CAMK

The CAMK family comprises calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases and related enzymes whose activity is stimulated by the calcium sensor calmodulin. Canonical members carry a conserved catalytic domain followed by a regulatory region that binds calmodulin, relieving autoinhibition. The family controls rapid calcium-dependent responses such as neurotransmitter release, muscle contraction, and gene transcription, and includes the CaMKI, CaMKII, and CaMKIV subfamilies plus the CaMK-like branch that encompasses AMPK and AMPK-related kinases governing metabolism and cell polarity. Family members phosphorylate substrates including CREB, phospholamban, myosin light chains, and tau, and their dysregulation contributes to heart failure, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and cancer.