Data accumulated over more than three decades demonstrate that the assembly of macrocomplexes, mainly of dimers, is widespread among the members of the different tiers that constitute the RAS-ERK pathway. In this issue of Science Signaling, Yuan et al. report that MEK1 homodimerization is necessary for signal transduction through the RAF-ERK pathway and that cancer-related MEK1 mutations confer enhanced dimerization and resistance to MEK inhibitors. These findings endorse interference with RAS-ERK pathway–component dimerization as a potential therapeutic strategy in cancer patients.

中文翻译：

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RAS-ERK途径：夫妻之路

三十多年来积累的数据表明，主要是二聚体的大分子复合物的组装在构成RAS-ERK途径的不同层次的成员中分布广泛。在本期《科学信号》中，袁等人。报告指出，MEK1同源二聚化对于通过RAF-ERK途径进行信号转导是必要的，并且与癌症相关的MEK1突变赋予增强的二聚化和对MEK抑制剂的抗性。这些发现支持对RAS-ERK途径-成分二聚化的干扰作为癌症患者的潜在治疗策略。