serine/threonine protein kinase Nek8; never in mitosis A-related kinase 8; NimA-related protein kinase 8; Nima-related protein kinase 12a (NEK8, JCK, NEK12A)

Function

• required for renal tubular integrity
• may regulate local cytoskeletal structure in renal tubule epithelial cells
• may regulate ciliary biogenesis through targeting of proteins to the cilia (putative)
• interacts with PKD2
• may regulate PKD2 targeting to the cilium (putative)

Cofactor: Mg+2 (putative)

Structure

• belongs to the protein kinase superfamily, NEK Ser/Thr protein kinase family, NIMA subfamily
• contains 1 protein kinase domain
• contains 5 RCC1 repeats

Compartment

• cytoplasm (putative)
• cytoskeleton, cell projection, cilium (putative)
• predominantly cytoplasmic
• localizes to the proximal region of the primary cilium & is not observed in dividing cells

Expression

• highest expression in thyroid, adrenal gland & skin
• low levels in spleen, colon & uterus

Pathology

• overexpressed in breast tumors
• highest expression in infiltrating ductal carcinomas
• moderate levels in mucinous adenocarcinoma
• defects in NEK8 are the cause of nephronophthisis type 9

More general terms

• serine/threonine protein kinase NEK

Database

• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=284086
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:284086
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/609799
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/613824
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q86SG6.html