MAP Kinase Interacting Serine/Threonine Kinase 2 (MKNK2)

Mnk2 has a conserved C-terminal Erk-interacting domain, a catalytic domain with homology to the calcium/calmodulin-dependent family of kinases, and putative MAP kinase phosphorylation sites located within the T loop of the kinase domain. Northern blot analysis detected Mnk2 expression in all adult mouse tissues tested except brain, where levels were greatly reduced. Expression was especially abundant in skeletal muscle.The sequence designated GPRK7 showed the least homology to known receptor kinases and was later determined to match the sequence of mitogen-activated protein kinase-interacting serine/threonine kinase-2 (MKNK2). MKNK2 contains conserved DLG (asp-leu-gly) and ENIL (glu-asn-ile-leu) motifs.