Many eukaryotic genes are acutely regulated by extra-cellular signals. The c-fos serum response element (SRE) mediates transcriptional activation in response to mitogens through serum response factor (SRF)-dependent recruitment of Elk-1, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-responsive transcription factor. How subsequent events at SRE promoters stimulate initiation of transcription has yet to be fully resolved. Here we show that extra-cellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and mitogen and stress-activated kinase (MSK) are recruited to SRE promoter complexes in vitro and in vivo. Their recruitment in vitro correlates with Elk-1 binding and for ERK the D domain/KIM of Elk-1 is specifically involved. In vivo, recruitment of ERK and MSK is stimulated by mitogens, correlates with histone H3 phosphorylation and is impaired by Elk-1 knockdown. Immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy reveal that ERK appears to associate to some extent with initiating rather than elongating RNA polymerase II. Taken together, our data add to the body of evidence implying that ERK and related MAPKs may fulfil a generic role at the promoters of acutely regulated genes.