Inhibitors of serine/threonine kinases

Serine-Threonine Kinase inhibition as antifibrotic therapy: TGF-β and ROCK inhibitors

Serine-threonine kinases mediate the phosphorylation of intracellular protein targets, transferring a phosphorus group from an ATP molecule to the specific amino acid residues within the target proteins. Serine-threonine kinases regulate multiple key cellular functions. From this large group of kinases, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) through the serine-threonine activity of its receptors and Rho kinase (ROCK) play an important role in the development and maintenance of fibrosis in various human diseases, including systemic sclerosis. In recent years, multiple drugs targeting and inhibiting these kinases, have been developed, opening the possibility of becoming potential antifibrotic agents of clinical value for treating fibrotic diseases. This review analyzes the contribution of TGF- β and ROCK-mediated serine-threonine kinase molecular pathways to the development and maintenance of pathological fibrosis and the potential clinical use of their inhibition.

Revealing quinquennial anticancer journey of morpholine: A SAR based review

Morpholine, a six-membered heterocycle containing one nitrogen and one oxygen atom, is a moiety of great significance. It forms an important intermediate in many industrial and organic syntheses. Morpholine containing drugs are of high therapeutic value. Its wide array of pharmacological activity includes anti-diabetic, anti-emetic, growth stimulant, anti-depressant, bronchodilator and anticancer. Multi-drug resistance in cancer cases have emerged in the last few years and have led to the failure of many chemotherapeutic drugs. Newer treatment methods and drugs are being developed to overcome this problem. Target based drug discovery is an effective method to develop novel anticancer drugs. To develop newer drugs, previously reported work needs to be studied. Keeping this in mind, last five year's literature on morpholine used as anticancer agents has been reviewed and summarized in the paper herein.

An insight into the therapeutic potential of quinazoline derivatives as anticancer agents

Cancer is one of the major causes of worldwide human mortality. A wide range of cytotoxic drugs are available on the market, and several compounds are in different phases of clinical trials. Many studies suggest that these cytotoxic molecules are also associated with different types of adverse side effects; therefore researchers around the globe are involved in the development of more efficient and safer anticancer drugs. In recent years, quinazoline and its derivatives have been considered as a novel class of cancer chemotherapeutic agents that show promising activity against different tumors. The aim of this article is to comprehensively review and highlight the recent developments concerning the anticancer activity of quinazoline derivatives as well as offer perspectives on the development of novel quinazoline derivatives as anticancer agents in the near future.

The p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 differentially modulates LPS-induced interleukin 6 expression in macrophages

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays a key role in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced signal transduction pathways that lead to inflammatory cytokine synthesis in macrophages; however, whether the inhibition of p38 MAPK regulates LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine expression in different types of macrophages remains the subject of debate. Herein, we assessed whether the inhibition of p38 MAPK by SB203580 regulates LPS-induced expression of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in RAW264.7 and resident peritoneal macrophages. Lipopolysaccharide stimulation of RAW264.7 macrophages or mouse resident peritoneal macrophages significantly increased TNF-α and IL-6 production. The addition of SB203580 to cultures dramatically blocked LPS-induced TNF-α production in RAW264.7 and mouse resident peritoneal macrophages, and dramatically blocked LPS-induced IL-6 production in RAW264.7 macrophages, but not in mouse resident peritoneal macrophages. Additionally, high concentrations of SB203580 resulted in increased IL-6 production. However, LPS-stimulation significantly up-regulated the mRNA transcript levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in RAW264.7 and mouse resident peritoneal macrophages, whereas pretreatment with SB203580 dramatically down-regulated LPS-induced mRNA transcript levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in these cells. Our data show that SB203580 differentially modulates LPS-induced production of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in two different sources of macrophages, and that this course of regulation occurs at the IL-6 mRNA post-transcriptional stage.

