Crystal structures of MKK4 kinase domain reveal that substrate peptide binds to an allosteric site and induces an auto-inhibition state

MKK4 activates both JNKs and p38s. We determined the crystal structures of human non-phosphorylated MKK4 kinase domain (npMKK4) complexed with AMP–PNP (npMKK4/AMP) and a ternary complex of npMKK4, AMP–PNP and p38α peptide (npMKK4/AMP/p38). These crystal structures revealed that the p38α peptide-bound npMKK4 at the allosteric site rather than at the putative substrate binding site and induced an auto-inhibition state. While the activation loop of the npMKK4/AMP complex was disordered, in the npMKK4/AMP/p38 complex it configured a long α-helix, which prevented substrate access to the active site and αC-helix movement to the active configuration of MKK4.

Research highlights
► The crystal structure of non-phosphorylated MKK4 (npMKK4) complexed with AMP–PNP and a ternary complex of npMKK4, AMP–PNP and p38α peptide has been determined.
► The long α-helix was configured in the activation loop region of the kinase folding.
► The activation helix prevents the substrate access to the active site and forming the active configuration.