mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2
Last updated 18 Aug 2020
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The MAP2K2 gene provides instructions for making a protein known as MEK2 protein kinase. This protein is part of a signaling pathway called the RAS/MAPK pathway, which transmits chemical signals from outside the cell to the cell's nucleus. RAS/MAPK signaling helps control the growth and division (proliferation) of cells, the process by which cells mature to carry out specific functions (differentiation), cell movement, and the self-destruction of cells (apoptosis).
Normal function
The MAP2K2 gene provides instructions for making a protein known as MEK2 protein kinase. This protein is part of a signaling pathway called the RAS/MAPK pathway, which transmits chemical signals from outside the cell to the cell's nucleus. RAS/MAPK signaling helps control the growth and division (proliferation) of cells, the process by which cells mature to carry out specific functions (differentiation), cell movement, and the self-destruction of cells (apoptosis).
The MAP2K2 gene is very similar to a gene called MAP2K1, which provides instructions for making a protein known as MEK1 protein kinase. Like MEK2 protein kinase, this protein functions as part of the RAS/MAPK signaling pathway. Together, the MEK1 and MEK2 protein kinases appear to be essential for normal development before birth and for survival after birth.
Conditions referring to this gene or chromosome
Other names
dual specificity mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2
ERK activator kinase 2
MAP kinase kinase 2
MAPK-ERK Kinase 2
MAPK/ERK kinase 2
MAPKK2
MEK2
mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2, p45
MKK2
MP2K2_HUMAN
PRKMK2
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Further reading and references
- mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Duesbery N, Vande Woude G. BRAF and MEK mutations make a late entrance. Sci STKE. 2006 Mar 28;2006(328):pe15. doi: 10.1126/stke.3282006pe15.
- Narumi Y, Aoki Y, Niihori T, Neri G, Cave H, Verloes A, Nava C, Kavamura MI, Okamoto N, Kurosawa K, Hennekam RC, Wilson LC, Gillessen-Kaesbach G, Wieczorek D, Lapunzina P, Ohashi H, Makita Y, Kondo I, Tsuchiya S, Ito E, Sameshima K, Kato K, Kure S, Matsubara Y. Molecular and clinical characterization of cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome: overlapping clinical manifestations with Costello syndrome. Am J Med Genet A. 2007 Apr 15;143A(8):799-807. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.31658.
- Nava C, Hanna N, Michot C, Pereira S, Pouvreau N, Niihori T, Aoki Y, Matsubara Y, Arveiler B, Lacombe D, Pasmant E, Parfait B, Baumann C, Heron D, Sigaudy S, Toutain A, Rio M, Goldenberg A, Leheup B, Verloes A, Cave H. Cardio-facio-cutaneous and Noonan syndromes due to mutations in the RAS/MAPK signalling pathway: genotype-phenotype relationships and overlap with Costello syndrome. J Med Genet. 2007 Dec;44(12):763-71. doi: 10.1136/jmg.2007.050450. Epub 2007 Aug 17.
- Rodriguez-Viciana P, Tetsu O, Tidyman WE, Estep AL, Conger BA, Cruz MS, McCormick F, Rauen KA. Germline mutations in genes within the MAPK pathway cause cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome. Science. 2006 Mar 3;311(5765):1287-90. doi: 10.1126/science.1124642. Epub 2006 Jan 26.
- Scholl FA, Dumesic PA, Barragan DI, Harada K, Bissonauth V, Charron J, Khavari PA. Mek1/2 MAPK kinases are essential for Mammalian development, homeostasis, and Raf-induced hyperplasia. Dev Cell. 2007 Apr;12(4):615-29. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2007.03.009.
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