Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7 (MAP3K7)

Serine/threonine kinase which acts as an essential component of the MAP kinase signal transduction pathway. Plays an essential role in the cascades of cellular responses evoked by changes in the environment.

Ceramides are also able to activate MAP3K7/TAK1. Once activated, acts as an upstream activator of the MKK/JNK signal transduction cascade and the p38 MAPK signal transduction cascade through the phosphorylation and activation of several MAP kinase kinases such as MAP2K1/MEK1, MAP2K3/MKK3, MAP2K6/MKK6 and MAP2K7/MKK7.