Role of p38 MAP Kinase Signal Transduction in Solid Tumors

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) mediate a wide variety of cellular behaviors in response to extracellular stimuli. One of the main subgroups, the p38 MAP kinases, has been implicated in a wide range of complex biologic processes, such as cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell death, cell migration, and invasion. Dysregulation of p38 MAPK levels in patients are associated with advanced stages and short survival in cancer patients (e.g., prostate, breast, bladder, liver, and lung cancer). p38 MAPK plays a dual role as a regulator of cell death, and it can either mediate cell survival or cell death depending not only on the type of stimulus but also in a cell type specific manner. In addition to modulating cell survival, an essential role of p38 MAPK in modulation of cell migration and invasion offers a distinct opportunity to target this pathway with respect to tumor metastasis. The specific function of p38 MAPK appears to depend not only on the cell type but also on the stimuli and/or the isoform that is activated. p38 MAPK signaling pathway is activated in response to diverse stimuli and mediates its function by components downstream of p38. Extrapolation of the knowledge gained from laboratory findings is essential to address the clinical significance of p38 MAPK signaling pathways. The goal of this review is to provide an overview on recent progress made in defining the functions of p38 MAPK pathways with respect to solid tumor biology and generate testable hypothesis with respect to the role of p38 MAPK as an attractive target for intervention of solid tumors.

Natura-alpha targets forkhead box m1 and inhibits androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer growth and invasion

PURPOSE

The development of new effective therapeutic agents with minimal side effects for prostate cancer (PC) treatment is much needed. Indirubin, an active molecule identified in the traditional Chinese herbal medicine-Qing Dai (Indigo naturalis), has been used to treat leukemia for decades. However, the anticancer properties of Natura-alpha, an indirubin derivative, are not well studied in solid tumors, particularly in PC.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

The growth kinetics and invasion ability of on human PC cell lines with or without Natura-alpha treatment were measured by cell proliferation and invasion assays. The antitumor effects of Natura-alpha were examined in nude mice tumor xenograft models, and in a patient with advanced hormone-refractory metastatic PC. Signal network proteins targeted by Natura-alpha were analyzed by using proteomic pathway array analysis (PPAA) on xenografts.

RESULTS

Natura-alpha inhibited the growth of both androgen-dependent (LNCaP) and androgen-independent (LNCaP-AI, PC-3, and DU145) PC cells with IC(50) between 4 to 10 mmol/L, and also inhibited invasion of androgen-independent PC cells. Its antitumor effects were further evident in in vivo tumor reduction in androgen-dependent and androgen-independent nude mice tumor xenograft models and reduced tumor volume in the patient with hormone refractory metastatic PC. PPAA revealed that antiproliferative and antiinvasive activities of Natura-alpha on PC might primarily be through its downregulation of Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) protein. Forced overexpression of FOXM1 largely reversed the inhibition of growth and invasion by Natura-alpha.

CONCLUSION

Natura-alpha could serve as a novel and effective therapeutic agent for treatment of both hormone-sensitive and hormone-refractory PC with minimal side effects.

Roles of the ERK MAPK in the regulation of proinflammatory and apoptotic responses in chicken macrophages infected with H9N2 avian influenza virus

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family is responsible for important signalling pathways which regulate cell activation, differentiation, apoptosis and immune responses. Studies have shown that influenza virus infection activates MAPK family members in mammals. While the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 is important for virus replication, activation of p38 controls the expression of RANTES, interleukin (IL)-8 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. In this study, we report that avian influenza virus (AIV) activates ERK, p38 and Jun-N-terminal kinases in avian species. In chicken macrophages, while ERK was required for H9N2 AIV replication, ERK regulated proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-8, which is distinct from what has been previously reported in mammalian cells. Moreover, ERK alone suppressed TNF-alpha and FasL and inhibited TNF-family-mediated extrinsic apoptosis in H9N2-infected chicken macrophages. Taken together, these findings suggest that ERK signalling may uniquely play important roles in avian host responses to AIV infection.

Effective penetration of cell-permeable peptide mimic of tyrosine residue 654 domain of beta-catenin into human renal tubular epithelial cells

Phosphorylation of beta-catenin tyrosine residue 654 plays an important role in the epithelial to myofibroblast transition (EMT). Introducing mimic peptide of tyrosine residue 654 domain of beta-catenin into cells may influence phosphorylation of beta-catenin tyrosine residue 654. To deliver this mimic peptide into renal epithelial cells, we used penetratin as a vector, which is a novel cell permeable peptide, to deliver hydrophilic molecules into cells. A tyrosine 654 residue domain mimic peptide of beta-catenin (PM) with fused penetratin was constructed, purified and then detected for the penetration of the mimic peptide into human renal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2). The results showed that purified fusion mimic peptide could efficiently and rapidly translocate into human renal tubular epithelial cells. It is concluded that a cell-permeable peptides mimic of tyrosine residue 654 domain of beta-catenin was successfully obtained, which may provide a useful reagent for interfering the human renal tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Proteomic approach to identify acute phase response-related proteins with low molecular weight in loach skin following injury

Proteome analysis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) together with mass spectrometry was applied to screen acute phase response (APR)-related proteins with low molecular weight in loach skin following injury. Furthermore, Western blotting and function tests were applied to confirm the results obtained from the proteomic study. Fifteen APR-related proteins with sixteen spots (PLA with two spots) on a 2-DE map were identified in this study. Furthermore, six were known acute phase proteins including galactose-binding lectin (GBL), lysozyme, C3, CD59, double PLA and 50s ribosomal protein; while ATP kinase, zinc finger protein 183, alpha-neurotoxin homology, angiostatin, serine/threonine kinase, metalloproteinase inhibitor, regulator of G-protein 4, cryptdin-9 and disintegrin trigranin were found by our lab to be APR-related proteins. In addition, our results suggest that proteomes with low molecular weight can be characterized by 2-DE with a Tris-tricine system followed by mass spectrometry.

Molecular mechanisms of indirubin and its derivatives: novel anticancer molecules with their origin in traditional Chinese phytomedicine

Indirubin, a 3, 2' bisindole isomer of indigo, has originally been identified as the active principle of a traditional Chinese preparation and has been proven to exhibit antileukemic effectiveness in chronic myelocytic leukemia. Indirubin was detected to represent a novel lead structure with potent inhibitory potential towards cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) resulting from high affinity binding into the enzymes ATP binding site. This seminal finding triggered our research to improve the pharmacological activities of the parent molecule within comprehensive structure-activity studies. Molecular modifications made novel anticancer compounds accessible with strongly improved CDK inhibitory potential and with broad spectrum antitumour activity. This novel family of compounds holds strong promise for clinical anticancer activity and might be useful also in several important noncancer indications, including Alzheimer's disease or diabetes.

Progression of dystrophic features and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and calcineurin by physical exercise, in hearts of mdx mice

We have previously demonstrated that calcineurin and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) are up-regulated in the hearts of mdx mice. However, the degree of up-regulation observed was variable, which may reflect variable levels of daily physical activities among the mice. To investigate whether or not exercise affects dystrophic features and activates intracellular signaling molecules in mdx hearts, we subjected mdx and C57BL/10 mice to treadmill exercise and examined intracellular signaling molecules in cardiac muscles, at the protein level. The heart to body weight ratio was significantly increased in exercised mdx mice. Histopathology in exercised mdx hearts showed extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells, together with increases in interstitial fibrosis and adipose tissues, all of which were not observed either in exercised C57BL/10 or non-exercised mdx hearts. Phosphorylated p38 MAPK, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and calcineurin, but not phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1, were up-regulated in exercised mdx hearts compared to exercised C57BL/10 or non-exercised mdx hearts. These data suggest that physical exercise accelerates the dystrophic process through activation of intracellular signaling molecules in dystrophin-deficient hearts.

