal transduction cascade and mediates activation of the NF-kappa-B, AP1 and DDIT3 transcriptional regulators. According to the NCBI Gene summary, the protein directly regulates the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) pathways by activating SEK and MEK1/2 respectively, while it does not regulate the p38 pathway. In cotransfection assays it enhanced transcription from a nuclear factor kappa-B (NFKB)-dependent reporter gene, consistent with a role in the SAPK pathway.
The MAP3K3 gene encodes a 626-amino acid polypeptide that is 96.5% identical to mouse Mekk3 (the mouse ortholog is Map3k3). It belongs to the protein kinase superfamily, STE Ser/Thr protein kinase family, MAP kinase kinase kinase subfamily, and is classified by HGNC in the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinases and STE11 kinase family groups. Its catalytic domain is closely related to those of several other kinases, including mouse Mekk2, tobacco NPK and yeast Ste11. Northern blot analysis revealed a 4.6-kb transcript that appears to be ubiquitously expressed, and alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been observed.
Researchers working on the MAP3K3 protein often use the alias MEKK3 or the older MAPKKK3 in the literature, so searches across all three names are worthwhile. Because it sits upstream of both SAPK and ERK signalling and feeds into NF-kappa-B-dependent transcription, MAP3K3 is a useful node for studying how kinase cascades are coupled to gene regulation.
MAP3K3 activates SEK and MEK1/2, directly regulating the SAPK and ERK pathways, which makes it a focus for dissecting kinase cascade organisation.
MAP3K3 mediates activation of NF-kappa-B and enhanced NFKB-dependent reporter transcription in cotransfection assays, supporting studies of this transcriptional axis.
The kinase mediates activation of AP1 and DDIT3 regulators, linking upstream signalling to downstream transcriptional responses.
Its catalytic domain resembles mouse Mekk2, tobacco NPK and yeast Ste11, offering a basis for comparative studies of STE-family kinases.
MAP3K3 is a component of a protein kinase signal transduction cascade. It mediates activation of the NF-kappa-B, AP1 and DDIT3 transcriptional regulators, and activates SEK and MEK1/2 to regulate the SAPK and ERK pathways. It does not regulate the p38 pathway.
MAP3K3 is also called MEKK3 and MAPKKK3, and its full name is mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 3. The gene produces alternatively spliced transcript variants that encode distinct isoforms, so literature and datasheets may refer to any of these names.
Yes. The human 626-amino acid polypeptide is 96.5% identical to mouse Mekk3, encoded by Map3k3. Its catalytic domain is also closely related to mouse Mekk2, tobacco NPK and yeast Ste11. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other MAP kinase kinase kinases and downstream MAP kinase kinases involved in SAPK, ERK and NF-kappa-B signalling.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt Q99759; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.