Grb2 binding induces phosphorylation-independent activation of Shp2

Abstract

Lin et al. investigate the interactions between adaptor protein, Grb2, and the ubiquitously expressed protein tyrosine phosphatase, Shp2. They find that monomeric Grb2 can activate Shp2 and its downstream signalling in the absence of up-regulation of receptor tyrosine kinases in response to different cellular conditions. They find that cancer-related signalling in breast cancer cells can be attributed to the binding of Grb2 to Shp2.