The role of docking interactions in mediating signaling input, output, and discrimination in the yeast MAPK network

Mol Cell. 2005 Dec 22;20(6):951-62. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2005.10.030.

Abstract

Cells use a network of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) to coordinate responses to diverse extracellular signals. Here, we examine the role of docking interactions in determining connectivity of the yeast MAPKs Fus3 and Kss1. These closely related kinases are activated by the common upstream MAPK kinase Ste7 yet generate distinct output responses, mating and filamentous growth, respectively. We find that docking interactions are necessary for communication with the kinases and that they can encode subtle differences in pathway-specific input and output. The cell cycle arrest mediator Far1, a mating-specific substrate, has a docking motif that selectively binds Fus3. In contrast, the shared partner Ste7 has a promiscuous motif that binds both Fus3 and Kss1. Structural analysis reveals that Fus3 interacts with specific and promiscuous peptides in conformationally distinct modes. Induced fit recognition may allow docking peptides to achieve discrimination by exploiting subtle differences in kinase flexibility.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Cycle / physiology
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Proteins
  • Enzyme Activation
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / physiology*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / genetics
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / metabolism
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / enzymology*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / physiology*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / metabolism*
  • Sequence Alignment

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Proteins
  • FAR1 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Protein Kinases
  • FUS3 protein, S cerevisiae
  • KSS1 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • STE7 protein, S cerevisiae
  • MSG5 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases

Associated data

  • PDB/2B9F
  • PDB/2B9I
  • PDB/2B9J