Role of p38 MAP kinase in LPS-induced airway inflammation in the rat

We investigated the effect of the p38 kinase inhibitor SB 203580 on airway inflammation induced by aerosolized lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in male Wistar rats. SB 203580 significantly inhibited (ED(50)=15.8 mg kg(-1)) plasma levels of TNF-alpha in rats challenged with LPS (1.5 mg kg(-1), i.p.). Aerosolized LPS induced a peak in TNF-alpha levels and the initiation of a neutrophilic response in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid at the 2 h time point. Furthermore, the 4 h time point was associated with the peak in IL-1beta levels and the initial plateau of neutrophilia observed in the BAL fluid. SB 203580 (100 mg kg(-1)), had no effect on peak TNF-alpha levels or the associated neutrophilia in the BAL. Interestingly, the PDE 4 inhibitor RP 73401 (100 mg kg(-1)) significantly reduced both TNF-alpha levels and neutrophilic inflammation. However, the BAL fluid from rats pre-treated with either compound significantly inhibited TNF-alpha release from cultured human monocytes 18 h after LPS treatment (83.6 and 44.5% inhibition, respectively). Alternatively, SB 203580 (100 mg kg(-1)) produced dose-related inhibition of BAL IL-1beta levels (67.5% inhibition, P<0.01) and BAL neutrophilia (45.9% inhibition, P<0.01) 4 h after LPS challenge. P38 protein was present in lung tissue and the level of expression was not affected by LPS treatment. P38 kinase appears to be involved in the release of IL-1beta and the sustained neutrophilic response in the BAL fluid. This data may suggest a role for p38 inhibitors in the treatment of airway inflammatory diseases in which neutrophilia is a feature of the lung pathology.

Efficient electrostatic solvation model for protein-fragment docking

A method is presented for the fast evaluation of the binding energy of a protein-small molecule complex with electrostatic solvation. It makes use of a fast preprocessing step based on the assumption that the main contribution to electrostatic desolvation upon ligand binding originates from the displacement of the first shell of water molecules. For a rigid protein, the precomputation of the energy contributions on a set of grids allows the estimation of the energy in solution of about 300 protein-fragment binding modes per second on a personal computer. The docking procedure is applied to five rigid binding sites whose size ranges from 17 residues to a whole protein of 107 amino acids. Using a library of 70 mainly rigid molecules, known micromolar inhibitors or close analogs are docked and prioritized correctly. The docking based rank-ordering of the library requires about 5 h and is proposed as a complementary approach to structure-activity relationships by nuclear magnetic resonance. Proteins 2001;42:256-268.

SU6656, a selective src family kinase inhibitor, used to probe growth factor signaling

The use of small-molecule inhibitors to study molecular components of cellular signal transduction pathways provides a means of analysis complementary to currently used techniques, such as antisense, dominant-negative (interfering) mutants and constitutively activated mutants. We have identified and characterized a small-molecule inhibitor, SU6656, which exhibits selectivity for Src and other members of the Src family. A related inhibitor, SU6657, inhibits many kinases, including Src and the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor. The use of SU6656 confirmed our previous findings that Src family kinases are required for both Myc induction and DNA synthesis in response to PDGF stimulation of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. By comparing PDGF-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation events in untreated and SU6656-treated cells, we found that some substrates (for example, c-Cbl, and protein kinase C delta) were Src family substrates whereas others (for example, phospholipase C-gamma) were not. One protein, the adaptor Shc, was a substrate for both Src family kinases (on tyrosines 239 and 240) and a distinct tyrosine kinase (on tyrosine 317, which is perhaps phosphorylated by the PDGF receptor itself). Microinjection experiments demonstrated that a Shc molecule carrying mutations of tyrosines 239 and 240, in conjunction with an SH2 domain mutation, interfered with PDGF-stimulated DNA synthesis. Deletion of the phosphotyrosine-binding domain also inhibited synthesis. These inhibitions were overcome by heterologous expression of Myc, supporting the hypothesis that Shc functions in the Src pathway. SU6656 should prove a useful additional tool for further dissecting the role of Src kinases in this and other signal transduction pathways.

Activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 by human cytomegalovirus infection through two distinct pathways: a novel mechanism for activation of p38

Recent evidence indicates activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 has a critical function in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) viral DNA replication in infected human fibroblasts. To elucidate the mechanism of HCMV-mediated p38 activation, we have performed a detailed analysis of p38 activation and the kinases associated with this activation at different times postinfection. We demonstrate that p38 kinase activity is strongly increased following viral infection. Inhibition of this activity significantly inhibited HCMV-induced hyperphosphorylation of pRb and phosphorylation of heat shock protein 27, suggesting that p38 activation is involved in virus-mediated changes in host cell metabolism throughout the course of infection. We then provide evidence that p38 activation is mediated by different mechanisms at early times versus later times of infection. At early times of infection (8 to 14 h postinfection [hpi]), when p38 activation is first observed, no significant activation of the three kinases which can directly phosphorylate p38 (namely, MKK3, MKK6, and MKK4) is detected. Using vectors which express dominant negative proteins, we demonstrate that basal MKK6 kinase activity is necessary for HCMV-mediated p38 activation at these early times of infection (12 hpi). Then, we use ATP depletion to show that at 12 hpi, HCMV inhibits dephosphorylation of activated p38. These two experiments suggest that HCMV activates p38 by inhibition of dephosphorylation of p38. In contrast to early times of infection, at later times of infection (48 to 72 hpi), increased MKK3/6, but not MKK4, activity is observed. These results indicate that at early times of HCMV infection, increased steady-state levels of activated p38 is mediated at least in part by inhibition of dephosphorylation of p38, while at later times of infection p38 activation is due to increased activity of the upstream kinases MKK3 and MKK6. These findings indicate that HCMV has developed multiple mechanisms to ensure activation of the MAPK p38, a kinase critical to viral infection.

The Role of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in IL-1β Transcription

Several reports have shown that bicyclic imidazoles, specific inhibitors of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), block cytokine synthesis at the translational level. In this study, we examined the role of p38 MAPK in the regulation of the IL-1β cytokine gene in monocytic cell lines using the bicyclic imidazole SB203580. Addition of SB203580 30 min before stimulation of monocytes with LPS inhibited IL-1β protein and steady state message in a dose-dependent manner in both RAW264.7 and J774 cell lines. The loss of IL-1β message was due mainly to inhibition of transcription, since nuclear run-off analysis showed an ∼80% decrease in specific IL-1 RNA synthesis. In contrast, SB203580 had no effect on the synthesis of TNF-α message. LPS-stimulated p38 MAPK activity in the RAW264.7 cells was blocked by SB203580, as measured by the inhibition of MAPKAP2 kinase activity, a downstream target of the p38 MAPK. CCAATT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)/NFIL-6-driven chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter activity was sensitive to SB203580, indicating that C/EBP/NFIL-6 transcription factor(s) are also targets of p38 MAPK. In contrast, transfected CAT constructs containing NF-κB elements were only partially inhibited (∼35%) at the highest concentration of SB203580 after LPS stimulation. As measured by EMSA, LPS-stimulated NF-κB activation was not affected by SB203580. Overall, the results demonstrate, for the first time, a role for p38 MAPK in IL-1β transcription by acting through C/EBP/NFIL-6 transcription factors.

Differential effects of protein kinase C inhibitors on fibronectin-induced interleukin-beta gene transcription, protein synthesis and secretion in human monocytic cells

