Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 2 Kinase (EEF2K)

Eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase is a highly conserved protein kinase in the calmodulin-mediated signaling pathway that links activation of cell surface receptors to cell division. This kinase is involved in the regulation of protein synthesis.The deduced 725-amino acid human protein is 90% identical to the rodent proteins. EEF2K lacks homology to other serine/threonine kinases or to other calmodulin-dependent kinases, apart from a glycine-rich loop that is part of the ATP-binding site. All EEF2K sequences contain a highly-conserved 200-residue catalytic domain. There is also a conserved C-terminal coiled-coil region. SDS-PAGE and functional analysis showed expression of a 100-kD protein whose activity was strictly calmodulin-dependent.