Thousand And One Amino Acid Protein Kinase 2 (TAOK2)

TAOK2 is a serine/threonine kinase that has a role in cell signaling, microtubule organization and stability, and in apoptosis. The deduced 1,049-amino acid protein appeared to be related to the C. elegans Sulu serine/threonine protein kinase. RT-PCR ELISA detected highest TAOK2 expression in whole adult brain, spinal cord, heart, liver, kidney, testis and ovary, in fetal brain and liver, and in all specific adult brain regions examined. Lower expression was detected in lung, pancreas, skeletal muscle, and spleen.The deduced 993-amino acid protein has an N-terminal serine/threonine protein kinase catalytic domain, followed by a possible nucleotide-binding site, a serine-rich region, a proline- and leucine-rich region, and a stretch of 17 glutamic acid residues.