這個基因編碼的蛋白質是MAP激酶家族的一員。MAP激酶作為多種生化信號的整合點，參與細胞增殖、分化、轉錄調控和發育等多種過程。這種激酶被各種環境壓力和促炎細胞因子激活。活化需要MAP激酶激酶（MKKS）的磷酸化，或MAP3K7IP1/TAB1蛋白與該激酶相互作用引發的自身磷酸化。該激酶的底物包括轉錄調節因子atf2、mef2c和max、細胞周期調節因子cdc25b和腫瘤抑制因子p53，這表明該激酶在應激相關轉錄和細胞周期調節以及遺傳毒性應激反應中的作用。報道了四種編碼不同亞型基因的選擇性剪接轉錄變體。[由RefSeq提供，2008年7月]
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 is activated by various environmental stresses and proinflammatory cytokines. The activation requires its phosphorylation by MAP kinase kinases (MKKs), or its autophosphorylation triggered by the interaction of MAP3K7IP1/TAB1 protein with this kinase. The substrates of this kinase include transcription regulator ATF2, MEF2C, and MAX, cell cycle regulator CDC25B, and tumor suppressor p53, which suggest the roles of this kinase in stress related transcription and cell cycle regulation, as well as in genotoxic stress response. Four alternatively spliced transcript variants of this gene encoding distinct isoforms have been reported. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]