IDENTIFICATION OF SIGNALING PROTEINS INTERACTING WITH B-RAF IN THE YEAST 2-HYBRID SYSTEM

Recent studies suggested the existence of Ras/B-Raf/MEK-1 complexes an d a critical role for B-Raf in regulating the MAP kinase/ERKs signalli ng pathway, We report, here, that both Ras and MEK-1 proteins interact physically with B-Raf proteins in the yeast two-hybrid system, In add ition, by screening a mouse brain cDNA library, we isolated additional B-Raf interacting proteins, These include three members of the 14-3-3 proteins family (eta, theta and zeta) and the MEK-2 protein, We also show that c-Raf-1, previously reported to interact with beta and zeta 14-3-3 proteins, also interacts with eta and theta 14-3-3 proteins in the two-hybrid system, By using different portions of the B-Raf protei n, we mapped the regions of the protein involved in these interactions , Specifically, we have characterized B-Raf specific sequences require d for an efficient interaction with MER proteins, We show that, conseq uently, B-Raf interacts with MEK-1 and MEK-2 with a better affinity th an does c-Raf-1, thus strengthening the notion that B-Raf is a stronge r MER activator than c-Raf-1, Our results also suggest that a MEK spec ific sequence, not present in MAP kinase kinases which are not activat ed by members of the Raf family, is required for the interaction with Raf proteins.