title: DNA-dependent protein kinase.
abstract: DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a nuclear protein serine/threonine kinase that is activated by DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). It is a component of the DNA DSB repair apparatus, and cells deficient in DNA-PK are hypersensitive to ionising radiation and radio-mimetic drugs. In addition, DNA-PK is required to generate the antigen binding sites of T-cell receptor and immunoglobulin molecules, and the phenotype of the severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mouse is due to a DNA-PK deficiency. Recent data suggest that DNA-PK may also have roles in controlling transcription, apoptosis, and the length of telomeric chromosomal ends. Finally, DNA-PK is related to other proteins involved in DNA damage detection, including the protein defective in the human neurodegenerative and cancer predisposition syndrome ataxia-telangiectasia. Studies on DNA-PK should provide a better understanding of degenerative disease and cancer, and may lead to improved therapies for these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome/CRC Institute, Cambridge, U.K.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004260:DNA Repair; D051747:DNA-Activated Protein Kinase; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051747:DNA-Activated Protein Kinase; C497263:PRKDC protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases