Not available outside of the UK & Ireland.

Biochem/physiol Actions

EIF2AK2 (also known as double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase) is a protein kinase that has been shown to be involved in HIV/gp120-associated neurodegeneration.EIF2AK2 acts as a critical mediator of gp120 neurotoxicity and is a substrate for a family of protein kinases that respond to various forms of environmental stress. Activation of EIF2AK2 leads to its autophosphorylation and then phosphorylation of its natural substrate, the alpha subunit of eukaryotic protein synthesis initiation factor-2. EIF2AK2 plays a critical role in mRNA translation, cell proliferation and apoptosis. A novel cross-talk between the EIF2AKs and p53 has been shown that has implications in cell proliferation and tumorigenesis.

General description

EIF2AK2 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2-α kinase 2) is a ubiquitously expressed mammalian Ser/Thr kinase. It is localized to cytoplasm as well as nucleus. Its substrate is α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α), and it is a constitutively expressed enzyme. This protein is divided into two functional regions- its N-terminal contains two dsRNA binding domains (dsRBDs) and the C-terminal has the kinase domain. In dormant cells, it remains inactivated, but under proper stimuli it either self-activates or is activated by PKR activating protein.

Legal Information

PRECISIO is a registered trademark of Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC

Physical form

Supplied in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, with 150 mM NaCl, 0.2 5mM DTT, 0.1 mM EGTA, 0.1 mM EDTA, 0.1 mM PMSF, and 25% glycerol.