This gene encodes a protein belonging to the RAF family of serine/threonine protein kinases. This protein plays a role in regulating the MAP kinase/ERK signaling pathway, which affects cell division, differentiation, and secretion. Mutations in this gene, most commonly the V600E mutation, are the most frequently identified cancer-causing mutations in melanoma, and have been identified in various other cancers as well, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, colorectal cancer, thyroid carcinoma, non-s

ATF2 is a member of the ATF/CREB family of basic region leucine zipper DNA binding proteins that regulates transcription by binding to a consensus cAMP response element (CRE) in the promoter of various viral and cellular genes. Many of these genes are important in cell growth and differentiation, and in stress and immune responses. ATF2 is a nuclear protein that binds DNA as a dimer and can form dimers with members of the ATF/CREB and Jun/Fos families. It is a stronger activator as a hete

The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the ser/thr protein kinase family. It is the catalytic subunit of the 5'-prime-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). AMPK is a cellular energy sensor conserved in all eukaryotic cells. The kinase activity of AMPK is activated by the stimuli that increase the cellular AMP/ATP ratio. AMPK regulates the activities of a number of key metabolic enzymes through phosphorylation. It protects cells from stresses that cause ATP depletion by switching off ATP-co

This gene encodes one of the three members of the human AKT serine-threonine protein kinase family which are often referred to as protein kinase B alpha, beta, and gamma. These highly similar AKT proteins all have an N-terminal pleckstrin homology domain, a serine/threonine-specific kinase domain and a C-terminal regulatory domain. These proteins are phosphorylated by phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). AKT/PI3K forms a key component of many signalling pathways that involve the binding of membr

Nanog is a newly identified homeodomain-bearing transcriptional factor. Nanog expression is specific to early embryos and pluripotential stem cells including mouse and human embryonic stem (ES) and embryonic germ (EG) cells. It is a key molecule involved in the signaling pathway for maintaining the capacity for self-renewal and pluripotency, bypassing regulation by the STAT3 pathway. Nanog mRNA is present in pluripotent mouse and human cell lines, and absent from differentiated cells. Nan

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 targets specific transcription factors, and thus mediates immediate-early gene expression in response to various cell stimuli. It is most closely related to MAPK8, both of which are involved in UV rad