Human monocytic cells express interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) when stimulated with the extracellular matrix glycoprotein, fibronectin (FN). Protein kinase C (PKC) activation is considered important for this process; however, the metabolic steps at which PKC acts upon to mediate the FN-induced IL-1beta response remain unclear. We performed an analysis of the mechanisms by which two PKC inhibitors, Calphostin C and Staurosporine, prevent the FN-induced IL-1beta response. Both inhibitors blocked the secretion of IL-1beta protein into the media of peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to FN. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that under these circumstances, Calphostin C inhibited the production of IL-1beta protein, whereas Staurosporine allowed protein production, but inhibited its secretion. To determine the mechanisms responsible for these differences, we turned to human U937 promonocytic cells. U937 cells transfected with the human full-length IL-1beta promoter connected to a luciferase reporter gene were submitted to transcription assays, Northern blotting, and DNA electrophoresis mobility gel shift assays. These studies revealed that Calphostin C inhibited the nuclear translocation of the transcription factor activator protein-1 (AP-1) which is considered necessary for FN induction of IL-1beta gene transcription, and prevented the transcription of the IL-1beta gene. In contrast, Staurosporine alone induced AP-1 translocation and stimulation of the gene. Overall, our data indicate that Calphostin C prevents the transcription of the IL-1beta gene thereby inhibiting protein synthesis. Based on the high specificity of this compound for PKC, we conclude that PKC is necessary for FN-induced IL-1beta protein production. In contrast, Staurosporine prevented secretion of IL-1beta by unknown mechanisms.

Structural basis of inhibitor selectivity in MAP kinases

BACKGROUND

The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are important signaling molecules that participate in diverse cellular events and are potential targets for intervention in inflammation, cancer, and other diseases. The MAP kinase p38 is responsive to environmental stresses and is involved in the production of cytokines during inflammation. In contrast, the activation of the MAP kinase ERK2 (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 2) leads to cellular differentiation or proliferation. The anti-inflammatory agent pyridinylimidazole and its analogs (SB [SmithKline Beecham] compounds) are highly potent and selective inhibitors of p38, but not of the closely-related ERK2, or other serine/threonine kinases. Although these compounds are known to bind to the ATP-binding site, the origin of the inhibitory specificity toward p38 is not clear.

RESULTS

We report the structural basis for the exceptional selectivity of these SB compounds for p38 over ERK2, as determined by comparative crystallography. In addition, structural data on the origin of olomoucine (a better inhibitor of ERK2) selectivity are presented. The crystal structures of four SB compounds in complex with p38 and of one SB compound and olomoucine in complex with ERK2 are presented here. The SB inhibitors bind in an extended pocket in the active site and are complementary to the open domain structure of the low-activity form of p38. The relatively closed domain structure of ERK2 is able to accommodate the smaller olomoucine.

CONCLUSIONS

The unique kinase-inhibitor interactions observed in these complexes originate from amino-acid replacements in the active site and replacements distant from the active site that affect the size of the domain interface. This structural information should facilitate the design of better MAP-kinase inhibitors for the treatment of inflammation and other diseases.

Dysmorphogenic effects of a specific protein kinase C inhibitor during neurulation

Protein kinase C (PKC) plays a key role in signal transduction and is an important mediator of events throughout development. However, no information exists regarding the effect of a specific PKC inhibitor on mammalian embryogenesis during neurulation. This investigation was undertaken to examine the effects of a specific inhibitor of PKC, as well as inhibitors of other important kinases, on cultured mouse embryos. CD-1 mouse embryos (3 to 6 somite stage) were exposed to bisindolylmaleimide I (a specific PKC inhibitor) as well as specific inhibitors of PKA, PKG, and MAP kinase kinase for 24 h. The PKC inhibitor was a potent embryotoxicant and elicited malformations at concentrations as low as 0.01 microM. Inhibitors of other kinases also produced malformations but at much higher concentrations than those required to produce similar defects with the PKC inhibitor. These data suggest that PKC plays an important role in mammalian neurulation. Further research is required to clarify the mechanism by which PKC inhibition at this developmental stage produces malformations and the potential effects of environmental toxicants with PKC inhibitory properties on this signal transduction pathway.

The structure of mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 at 2.1-A resolution

The structure of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase p38 has been solved at 2.1-A to an R factor of 21.0%, making p38 the second low activity MAP kinase solved to date. Although p38 is topologically similar to the MAP kinase ERK2, the phosphorylation Lip (a regulatory loop near the active site) adopts a different fold in p38. The peptide substrate binding site and the ATP binding site are also different from those of ERK2. The results explain why MAP kinases are specific for different activating enzymes, substrates, and inhibitors. A model presented for substrate and activator interactions has implications for the evolution of protein kinase cascades.