MAP4K Family Kinases Act in Parallel to MST1/2 to Activate LATS1/2 in the Hippo Pathway

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2015 Oct 6

PMID 26437443

Citations 282

Authors

Zhipeng Meng

Toshiro Moroishi

Violaine Mottier-Pavie

Steven W Plouffe

Carsten G Hansen

Audrey W Hong

Hyun Woo Park

Jung-Soon Mo

Wenqi Lu

Shicong Lu

Fabian Flores

Fa-Xing Yu

Georg Halder

Kun-Liang Guan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The Hippo pathway plays a central role in tissue homoeostasis, and its dysregulation contributes to tumorigenesis. Core components of the Hippo pathway include a kinase cascade of MST1/2 and LATS1/2 and the transcription co-activators YAP/TAZ. In response to stimulation, LATS1/2 phosphorylate and inhibit YAP/TAZ, the main effectors of the Hippo pathway. Accumulating evidence suggests that MST1/2 are not required for the regulation of YAP/TAZ. Here we show that deletion of LATS1/2 but not MST1/2 abolishes YAP/TAZ phosphorylation. We have identified MAP4K family members--Drosophila Happyhour homologues MAP4K1/2/3 and Misshapen homologues MAP4K4/6/7-as direct LATS1/2-activating kinases. Combined deletion of MAP4Ks and MST1/2, but neither alone, suppresses phosphorylation of LATS1/2 and YAP/TAZ in response to a wide range of signals. Our results demonstrate that MAP4Ks act in parallel to and are partially redundant with MST1/2 in the regulation of LATS1/2 and YAP/TAZ, and establish MAP4Ks as components of the expanded Hippo pathway.

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