The DeMSTification of mammalian Ste20 kinases

When first reported in 1995, the mammalian Ste20-like kinases (Mst) 1 and 2 were so named both for their similarity to the yeast kinase Ste20 and for the fact that their function was, to us, a deep mystery. While much remains to be explained about the regulation and role of these kinases, the veil has been at least partly raised on the Msts, revealing unexpected modes of activation and function. Work in model organisms suggests a central growth-suppressive role for Mst orthologs, with intriguing possible links to other established tumor suppressors. This minireview underlines our current understanding of how Mst1 and Mst2 are regulated, and how activation of these proteins influences cell survival and proliferation.