Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 1, 2026

Assaying Protein Kinase Activity with Radiolabeled ATP
08:05

Assaying Protein Kinase Activity with Radiolabeled ATP

Published on: May 26, 2017

18.0K

Phosphorylation of the human microRNA-generating complex mediates MAPK/Erk signaling

Zain Paroo1, Xuecheng Ye, She Chen

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.

Cell
|October 7, 2009
PubMed

Insights

The MAPK/Erk pathway regulates microRNA (miRNA) production by phosphorylating TRBP, enhancing miRNA biogenesis. This signaling controls cell growth and tumor suppressor miRNA levels.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulators of biological and disease processes.
  • Understanding miRNA pathway regulation is vital for investigating cellular mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of the human miRNA-generating complex.
  • To identify the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Erk in miRNA production.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated the composition of the miRNA-generating complex using Dicer and phospho-TRBP isoforms.
  • Examined the effect of TRBP phosphorylation by MAPK/Erk on miRNA production.
  • Assessed the impact of MAPK/Erk signaling on miRNA profiles in response to serum and PMA.

Main Results:

  • The miRNA-generating complex comprises Dicer and phospho-TRBP.
  • TRBP phosphorylation by MAPK/Erk enhances miRNA production by stabilizing the complex.
  • Mitogenic signaling and tumor promotion involve TRBP phosphorylation, altering growth-promoting and tumor suppressor miRNA levels.

Conclusions:

  • The MAPK/Erk pathway directly regulates the miRNA machinery.
  • Signaling pathways target the miRNA pathway to mediate biological responses.
  • TRBP phosphorylation is a key mechanism linking MAPK/Erk signaling to miRNA biogenesis.

More Related Videos

Subcellular Fractionation for ERK Activation Upon Mitochondrial-derived Peptide Treatment07:55

Subcellular Fractionation for ERK Activation Upon Mitochondrial-derived Peptide Treatment

Published on: September 25, 2017

7.4K
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

951

Related Concept Videos

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...
3.6K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
4.7K
Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade01:22

Amplifying Signals via Enzymatic Cascade

When a ligand binds to a cell-surface receptor, the receptor's intracellular domain changes shape, which may either activate its enzyme function or allow its binding to other molecules. The initial signal is amplified by most signal transduction pathways. This means that a single ligand molecule can activate multiple molecules of a downstream target. Proteins that relay a signal are most commonly phosphorylated at one or more sites, activating or inactivating the protein. Kinases catalyze...
15.3K
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...
7.3K
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...
5.1K
Calmodulin-dependent Signaling01:16

Calmodulin-dependent Signaling

Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium-binding protein in eukaryotes that controls various calcium-regulated cellular processes. It has four calcium-binding sites that bind calcium to form the calcium-calmodulin ( Ca2+-CaM) complex. GPCR stimulation increases the calcium levels in the cells that bind to CaM and induces a conformational change.
The Ca2+-CaM complex does not have enzymatic activity by itself. Instead, the complex binds downstream target proteins, including membrane proteins or enzymes,...
5.0K