title: Identification and characterization of TESK2, a novel member of the LIMK/TESK family of protein kinases, predominantly expressed in testis.
abstract: In this study we present the cDNA sequence of a novel putative protein kinase, denoted TESK2. The open reading frame of TESK2 encodes a putative 555-amino-acid protein, including a protein kinase consensus sequence in the N-terminal half. The protein kinase domain of TESK2 is structurally similar to the kinase domain of the protein serine/threonine kinase TESK1 (64% identity) and to those of the LIMK1 and LIMK2 kinases (42 and 39% identity, respectively). TESK2, together with TESK1, constitutes a second subgroup of the LIMK/TESK family of protein kinases, as revealed by phylogenetic analysis of the protein kinase domains. Chromosomal localization of human TESK2 was assigned to 1p32. Expression analysis of human TESK2 revealed a single mRNA species of 3.0 kb predominantly expressed in testis and prostate and low expression in most other tissues examined. Rat testicles expressed a single species of TESK2 mRNA of approximately 3.5 kb. However, the transcript was first detectable in rat testis after day 30 of postnatal development and was predominantly expressed in round spermatids. These observations suggest that TESK2 plays an important role in spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Montebello, N-0310 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Røsok
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pedeutour
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ree
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Aasheim
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C486552:Tesk2 protein, rat; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C122169:TESK2 protein, human