Search

A hallmark of protein kinase/phosphatase cascades, including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, is the spatial separation of their components within cells. The top-level kinase, MAP3K, is phosphorylated at the cell membrane, and cytoplasmic kinases at sequential downstream levels (MAP2K and MAPK) spread the signal to distant targets. Given measured protein diffusivity and phosphatase activities, signal propagation by diffusion would result in a steep decline of MAP2K activity and low bisphosphorylated MAPK (ppMAPK) levels near the nucleus, especially in large cells, such as oocytes. Here, we show that bistability in a two-site MAPK (de)phosphorylation cycle generates a novel type of phosphoprotein wave that propagates from the surface deep into the cell interior. Positive feedback from ppMAPK to cytoplasmic MAP2K enhances the propagation span of the ppMAPK wave, making it possible to convey phosphorylation signals over exceedingly long distances. The finding of phosphorylation waves traveling with constant amplitude and high velocity may solve a long-standing enigma of survival signaling in developing neurons.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades can operate as bistable switches residing in either of two different stable states. MAPK cascades are often embedded in positive feedback loops, which are considered to be a prerequisite for bistable behavior. Here we demonstrate that in the absence of any imposed feedback regulation, bistability and hysteresis can arise solely from a distributive kinetic mechanism of the two-site MAPK phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Importantly, the reported kinetic properties of the kinase (MEK) and phosphatase (MKP3) of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) fulfill the essential requirements for generating a bistable switch at a single MAPK cascade level. Likewise, a cycle where multisite phosphorylations are performed by different kinases, but dephosphorylation reactions are catalyzed by the same phosphatase, can also exhibit bistability and hysteresis. Hence, bistability induced by multisite covalent modification may be a widespread mechanism of the control of protein activity.