Kinase Subfamily DAPK
Kinase Classification: Group CAMK: Family DAPK: Subfamily DAPK
Evolution
DAPK kinases are found in animals, including sponges, but lost from a number of lineages, including Drosophila and other dipterans, Trichoplax, and Nematostella. C. elegans has a single DRAK, K11C12.4/dapk-1, while mammals have three, DAPK1-3.
Domain Structure
DAPK kinases have an N-terminal kinase domain and a variable C terminal extension. The ancestral state, found in human DAPK1 and nematode K12C11.4 has ankyrin repeat region followed by ROC and COR domains and a death domain. Vertebrate DAPK2 and DAPK3 lack these additional domains. Several invertebrates, including all beetles and Aplysia appear to have lost just the kinase domain. A splice isoform of human DAPK1 lacks the kinase domain [1] and causes degradation of the full-length form, and C. elegans may also have splice isoforms (isoforms c, d) that lack the kinase domain.
