Article
- The EMBO Journal (2006) 25, 479 - 489
- doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7600948
Published online: 26 January 2006
Subject Category:
Growth factor pleiotropy is controlled by a receptor Tyr/Ser motif that acts as a binary switch
Mark A Guthridge1, Jason A Powell1, Emma F Barry1, Frank C Stomski1, Barbara J McClure1, Hayley Ramshaw1, Fernando A Felquer1, Mara Dottore1, Daniel T Thomas2, Bik To2, C Glenn Begley3 and Angel F Lopez1
- Cytokine Receptor Laboratory, Department of Human Immunology, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Hanson Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Hanson Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
Correspondence to:
Angel F Lopez, Cytokine Receptor Laboratory, Department of Human Immunology, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Hanson Institute, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia. Tel.: +61 8 822 2362; Fax: +61 8 222 3538; E-mail: angel.lopez@imvs.sa.gov.au
Received 18 July 2005; Accepted 16 December 2005
Abstract
Pleiotropism is a hallmark of cytokines and growth factors; yet, the underlying mechanisms are not clearly understood. We have identified a motif in the granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor receptor composed of a tyrosine and a serine residue that functions as a binary switch for the independent regulation of multiple biological activities. Signalling occurs either through Ser585 at lower cytokine concentrations, leading to cell survival only, or through Tyr577 at higher cytokine concentrations, leading to cell survival as well as proliferation, differentiation or functional activation. The phosphorylation of Ser585 and Tyr577 is mutually exclusive and occurs via a unidirectional mechanism that involves protein kinase A and tyrosine kinases, respectively, and is deregulated in at least some leukemias. We have identified similar Tyr/Ser motifs in other cell surface receptors, suggesting that such signalling switches may play important roles in generating specificity and pleiotropy in other biological systems.
Keywords:
- cell proliferation,
- cell survival,
- cytokine,
- receptors,
- 14-3-3
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