Experimental & Molecular Medicine  2007;39(5):565-573

WNKs: protein kinases with a unique kinase domain.

Chou Long HUANG 1 ; Seung Kuy CHA ; Hao Ran WANG ; Jian XIE ; Melanie H COBB

Affiliations

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Keywords

genome, human; hyperkalemia; hypertension; neoplasms; protein kinases; pseudohypoaldosteronisms; WNK1 protein, human

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

WNKs (with-no-lysine [K]) are a family of serine-threonine protein kinases with an atypical placement of the catalytic lysine relative to all other protein kinases. The roles of WNK kinases in regulating ion transport were first revealed by the findings that mutations of two members cause a genetic hypertension and hyperkalemia syndrome. More recent studies suggest that WNKs are pleiotropic protein kinases with important roles in many cell processes in addition to ion transport. Here, we review roles of WNK kinases in the regulation of ion balance, cell signaling, survival, and proliferation, and embryonic organ development.