Overview:

DAPK3 or Death-associated protein kinase 3 (also known as ZIP) plays a role in apoptosis (1). DAPK3 is a nuclear serine/threonine-specific kinase that phosphorylates core histones H3 and H4, and myosine light chain in vitro. DAPK3 interacts with transcription and splicing factors as well as with pro-apoptotic protein Par-4 suggesting that it participates in multiple cellular processes. DAPK3 contains a leucine zipper structure at its C terminus and this region is responsible for binding to ATF4. The leucine zipper domain is necessary for the homodimerization of DAPK3 as well as for the activation of the kinase (2).

Gene Aliases:

ZIP, ZIPK, FLJ36473

Genbank Number:

NM_001348

References:

1. Kawai, T. et al: ZIP kinase, a novel serine/threonine kinase which mediates apoptosis. Mol. Cell Biol. 1998;18(3):1642-51.

2. Preuss, U. et al. Novel mitosis-specific phosphorylation of histone H3 at Thr11 mediated by Dlk/ZIP kinase. Nucleic Acids Res. 2003; 31(3):878-85.