Negatively regulates Wnt/beta-catenin-signaling during development. Plays a role together with sox11 in neural induction during early embryogenesis. Involved in TGFbeta-mediated mesoderm induction in early embryos, acting downstream of map3k7/tak1 to phosphorylate stat3. Augments the rnf138/narf-directed ubiquitination and degradation of tcf/lef by enhancing the association of rnf138/narf and tcf/lef. Phosphorylates mef2a to play a role in anterior neural development, including eye formation (By similarity). ATP + L-seryl-[protein] = ADP + H(+) + O-phospho-L-seryl-[protein] ATP + L-threonyl-[protein] = ADP + H(+) + O-phospho-L-threonyl-[protein] Activated by tyrosine and threonine phosphorylation. Interacts with sox11, hmgxb4/hmg2l1, rnf138/narf, stat3.1 and mef2a. Belongs to the protein kinase superfamily. CMGC Ser/Thr protein kinase family. MAP kinase subfamily.