Atypical MAPK protein. Phosphorylates microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and MAPKAPK5. The precise role of the complex formed with MAPKAPK5 is still unclear, but the complex follows a complex set of phosphorylation events: upon interaction with atypical MAPKAPK5, ERK4/MAPK4 is phosphorylated at Ser-186 and then mediates phosphorylation and activation of MAPKAPK5, which in turn phosphorylates ERK4/MAPK4. May promote entry in the cell cycle (By similarity). . This is the function of MAPK4 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 4, Ensembl gene identifier ENSG00000141639).