p21 Protein Activated Kinase 3 (PAK3)

PAK proteins are critical effectors that link Rho GTPases to cytoskeleton reorganization and nuclear signaling. PAK proteins, a family of serine/threonine p21-activating kinases, serve as targets for the small GTP binding proteins Cdc42 and RAC and have been implicated in a wide range of biological activities.PAK3 forms an activated complex with GTP-bound RAS-like (P21), CDC2 and RAC1 proteins which then catalyzes a variety of targets. This protein may be necessary for dendritic development and for the rapid cytoskeletal reorganization in dendritic spines associated with synaptic plasticity. Defects in this gene are the cause of non-syndromic mental retardation X-linked type 30 (MRX30), also called X-linked mental retardation type 47 (MRX47). Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified.