The DAP kinase family of pro-apoptotic proteins: novel players in the apoptotic game

• Published in: BioEssays 2001-04, Vol.23 (4), p.352-358
• Main Authors: Kögel, Donat, Prehn, Jochen H.M., Scheidtmann, Karl Heinz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases - metabolism; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases - physiology; Death-Associated Protein Kinases; Enzyme Activation; Humans; Molecular Sequence Data; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases - physiology; Signal Transduction - physiology; Subcellular Fractions
• ISSN: 0265-9247; 1521-1878
• DOI: 10.1002/bies.1050

The DAP (Death Associated Protein) kinase family is a novel subfamily of pro‐apoptotic serine/threonine kinases. All five DAP kinase family members identified to date are ubiquitously expressed in various tissues and are capable of inducing apoptosis. The sequence homology of the five kinases is largely restricted to the N‐terminal kinase domain. In contrast, the adjacent C‐terminal regions are very diverse and link individual family members to specific signal transduction pathways. There is increasing evidence that DAP kinase family members are involved in both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis and may play a role in tumor progression. This review will focus on structural composition and subcellular localization of DAP kinase family members and on signal transduction pathways leading to their activation. Potential mechanisms of DAP kinase family‐mediated apoptosis will be discussed. BioEssays 23:352–358, 2001. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.