Activates the JUN N-terminal pathway. Required for serum-stimulated cell proliferation and for mitogen and cytokine activation of MAPK14 (p38), MAPK3 (ERK) and MAPK8 (JNK1) through phosphorylation and activation of MAP2K4/MKK4 and MAP2K7/MKK7. Plays a role in mitogen-stimulated phosphorylation and activation of BRAF, but does not phosphorylate BRAF directly. Influences microtubule organization during the cell cycle.
Subcellular locations: Cytoplasm, Cytoskeleton, Microtubule organizing center, Centrosome
Location is cell cycle dependent.
Expressed in a wide variety of normal and neoplastic tissues including fetal lung, liver, heart and kidney, and adult lung, liver, heart, kidney, placenta, skeletal muscle, pancreas and brain.