A-kinase anchor proteins in endocrine systems and reproduction.

ABSTRACT

Over the past few years, significant progress has been made in characterizing the expression and localization of proteins that act as scaffolds for cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PK-A). These A-kinase anchor proteins (AKAPs) tether PK-A to intracellular organelles and structures, sequestering the kinase near its physiological substrates. The compartmentalization of distinct pockets of PK-A activity serves to provide spatial regulation of this signaling pathway. In addition, other signaling proteins bind to AKAPs, as do some newly described proteins of unknown function, suggesting that proteins of various pathways are anchored through AKAPs.