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Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) is the master regulator of at least 23 other AGC kinases whose downstream signalling has often been implicated in various diseases and in particular in cancer. Therefore there has been great interest in determining how PDK1 is controlled and how it regulates its substrates spatially and temporally. The understanding of these mechanisms could offer new possibilities for therapeutic intervention. Over the years, a more comprehensive view of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of PDK1 has emerged and these comprise serine/threonine as well as tyrosine phosphorylation, subcellular localization, regulator binding and conformation status. In the present review, we discuss how various molecular mechanisms are together responsible for the conformational regulation behind the activation of PDK1 in cells.

Specific inhibition of members of the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) family, particularly EGFR and HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), are an important therapeutic strategy in many human cancers. Compared with classical chemotherapy, these targeted therapeutics are very specific and initially effective, but acquired resistance against these targeted therapies is a recurring threat. A growing body of recent work has highlighted a pseudokinase in the EGFR family, HER3, and its ligand, NRG (neuregulin β1), to be of importance in models of resistant cancers, as well as in patients. In the present article, we describe some of the roles in which HER3 can mediate acquired resistance and discuss the current efforts to target HER3 itself in cancer.

The empirical derivation of PKC (protein kinase C) domain structures and those modelled by homology or imputed from protein behaviour have been extraordinarily valuable both in the elucidation of PKC pathway mechanisms and in the general lessons that extrapolate to other signalling pathways. For PKC family members, there are many domain/subdomain structures and models, covering all of the known domains, variably present in this family of protein serine/threonine kinases (C1, C2, PB1, HR1, kinase domains). In addition to these structures, there are a limited number of complexes defined, including the structure of the PKCε V3-14-3-3 complex. In the context of structure-driven insights into PKC pathways, there are several broadly applicable principles and mechanisms relevant to the operation of and intervention in signalling pathways. These principles have an impact in unexpected ways, from the regulation of membrane targeting, through strategies for pharmacological intervention, to biomarkers.

Pseudokinases, the catalytically impaired component of the kinome, have recently been found to share more properties with active kinases than previously thought. In many pseudokinases, ATP binding and even some activity is preserved, highlighting these proteins as potential drug targets. In both active kinases and pseudokinases, binding of ATP or drugs in the nucleotide-binding pocket can stabilize specific conformations required for activity and protein-protein interactions. We discuss the implications of locking particular conformations in a selection of (pseudo)kinases and the dual potential impact on the druggability of these proteins.

The PKB (protein kinase B) and PKC (protein kinase C) families display highly related catalytic domains that require a largely conserved series of phosphorylations for the expression of their optimum activities. However, in cells, the dynamics of these modifications are quite distinct. Based on experimental evidence, it is argued that the underlying mechanisms determining these divergent behaviours relate to the very different manner in which their variant regulatory domains interact with their respective catalytic domains. It is concluded that the distinct behaviours of PKB and PKC proteins are defined by the typical ground states of these proteins.

There are now known to exist seven phosphoinositides all derived through various metabolic routes from the parent lipid phosphatidylinositol. With one additional metabolite, diacylglycerol, these represent a rich resource of bioactive lipids responsible for recruiting protein effectors and marking membrane compartments. The metabolic map of this pathway and the nature of the binding partner interactions are reviewed.

The integrins have an ability to interact with extracellular matrix proteins to confer adhesive and motile properties on cells. The means by which these activities operate and the manner in which they are integrated with cell functions is of particular relevance to many biological processes. In the present paper, the developing understanding of the bi-directional relationship between the protein kinase C family of signal transducers and integrins is discussed.

Protein kinase cascades feature in many signal transduction pathways. For those discussed here, a single upstream protein kinase appears to be responsible for the control of multiple downstream targets. So how is specificity introduced into these events? For the downstream kinases (substrates) described here, it would appear that specificity is determined by substrate-directed events that are permissive for phosphorylation. There are also distinctions relating to the turnover of these phosphorylations providing a further element of specificity.