The BioGRID | PUBLICATION VIEW

	Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. Sep (2002); 297(1):17-23
A new ERK2 binding protein, Naf1, attenuates the EGF/ERK2 nuclear signaling.
Zhang S, Fukushi M, Hashimoto S, Gao C, Huang L, Fukuyo Y, Nakajima T, Amagasa T, Enomoto S, Koike K, Miura O, Yamamoto N, Tsuchida N
Department of Molecular Cellular Oncology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113, Japan.
Abstract: Extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), an important factor in signal transduction, controls cell growth, differentiation, and death. To elucidate the details of the mechanism of ERK1/2 signaling in human cells, we isolated Nef-associated factor 1 alpha (Naf1 alpha) by a yeast two-hybrid system, which bound to human ERK2. The binding was confirmed by a pull-down assay in vitro and immunoprecipitation in vivo. Upon EGF treatment, Naf1 alpha was phosphorylated by the EGF/MEK/ERK2 signal transduction pathway. To identify the role of Naf1 alpha in the ERK2 signaling, Naf1 alpha-expressing Saos-2 cells were analyzed for ERK2 nuclear translocation and activation of its downstream target. Overexpression of Naf1 alpha suppressed ERK2 entering into the nucleus and inhibited the ERK2-dependent Elk1-driven luciferase transcription, suggesting Naf1 alpha to be an attenuator of activated ERK2 signaling.
[PUBMED: 12220502]