The acronym CK2 (derived from the misnomer ‘casein kinase’ 2) denotes one of the most pleiotropic members of the eukaryotic protein kinase superfamily, characterized by an acidic consensus sequence in which a carboxylic acid (or pre-phosphorylated) side chain at position n+3 relative to the target serine/threonine residue plays a crucial role. The latest repertoire of CK2 substrates includes approx. 300 proteins, but the analysis of available phosphopeptide databases from different sources suggests that CK2 alone may be responsible for the generation of a much larger proportion (10–20%) of the eukaryotic phosphoproteome. Although for the time being CK2 is not included among protein kinases whose inhibitors are in clinical practice or in advanced clinical trials, evidence is accumulating that elevated CK2 constitutive activity co-operates to induce a number of pathological conditions, including cancer, infectious diseases, neurodegeneration and cardiovascular pathologies. The development and usage of cell-permeant, selective inhibitors discloses a scenario whereby CK2 plays a global anti-apoptotic role, which under special circumstances may lead to untimely and pathogenic cell survival.
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December 2006
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Conference Article|
October 25 2006
Protein kinase CK2: a newcomer in the ‘druggable kinome’
M.A. Pagano;
M.A. Pagano
*Department of Biological Chemistry and CNR Institute of Neurosciences, University of Padova, viale G. Colombo 3, 35121 Padova, Italy
†Venetian Institute for Molecular Medicine (VIMM), via Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
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L. Cesaro;
L. Cesaro
*Department of Biological Chemistry and CNR Institute of Neurosciences, University of Padova, viale G. Colombo 3, 35121 Padova, Italy
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F. Meggio;
F. Meggio
*Department of Biological Chemistry and CNR Institute of Neurosciences, University of Padova, viale G. Colombo 3, 35121 Padova, Italy
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L.A. Pinna
L.A. Pinna
1
*Department of Biological Chemistry and CNR Institute of Neurosciences, University of Padova, viale G. Colombo 3, 35121 Padova, Italy
†Venetian Institute for Molecular Medicine (VIMM), via Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email lorenzo.pinna@unipd.it).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
June 23 2006
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2006 The Biochemical Society
2006
Biochem Soc Trans (2006) 34 (6): 1303–1306.
Article history
Received:
June 23 2006
Citation
M.A. Pagano, L. Cesaro, F. Meggio, L.A. Pinna; Protein kinase CK2: a newcomer in the ‘druggable kinome’. Biochem Soc Trans 1 December 2006; 34 (6): 1303–1306. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0341303
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