MAP2K4

Chr 17

mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 4

Also known as: JNKK, JNKK1, MAPKK4, MEK4, MKK4, PRKMK4, SAPKK-1, SAPKK1

MAP2K4 encodes a dual specificity protein kinase that directly activates stress-activated protein kinases (JNK1, JNK2, JNK3) and p38 MAPKs, serving as an essential component of cellular stress response and apoptotic signaling pathways. Mutations cause neurodevelopmental disorders with intellectual disability and seizures, inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. This gene is highly constrained against loss-of-function variants, indicating that complete loss of protein function is likely incompatible with normal development.

OMIMResearchSummary from RefSeq, UniProt
LOFmechanismLOEUF 0.22
Clinical SummaryMAP2K4
Population Constraint (gnomAD)
Highly constrained gene — heterozygous loss-of-function variants are very rare in the population (pLI 1.00). One damaged copy is likely sufficient to cause disease.
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ClinVar Variants
10 unique Pathogenic / Likely Pathogenic· 34 VUS of 72 total submissions
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Clinical Trials
5 active or recruiting trials — potential therapeutic options may be available

Population Genetics & Constraint

gnomAD v4 — loss-of-function & missense intolerance

Dual constrained — LoF & missense intolerant
LoF Constraint
0.22LOEUF
pLI 0.997
Z-score 4.10
OE 0.05 (0.010.22)
Highly constrained

Highly LoF-intolerant (top ~10% of genes)

Missense Constraint
3.23Z-score
OE missense 0.36 (0.290.43)
71 obs / 199.4 exp
Constrained

Highly missense-constrained (top ~0.1%)

Observed / Expected Ratios
LoF OE0.05 (0.010.22)
00.351.4
Missense OE0.36 (0.290.43)
00.61.4
Synonymous OE0.99
01.21.6
LoF obs/exp: 1 / 21.6Missense obs/exp: 71 / 199.4Syn Z: 0.09
DN
0.3792th %ile
GOF
0.5171th %ile
LOF
0.75top 10%

The highest-scoring mechanism for this gene is loss-of-function (haploinsufficiency).

LOFprediction above median · LOEUF 0.22

Predictions from Badonyi M, Marsh JA. PLoS ONE. 2024;19(8):e0307312. Mechanism ranking also informed by gnomAD constraint, ClinVar, and ClinGen data.

ClinVar Variant Classifications

72 submitted variants in ClinVar

Classification Summary

Pathogenic10
VUS34
10
Pathogenic
34
VUS

Curated Variants Distribution

Classified variants from ClinVar · 5 ACMG categories

ClassificationLoFMissense + InframeNon-codingSynonymousTotal
Pathogenic
0
0
10
0
10
Likely Pathogenic
0
0
0
0
0
VUS
0
31
3
0
34
Likely Benign
0
0
0
0
0
Benign
0
0
0
0
0
Total03113044

LoF = frameshift, stop gained/lost, canonical splice · Counts from ClinVar esearch · Updated hourly

View in ClinVar →

Protein Context — Lollipop Plot

MAP2K4 · protein map & ClinVar variants

Showing all ClinVar variants across the protein. Search a specific variant to highlight its position.

3D Protein StructureAlphaFold
Clinical Literature
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