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Updated: May 13, 2026
07:59
Temporal Quantification of MAPK Induced Expression in Single Yeast Cells
Published on: October 4, 2013
Temporal decoding of MAP kinase and CREB phosphorylation by selective immediate early gene expression
Takeshi H Saito1, Shinsuke Uda, Takaho Tsuchiya
1Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Plos One
|March 8, 2013
Summary
Growth factors use specific timing patterns of MAP kinase (MAPK) and CREB phosphorylation to control gene expression. This study reveals how immediate early gene products (IEGs) decode these signals, uncovering common systems with distinct responses.
Area of Science:
- Cellular signaling and gene regulation
- Systems biology and computational modeling
Background:
- Growth factors transmit information via temporal patterns of MAP kinase (MAPK) and CREB phosphorylation.
- Immediate early gene products (IEGs) are crucial for decoding these signals to mediate biological functions.
- The precise mechanisms of IEG-mediated signal decoding remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the decoding system by which IEGs process temporal information from MAPK and CREB phosphorylation.
- To identify how specific temporal patterns and combinations of signaling events are interpreted by IEG expression.
- To develop a versatile, data-driven model for analyzing signal processing without extensive prior pathway knowledge.
Main Methods:
- Constructed a data-driven model based on time-course data of MAPK and CREB phosphorylation and IEG expression.
- Analyzed IEG responses to various growth factors to understand signal processing.
- Investigated selective decoding of pulsatile ERK phosphorylation and conjunctive stimulation effects.
Main Results:
- Identified common IEG decoding systems across different growth factors.
- Demonstrated that individual IEGs exhibit distinct upstream dependencies, switch-like responses, and temporal filtering characteristics.
- Showed selective decoding: pulsatile ERK phosphorylation by EGR1 (not c-FOS), and synergistic JUNB expression via switch-like c-FOS response to combined NGF and PACAP stimulation.
Conclusions:
- Specific temporal patterns and combinations of MAPK and CREB phosphorylation are decoded by selective IEG expression.
- Distinct temporal filters and switch-like responses enable differential IEG decoding.
- Data-driven modeling offers a flexible approach to studying signal processing in biological systems.
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