MAPK8

Also known as AI849689, JNK, JNK1, Prkm8, SAPK1, JNK-46, JNK1A2

Mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (also known as JNK1) is a ubiquitous enzyme that in humans is encoded by the MAPK8 gene.

Gene data

MAPK8

Name: mitogen-activated protein kinase 8
Type: protein-coding
Position: 48,306,639–48,439,360 (+)
Aliases: JNK, JNK-46, JNK1, JNK1A2, JNK21B1/2, PRKM8, SAPK1, SAPK1c
Ensembl: ENSG00000107643
RefSeq RNA: NM_001278547.2, NM_001278548.2, NM_001323302.2, NM_001323320.2, NM_001323321.2
RefSeq protein: NP_001265476.1, NP_001265477.1, NP_001310231.1, NP_001310249.1, NP_001310250.1

The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the MAP kinase family. MAP kinases act as an integration point for multiple biochemical signals, and are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, transcription regulation and development. This kinase is activated by various cell stimuli, and targets specific transcription factors, and thus mediates immediate-early gene expression in response to cell stimuli. The activation of this kinase by tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is found to be required for TNF-alpha induced apoptosis. This kinase is also involved in UV radiation induced apoptosis, which is thought to be related to cytochrom c-mediated cell death pathway. Studies of the mouse counterpart of this gene suggested that this kinase play a key role in T cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been reported. [provided by RefSeq, Apr 2016].