mTOR Signaling

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a serine/threonine protein kinase, integrates responses from a wide variety of signals (nutrients, hormones, growth factors, and cellular stresses) to regulate cell growth, metabolism, and survival. This important kinase forms 2 distinct protein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2. The rapamycin-sensitive mTORC1 complex regulates multiple biosynthetic cellular processes (protein synthesis, cell cycle progression, cell growth, and proliferation). Until recently, the lack of mTORC2-specific inhibitors complicated elucidation of this protein complex’s molecular functions. One definitive mTORC2 response is AKT activation, important for cell proliferation, migration, and survival (apoptosis and autophagy inhibition). More is known about the mTORC1 signaling pathway, including major activating signaling pathways and downstream effectors. However, some mTORC2 regulators have been identified, although more remain to be discovered.

QIAGEN provides a broad range of assay technologies for mTOR signaling research that enables analysis of gene expression and regulation, epigenetic modification, genotyping, and signal transduction pathway activation. Solutions optimized for mTOR signaling studies include PCR array, miRNA, siRNA, mutation analysis, pathway reporter, chromatin IP, DNA methylation, and protein expression products.