※ CAMKK family introduction

    CAMKKs (Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinases) are classified into "Other" group. Two distinct genes encoding CAMKKs are indentified in human genome, CAMKKα and CaMKKβ. The two protein kinases sequences are 69% identical. CAMKKs are composed of a N-terminal protein kinase catalytic domain and a regulatory domain at its C-terminal region, which consists of the CaM-binding site overlapped with the autoinhibitory domain. The two members localized in different regions of the brains, CAMKKα is widely distributed in neurons, except in the cerebellar cortex, and CaMKKβ can be found in some neuronal populations, such as the cerebellar granule cells. CAMKKs are characterted by its important in CAMK cascade pathway via acting as an upstream activator of CAMKs such as CaMK I and CaMK IV, which is analogous to the MAPK cascade pathway. In addition, rat CAMKKα has been found to phosphorylate and activate protein kinase B, and in turn regulate the cell apoptosis (1).

Reference
1. Hsu, L.S., Chen, G.D., Lee, L.S., Chi, C.W., Cheng, J.F. and Chen, J.Y. (2001) Human Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase beta gene encodes multiple isoforms that display distinct kinase activity. J Biol Chem, 276, 31113-31123. PMID: 11395482