Chen, Hua-WeiMarinissen, Maria JuliaOh, Su-WanChen, XiuMelnick, MichaelPerrimon, NorbertGutkind, J. SilvioHou, Steven X.2019-09-212002Chen, H.-W., M. J. Marinissen, S.-W. Oh, X. Chen, M. Melnick, N. Perrimon, J. S. Gutkind, and S. X. Hou. 2002. “CKA, a Novel Multidomain Protein, Regulates the JUN N-Terminal Kinase Signal Transduction Pathway in Drosophila.” Molecular and Cellular Biology 22 (6): 1792–1803. https://doi.org/10.1128/mcb.22.6.1792-1803.2002.0270-73061067-88241098-5549http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:41384488The Drosophila melanogaster JUN N-terminal kinase (DJNK) and DPP (decapentaplegic) signal transduction pathways coordinately regulate epithelial cell sheet movement during the process of dorsal closure in the embryo. By a genetic screen of mutations affecting dorsal closure in Drosophila, we have now identified a multidomain protein, connector of kinase to AP-1 (cka), that functions in the DJNK pathway and controls the localized expression of dpp in the leading-edge cells. We have also investigated how CKA acts. This unique molecule forms a complex with HEP (DJNKK), BSK (DJNK), DJUN, and DFOS. Complex formation activates BSK kinase, which in turn phosphorylates and activates DJUN and DFOS. These data suggest that CKA represents a novel molecule regulating AP-1 activity by organizing a molecular complex of kinases and transcription factors, thus coordinating the spatial-temporal expression of AP-1-regulated genes.en-USJournal Article2019-09-2110.1128/MCB.22.6.1792-1803.2002