CAMKK

CaMKK1 (alpha) and CaMKK2 (beta) are the calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinases positioned above the AMPK/CaMKI branch. On binding calcium-loaded calmodulin they phosphorylate a single threonine in the activation loops of AMPK, CaMKI and CaMKIV, coupling cytosolic calcium transients to energy sensing, transcription and metabolism. CaMKK2 is nuclear-enriched and prominent in brain, hematopoietic cells and prostate tissue, where it has been proposed to support androgen-independent growth; CaMKK1 is more broadly distributed and contributes to AMPK activation in lymphocytes. The pan-inhibitor STO-609 remains the standard tool compound, and selective CaMKK2 inhibitors are being developed for metabolic disease and oncology.