Protein Kinase C Zeta (PKCz)

Protein kinase C, zeta is an enzyme which in humans is encoded by the PRKCZ gene. The PRKCZ gene encodes at least two alternative transcripts, the full-length PKC zeta and an N-terminal truncated form PKM zeta. The truncated PKMζ is thought to be responsible for maintaining long-term memories in the brain.PKC-zeta has an N-terminal regulatory domain, followed by a hinge region and a C-terminal catalytic domain. Second messengers stimulate PKCs by binding to the regulatory domain, translocating the enzyme from cytosol to membrane, and producing a conformational change that removes autoinhibition of the PKC catalytic activity. PKM-zeta, a brain-specific isoform of PKC-zeta generated from an alternative transcript, lacks the regulatory region of full-length PKC-zeta and is therefore constitutively active.