Pantothenate Kinase 1 (PANK1)

Pantothenate kinase 1 is a protein belonging to the pantothenate kinase family. Pantothenate kinase is a key regulatory enzyme in the biosynthesis of coenzyme A (CoA) in bacteria and mammalian cells. It catalyzes the first committed step in the universal biosynthetic pathway leading to CoA and is itself subject to regulation through feedback inhibition by CoA. Alternative splicing has been observed at this locus and three variants, each encoding a distinct isoform, have been identified.

Pantothenate kinase1 is expressed at high levels in brain, heart, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle and testis. Isoform 2 is detected at much lower levels in kidney, liver, brain and testis and is not detected in heart or skeletal muscle.