| Full Name | Casein Kinase 2 Alpha 2 (Alpha Prime) |
|---|---|
| Gene Symbol | CSNK2A2 |
| Chromosome | 16p13.3 |
| NCBI Gene ID | [1459](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/1459) |
| OMIM | [115442](https://omim.org/entry/115442) |
| Ensembl | [ENSG00000070770](https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000070770) |
| UniProt | [P19784](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P19784) |
| Encoded Protein | [CK2α' protein](/proteins/ck2-alpha-prime-protein) |
| Associated Diseases | Parkinson's disease, Oculomotor dysfunction, Cancer |
CSNK2A2 (Casein Kinase 2 Alpha 2) encodes the CK2α' (alpha prime) catalytic subunit of casein kinase 2 (CK2), a constitutively active serine/threonine kinase.[1] While closely related to CSNK2A1 (CK2α), the α' subunit has distinct expression patterns and substrate preferences, with important roles in cerebellar function, oculomotor control, and neurodegeneration.[2] CSNK2A2 mutations cause a distinctive neurodevelopmental disorder with prominent oculomotor abnormalities.
The CSNK2A2 gene spans approximately 10 kb on chromosome 16p13.3 and contains 12 exons.[3] The encoded 350-amino acid protein:
Expression in the nervous system: CK2α' shows enriched expression in cerebellum (particularly Purkinje cells), brainstem nuclei controlling eye movements, and vestibular system.[4] Lower expression in hippocampus and cortex compared to CK2α.
CK2α' can substitute for α in the heterotetrameric holoenzyme:[5]
CK2α' plays specific roles in:[6]
CK2α' phosphorylates many neuronal substrates:[7]
Biallelic and heterozygous CSNK2A2 variants cause:[8]
CK2α' contributes to PD pathology:[9]
Like CSNK2A1, α' is implicated in oncogenesis:[10]
| Tissue | Expression Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cerebellum | Very high | Purkinje cells, motor control |
| Brainstem | High | Oculomotor nuclei |
| Vestibular system | High | Balance, spatial orientation |
| Cerebral cortex | Moderate | Lower than CK2α |
| Hippocampus | Moderate | Memory circuits |
| Variant | dbSNP | Effect | Clinical Relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| rs2072555 | NCBI | Intronic | Parkinson's disease association |
| rs3731320 | NCBI | 5' UTR | Gene expression modifier |
| rs7186521 | NCBI | Intronic | Cancer risk modifier |
CK2α' as a therapeutic target:[11]
Stahl M, et al. CK2: a protein kinase with a rich substrate repertoire. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2021. ↩︎
Schmitz ML, et al. CK2 subunits: functional and structural diversity. Prog Nucleic Acid Res Mol Biol. 2005. ↩︎
Yang-Feng TL, et al. Chromosomal localization of CK2α' gene. Genomics. 1994. ↩︎
Blanquet PR. Casein kinase 2 in the brain. Prog Neurobiol. 2000. ↩︎
Litchfield DW. Protein kinase CK2: structure, regulation and role in cellular decisions. Biochem Cell Biol. 2003. ↩︎
Ackermann K, et al. CK2α' in cerebellar development and function. Mol Cell Biol. 2016. ↩︎
Meggio F, Pinna LA. One-thousand-and-one substrates of protein kinase CK2. FASEB J. 2003. ↩︎
Chao HT, et al. CSNK2A2 mutations cause a neurodevelopmental syndrome with oculomotor abnormalities. Am J Hum Genet. 2020. ↩︎
Inglis KJ, et al. CK2 phosphorylation of α-synuclein. J Neurosci. 2009. ↩︎
Trembley JH, et al. CK2 in cancer: therapeutic opportunities. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2010. ↩︎
Chon HJ, et al. CK2 inhibitors in cancer therapy. Cancers (Basel). 2022. ↩︎