IL2-inducible T-cell kinase, also known as ITK, is a protein

Protein

Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...

 that in humans is encoded by the ITK gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

.

Function

This gene encodes an intracellular tyrosine kinase

Tyrosine kinase

A tyrosine kinase is an enzyme that can transfer a phosphate group from ATP to a protein in a cell. It functions as an "on" or "off" switch in many cellular functions....

 expressed in T-cells. The protein is thought to play a role in T-cell proliferation

Cell growth

The term cell growth is used in the contexts of cell development and cell division . When used in the context of cell division, it refers to growth of cell populations, where one cell grows and divides to produce two "daughter cells"...

 and differentiation

Cellular differentiation

In developmental biology, cellular differentiation is the process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type. Differentiation occurs numerous times during the development of a multicellular organism as the organism changes from a simple zygote to a complex system of...

.

Structure

This protein contains the following domains

Protein domain

A protein domain is a part of protein sequence and structure that can evolve, function, and exist independently of the rest of the protein chain. Each domain forms a compact three-dimensional structure and often can be independently stable and folded. Many proteins consist of several structural...

, which are often found in intracellular kinases:

• N-terminus – PH (pleckstrin homology domain)
• BTK – Bruton's tyrosine kinase
  Bruton's tyrosine kinase
  Bruton's tyrosine kinase is a type of kinase enzyme implicated in the primary immunodeficiency disease X-linked agammaglobulinemia . Its exact mechanism of action remains unknown, but it plays a crucial role in B cell maturation as well as mast cell activation through the high-affinity IgE receptor...
  
   Cys-rich motif
• SH3
  SH3 domain
  The SRC Homology 3 Domain is a small protein domain of about 60 amino acids residues first identified as a conserved sequence in the viral adaptor protein v-Crk and the non-catalytic parts of enzymes such as phospholipase and several cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases such as Abl and Src...
  
   – (Src homology 3)
• SH2
  SH2 domain
  The SH2 domain is a structurally conserved protein domain contained within the Src oncoprotein and in many other intracellular signal-transducing proteins...
  
   – (Src homology 2)
• C-terminus – tyrosine kinase, catalytic domain

Interactions

ITK (gene) has been shown to interact

Protein-protein interaction

Protein–protein interactions occur when two or more proteins bind together, often to carry out their biological function. Many of the most important molecular processes in the cell such as DNA replication are carried out by large molecular machines that are built from a large number of protein...

 with FYN

FYN

Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Fyn is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the FYN gene.This gene is a member of the protein-tyrosine kinase oncogene family. It encodes a membrane-associated tyrosine kinase that has been implicated in the control of cell growth...

, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein

The Wiskott–Aldrich Syndrome Protein is a 502-amino acid protein that is expressed in cells of the hematopoietic system. In the inactive state, WASp exists in an auto-inhibited conformation with sequences near its C-terminus binding to a region near its N-terminus...

, KHDRBS1

KHDRBS1

KH domain-containing, RNA-binding, signal transduction-associated protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KHDRBS1 gene.-Further reading:...

, PLCG1

PLCG1

Phospholipase C, gamma 1, also known as PLCG1, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PLCG1 gene.-Function:The protein encoded by this gene catalyzes the formation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate...

, Lymphocyte cytosolic protein 2

Lymphocyte cytosolic protein 2

Lymphocyte cytosolic protein 2 , also known as LCP2 or SLP-76, is a gene that encodes a signal-transducing adaptor protein.-Interactions:...

, Linker of activated T cells

Linker of activated T cells

Linker of Activated T cells, also known as LAT, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the LAT gene. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms.-Function:...

, Karyopherin alpha 2, Grb2

Grb2

Growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 also known as Grb2 is an adaptor protein involved in signal transduction/cell communication. In humans, the GRB2 protein is encoded by the GRB2 gene....

 and Peptidylprolyl isomerase A

Peptidylprolyl isomerase A

Peptidylprolyl isomerase A also known as cyclophilin A or rotamase A is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PPIA gene.- Function :...

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Further reading