Pathway specificity for Met signalling

Signals generated by the tyrosine kinase receptor Met elicit a complex biological response including cell dissociation, migration, protection from apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. Paradoxically, all these are triggered by phosphorylation of a single two-tyrosine motif in the Met receptor tail, docking multiple SH2 signal transducers. The precise amino acid sequence of the motif is an absolute requirement for fulfilling the response, showing that there is specificity in intracellular pathways.