Beta Adrenergic Receptor Kinase (BARK)

Beta-adrenergic receptor kinase (BARK) phosphorylates the beta-2-adrenergic receptor and appears to mediate agonist-specific desensitization observed at high agonist concentrations. BARK is a ubiquitous cytosolic enzyme that specifically phosphorylates the activated form of the beta-adrenergic and related G protein-coupled receptors.

By study of rodent/human hybrid cells retaining various human chromosomes and parts of chromosomes, Benovic et al. (1991) demonstrated that the ADRBK1 gene segregates with the long arm of chromosome 11, centromeric to 11q13, i.e., 11cen-q13. Benovic et al. (1991) mapped the homologous gene to mouse chromosome 19.