On the mechanisms of signaling specificity of the MAP kinase pathways in yeast

细胞必须能够对环境线索作出反应，并引起适当的生物反应。真核细胞内传递信息的普遍机制涉及保守的3种激酶，称为丝裂原活化蛋白激酶（MAPK）级联。这些集合的最后一个成员MAP激酶的激活通常会导致基因表达的变化，而这种激活的幅度和持续时间是细胞如何反应的关键决定因素。细胞使用多种MAPK通路，其中许多具有共同的成分，以协调对控制细胞生长，增殖和分化的不同信号的反应。适当的反应在发展过程中很重要；MAP激酶信号通路的改变通常与癌症有关。细胞生物学中信号转导的一个基本问题是如何准确地感知、整合和转移许多输入，以便每个输入都引起特定和适当的生物反应。在我的实验室里，我们用简单的酵母酿酒酵母来研究这个信号转导的基本问题。我们利用酵母来利用我们的能力，轻松地在基因上操纵这种有机体。由于MAPK级联在组件和结构水平上都是保守的，因此研究酵母中MAPK信号传导调节所获得的知识将促进我们对其他生物（包括我们自己）细胞信号传导过程调节的理解。

Cells must be able to respond to environmental cues and elicit proper biological responses. A prevalent mechanism for transferring information within eukaryotic cells involves conserved sets of 3 kinases, known as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. The activation of the last member of these sets, the MAP kinase, usually results in changes in gene expression, and the amplitude and duration of this activation are critical determinants of how the cell responds. Cells use multiple MAPK pathways, many of which share common components, to coordinate responses to different signals controlling cell growth, proliferation and differentiation. Proper response is important in developmental processes; change in MAP kinase pathway signaling is often associated with cancers. A fundamental question for signal transduction in cell biology has been how the many inputs are sensed, integrated and transferred accurately so that each elicits a specific and proper biological response. In my lab, we use the simple yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to study this fundamental question of signal transduction. We use yeast to take the advantage of our ability to genetically manipulate this organism with ease. Because the MAPK cascades are conserved both at the component and architecture levels, knowledge obtained from studying the regulation of MAPK signaling in yeast will advance our understanding the regulation of cell signaling processes in other organisms, including ourselves.