p21 activated kinases (PAKs) are members of a family of

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

s. They serve as targets for the small GTP binding proteins CDC42 and Rac and have been implicated in a wide range of biological activities. Members include: *

PAK1 Serine/threonine-protein kinase PAK 1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PAK1'' gene. PAK1 is one of six members of the PAK family of serine/threonine kinases which are broadly divided into group I (PAK1, PAK2 and PAK3) and group II ...

, regulating cell motility and morphology *

PAK2 Serine/threonine-protein kinase PAK 2 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PAK2'' gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''gen ...

, possibly playing a role in apoptosis *

PAK3 PAK3 (p21-activated kinase 2, beta-PAK) is one of three members of Group I PAK family of evolutionary conserved serine/threonine kinases. PAK3 is preferentially expressed in neuronal cells and involved in synapse formation and plasticity and me ...

, possibly for dendritic development and for the rapid cytoskeletal reorganization in dendritic spines associated with synaptic plasticity *

PAK4 Serine/threonine-protein kinase PAK 4 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PAK4'' gene. PAK4 is one of six members of the PAK family of serine/threonine kinases which are divided into group I (PAK1, PAK2 and PAK3) and group II (PAK4, P ...

, a mediator of filopodia formation *

PAK5 Serine/threonine-protein kinase PAK 5 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PAK5'' gene. The PAK5 enzyme is one of three members of Group II PAK family of serine/ threonine kinases, and evolutionary conserved across species. Discove ...

, a mediator of filopodia formation *

PAK6 Serine/threonine-protein kinase PAK 6 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PAK6'' gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''gene ...

, involved in cytoskeleton rearrangement

References

External links

PAK
Info with links in th
Cell Migration Gateway
Human proteins {{Protein-stub