Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods
07:49

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods

Published on: July 17, 2019

RNA viruses and the mitogenic Raf/MEK/ERK signal transduction cascade

Stephan Pleschka1

  • 1Institute for Medical Virology, Justus Liebig University, Frankfurter Str. 107, D-35392 Giessen, Germany. stephan.pleschka@mikro.bio.uni-giessen.de

Biological Chemistry
|August 21, 2008
PubMed

Insights

RNA viruses hijack the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway, a key cellular signaling cascade, to support their replication. Understanding this virus-host interaction is crucial for combating viral diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular biology
  • Virology
  • Molecular biology

Background:

  • The Raf/MEK/ERK pathway, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, regulates fundamental cellular processes like gene expression, metabolism, differentiation, and proliferation.
  • This signaling pathway is known to be activated by various extracellular stimuli, including pathogens such as DNA viruses, which often induce cellular proliferation for replication.
  • While DNA virus interactions with this pathway are established, the role of RNA virus-induced Raf/MEK/ERK signaling in viral replication has been less understood until recent years.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role and mechanisms of the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway in the context of RNA virus infections.
  • To investigate how different pathogenic RNA viruses utilize this crucial cellular signaling network to their advantage.
  • To expand the understanding of virus-host interactions, specifically focusing on RNA viruses and their manipulation of cellular signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of recent publications on RNA virus-induced Raf/MEK/ERK signaling.
  • Analysis of studies investigating the impact of Raf/MEK/ERK pathway modulation on viral replication.
  • Comparative analysis of signaling pathway activation by various pathogenic RNA viruses.

Main Results:

  • Recent research indicates a significant increase in publications exploring RNA virus-induced Raf/MEK/ERK signaling.
  • Pathogenic RNA viruses, including influenza, Ebola, hepatitis C, and SARS-CoV, exploit the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway to support their replication.
  • The pathway's activation by RNA viruses leads to stimulus-specific cellular changes that are leveraged for viral propagation.

Conclusions:

  • The Raf/MEK/ERK signaling cascade is a critical cellular control center manipulated by numerous human pathogenic RNA viruses.
  • Understanding these virus-host interactions is vital for comprehending viral replication strategies.
  • Targeting or understanding the modulation of this pathway offers potential avenues for antiviral strategies.

More Related Videos

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants07:38

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET)-Based Assay for Measuring Interactions of CRAF with 14-3-3 Proteins in Live Cells06:44

Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET)-Based Assay for Measuring Interactions of CRAF with 14-3-3 Proteins in Live Cells

Published on: March 1, 2024

Related Concept Videos

MAPK Signaling Cascades01:07

MAPK Signaling Cascades

Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a superfamily...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...