Serine/threonine-protein kinase/endoribonuclease IRE1 (ERN1)

Serine/threonine-protein kinase and endoribonuclease that functions as a key sensor for the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPR) (PubMed:11779464, PubMed:11175748, PubMed:12637535, PubMed:9637683, PubMed:21317875). In unstressed cells, the endoplasmic reticulum luminal domain is maintained in its inactive monomeric state by binding to the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone HSPA5/BiP (PubMed:21317875).

Accumulation of misfolded protein in the endoplasmic reticulum causes release of HSPA5/BiP, allowing the luminal domain name to homodimerize, boosting autophosphorylation of the kinase domain and subsequent activation of the endoribonuclease activity (PubMed:21317875). The endoribonuclease activity is specific for XBP1 mRNA and excises 26 nucleotides from XBP1 mRNA (PubMed:11779464, PubMed:24508390, PubMed:21317875).