PKN

Protein kinase N, comprising PKN1, PKN2, and PKN3 (also called PRK1-PRK3 and PKL/PAK), constitutes the Rho-family GTPase effector branch of the AGC group. Each enzyme carries an N-terminal regulatory region with three HR1 repeats that bind active RhoA or Rac, a PDZ-binding motif, and the C-terminal AGC kinase domain activated by PDK1 phosphorylation downstream of PI3K. PKN1 is highly expressed in brain and heart and phosphorylates cytoskeletal substrates including vimentin, desmin, and neurofilament proteins, participating in receptor trafficking, cytokinesis, and androgen-receptor signaling; PKN3 has roles in vascular and placental tissue. Unlike PKA and PKC, which respond to diffusible second messengers, PKNs couple small GTPases directly to AGC phosphorylation, placing them at the interface of cytoskeletal and survival signaling.