Chromatin-tethered MAPKs

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are a family of protein kinases that are essential nodes in many cellular regulatory circuits including those that take place on DNA. Most members of the four MAPK subgroups that exist in canonical three kinase cascades — extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), ERK5, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK1-3), and p38 (α, β, γ, and δ) families — have been shown to perform regulatory functions on chromatin. This review offers a brief update on the variety of processes that involve MAPKs and available mechanisms garnered in the last two years.

► MAPKs bind to DNA directly and indirectly via transcriptional regulators.
► MAPKs target a wide range of chromatin-bound factors.
► Regulatory proteins that modulate MAPK function can be co-recruited to chromatin.
► Mechanisms that dictate MAPK function in transcription are widely conserved.