STK39 explained

STE20/SPS1-related proline-alanine-rich protein kinase is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the STK39 gene.^{[1] [2]}

This gene encodes a serine/threonine kinase that is thought to function in the cellular stress response pathway. The kinase is activated in response to hypotonic stress, leading to phosphorylation of several cation-chloride-coupled cotransporters. The catalytically active kinase specifically activates the p38 MAP kinase pathway, and its interaction with p38 decreases upon cellular stress, suggesting that this kinase may serve as an intermediate in the response to cellular stress.^[3] Some studies suggest that this gene might be linked to high blood pressure.^[4]

Further reading

• Qi H, Labrie Y, Grenier J, etal . Androgens induce expression of SPAK, an STE20/SPS1-related kinase, in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells . Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. . 182 . 2 . 181–92 . 2001 . 11514053 . 10.1016/S0303-7207(01)00560-3 . 26078681 .
• Dowd BF, Forbush B . PASK (proline-alanine-rich STE20-related kinase), a regulatory kinase of the Na-K-Cl cotransporter (NKCC1) . J. Biol. Chem. . 278 . 30 . 27347–53 . 2003 . 12740379 . 10.1074/jbc.M301899200 . free .
• Piechotta K, Garbarini N, England R, Delpire E . Characterization of the interaction of the stress kinase SPAK with the Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl⁻ cotransporter in the nervous system: evidence for a scaffolding role of the kinase . J. Biol. Chem. . 278 . 52 . 52848–56 . 2004 . 14563843 . 10.1074/jbc.M309436200 . free .
• Ota T, Suzuki Y, Nishikawa T, etal . Complete sequencing and characterization of 21,243 full-length human cDNAs . Nat. Genet. . 36 . 1 . 40–5 . 2004 . 14702039 . 10.1038/ng1285 . free .
• Moriguchi T, Urushiyama S, Hisamoto N, etal . WNK1 regulates phosphorylation of cation-chloride-coupled cotransporters via the STE20-related kinases, SPAK and OSR1 . J. Biol. Chem. . 280 . 52 . 42685–93 . 2006 . 16263722 . 10.1074/jbc.M510042200 . free .
• Vitari AC, Thastrup J, Rafiqi FH, etal . Functional interactions of the SPAK/OSR1 kinases with their upstream activator WNK1 and downstream substrate NKCC1 . Biochem. J. . 397 . 1 . 223–31 . 2006 . 16669787 . 10.1042/BJ20060220 . 1479760 .
• Polek TC, Talpaz M, Spivak-Kroizman TR . TRAIL-induced cleavage and inactivation of SPAK sensitizes cells to apoptosis . Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. . 349 . 3 . 1016–24 . 2006 . 16950202 . 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.08.118 .
• Beausoleil SA, Villén J, Gerber SA, etal . A probability-based approach for high-throughput protein phosphorylation analysis and site localization . Nat. Biotechnol. . 24 . 10 . 1285–92 . 2006 . 16964243 . 10.1038/nbt1240 . 14294292 .
• Olsen JV, Blagoev B, Gnad F, etal . Global, in vivo, and site-specific phosphorylation dynamics in signaling networks . Cell . 127 . 3 . 635–48 . 2006 . 17081983 . 10.1016/j.cell.2006.09.026 . 7827573 . free .
• Yan Y, Nguyen H, Dalmasso G, etal . Cloning and characterization of a new intestinal inflammation-associated colonic epithelial Ste20-related protein kinase isoform . Biochim. Biophys. Acta . 1769 . 2 . 106–16 . 2007 . 17321610 . 10.1016/j.bbaexp.2007.01.003 . 1865517 .

Notes and References

1. Johnston AM, Naselli G, Gonez LJ, Martin RM, Harrison LC, DeAizpurua HJ . SPAK, a STE20/SPS1-related kinase that activates the p38 pathway . Oncogene . 19 . 37 . 4290–7 . Oct 2000 . 10980603 . 10.1038/sj.onc.1203784 . free .
2. Web site: Entrez Gene: STK39 serine threonine kinase 39 (STE20/SPS1 homolog, yeast).
3. Web site: Entrez Gene: STK39 serine threonine kinase 39 (STE20/SPS1 homolog, yeast).
4. News: Reuters: Key gene linked to high blood pressure identified . 29 December 2008.