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Spatiotemporal Control of Protein Activity through Optogenetic Allosteric Regulation
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Oscillatory dynamics of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway

Harish Shankaran1, H Steven Wiley

  • 1Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA 99352, USA.

Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
|September 3, 2010
PubMed

Insights

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway exhibits oscillations due to feedback loops. These oscillations, both biochemical and transcriptional, may play roles in development and signaling.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is crucial in cellular processes, development, and disease.
  • This pathway is intricately regulated by complex positive and negative feedback mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the nature and potential significance of oscillations generated by feedback loops within the ERK pathway.
  • To explore the distinct characteristics and biological roles of biochemical versus transcriptional oscillations.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of existing studies on ERK pathway feedback mechanisms.
  • Characterization of oscillation periodicity (15-30 min for biochemical, 1-2 hours for transcriptional).

Main Results:

  • Negative feedback from ERK to upstream regulators generates biochemical oscillations.
  • Stimulated transcription of ERK pathway negative regulators leads to transcriptional oscillations.
  • Transcriptional oscillations are implicated in developmental processes like somite formation.

Conclusions:

  • ERK pathway feedback loops generate distinct biochemical and transcriptional oscillations.
  • The biological significance of these oscillations, particularly biochemical ones, requires further elucidation.
  • Oscillations may serve as a mechanism for encoding diverse inputs within the ERK signaling network.

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