PDK2/PDHK2

Among the four PDH kinases, PDK2 is the most abundantly and ubiquitously expressed isozyme and is often the dominant regulator of pyruvate dehydrogenase flux in tissues such as liver and kidney. It phosphorylates Ser293 of the PDH complex E1alpha subunit to block entry of glycolytic carbon into mitochondria, and its crystal structures have made it the reference enzyme for understanding lipoyl-domain recognition and allosteric effector regulation within the family. PDK2 is potently inhibited by dichloroacetate (DCA), the prototypical PDH-kinase drug, which is used clinically in lactic acidosis. Recombinant PDK2 is widely employed in DCA-class inhibitor screening and metabolic studies.