Edited by Jeffrey E. PessinCyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is an important mediator of hormonal stimulation of cell growth and differentiation through its activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) cascade. Two small G proteins, Ras and Rap1 have been proposed to mediate this activation. Using HEK293 cells as a model system, we have recently shown that both Ras and Rap1 are required for cAMP signaling to ERKs. However, cAMP-dependent Ras signaling to ERKs is transient and rapidly terminated by PKA phosphorylation of the Raf isoforms C-Raf and B-Raf. In contrast, cAMP-dependent Rap1 signaling to ERKs and Rap1 is potentiated by PKA. We show that this is due to sustained binding of B-Raf to Rap1. One of the targets of PKA is Rap1 itself, directly phosphorylating Rap1a on serine 180 and Rap1b on serine 179. We show that these phosphorylations create potential binding sites for the adaptor protein 14-3-3 that links Rap1 to the scaffold protein KSR. These results suggest that Rap1 activation of ERKs requires PKA phosphorylation and KSR binding. Because KSR and B-Raf exist as heterodimers within the cell, this binding also brings B-Raf to Rap1, allowing Rap1 to couple to ERKs through B-Raf binding to Rap1 independently of its Ras-binding domain.Hormones that are coupled to the second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signal to multiple intracellular pathways. One of these, the MAP kinase, or ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) cascade, mediates many physiological functions of cAMP in development (1), metabolism (2, 3), cognition (4 -6), and cell growth (7-12). In all cases, cAMP signaling to ERKs requires the recruitment of the MAP kinase kinase kinase Raf to one of two small G proteins, Ras or Rap1. The ability to signal to both Ras and Rap1 allows cAMP to trigger the sustained activation of ERKs, which is required for many physiological functions, including the transcription/stabilization of many transcription factors (13,14).In addition to its ability to activate both Ras and Rap1, cAMP can inhibit signaling to Ras. PKA antagonizes Ras signaling through its phosphorylation of the Raf isoform C-Raf on serine 259 (Ser-259) (15). This phosphorylation and subsequent recruitment of 14-3-3 result in the release of C-Raf from active Ras (15, 16). We have recently shown that PKA phosphorylation of the homologous site in B-Raf (Ser-365) similarly prevents the direct binding of B-Raf to Ras (16). Despite this phosphorylation of B-Raf, B-Raf is still capable of binding to Rap1. This is physiologically relevant, as Rap1/B-Raf links PKA to ERKs (17, 18). How Rap1 is able to couple to B-Raf following PKA phosphorylation of B-Raf is unknown.We and others have identified Rap1 as a target for phosphorylation by PKA (19 -21). Here, we show that Rap1 phosphorylation plays a role in the ability of B-Raf to remain bound to Rap1 following cAMP stimulation. Rap1 phosphorylation creates a novel 14-3-3 binding site that connects Rap1 to the scaffold KSR. Because KSR can exist as a dimer with B-...