Receptor Interacting Serine Threonine Kinase 4 (RIPK4)

RIPK4 is a serine/threonine protein kinase that interacts with protein kinase C-delta. The encoded protein can also activate NFkappaB and is required for keratinocyte differentiation. This kinase undergoes autophosphorylation.The protein contains 12 subdomains in the N-terminal region that are highly conserved in all protein kinases, 10 ankyrin-like repeats, and a potential nuclear localization signal. DIK shares 49% sequence similarity with DAP; unlike DAP, however, it contains neither a death domain nor a calmodulin-binding domain. Northern blot analysis revealed abundant expression in all tissues examined except spleen. In situ hybridization of mouse embryos between 10.5 and 14.5 days postcoitum suggested that expression is developmentally regulated.