NEK6: Proteins and Enzymes

NEK6 encodes a NEK type protein kinase, which contains a C-terminal NIMA-like catalytic domain. The protein is believed to regulate chromatin condensation in mammalian cells via phosphorylation of histones H1 and H3, and it has been shown to phosphorylate ribosomal S6 protein kinase (S6K1) and serum and glucocorticoid induced protein kinase (SGK1), which regulate diverse cellular processes. The protein also has been shown to bind NEK9, another NIMA-related kinase which regulates chromosome alignment and segregation. At least three mRNA transcripts have been identified, 1.6-, 2.6-, and 9.5-kb. The NEK6 gene is localized to 9q33-34, a region at which the loss of heterozygosity is associated with transitional cell carcinomas. NEK6 expression has been documented in many normal human tissues, including blood, brain, heart, liver, lung, skeletal muscle, spleen and testis. ESTs have been isolated from numerous tissue libraries, especially normal cervix and amnion and cancerous bone marrow.