该基因编码的蛋白是一种双特异性蛋白激酶，属于MAP激酶家族。这种激酶被有丝分裂和环境胁迫激活，参与MAP激酶介导的信号级联它磷酸化，从而激活MAPK14/p38 MAPK这种激酶可被胰岛素激活，是葡萄糖转运蛋白表达所必需的RAS癌基因的表达导致该激酶活性形式的积累，从而导致MAPK14的组成性激活，并使原代细胞发生癌变这种激酶的抑制作用与假结核的发病有关。已经报道了编码不同亚型的多个选择性剪接转录变体。[由RefSeq提供，2008年7月]
The protein encoded by this gene is a dual specificity protein kinase that belongs to the MAP kinase kinase family. This kinase is activated by mitogenic and environmental stress, and participates in the MAP kinase-mediated signaling cascade. It phosphorylates and thus activates MAPK14/p38-MAPK. This kinase can be activated by insulin, and is necessary for the expression of glucose transporter. Expression of RAS oncogene is found to result in the accumulation of the active form of this kinase, which thus leads to the constitutive activation of MAPK14, and confers oncogenic transformation of primary cells. The inhibition of this kinase is involved in the pathogenesis of Yersina pseudotuberculosis. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants that encode distinct isoforms have been reported for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]