Structural variations in the catalytic and ubiquitin-associated domains of microtubule-associated protein/microtubule affinity regulating kinase (MARK) 1 and MARK2.

The microtubule-associated protein (MAP)/microtubule affinity regulating kinase (MARK)/Par-1 phosphorylates microtubule-associated proteins tau, MAP2, and MAP4 and is involved in the regulation of microtubule-based transport. Par-1, a homologue of MARK in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, is essential for the development of embryonic polarity. Four isoforms of MARK are found in humans.

Phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins MAP2 and MAP4 by the protein kinase p110mark. Phosphorylation sites and regulation of microtubule dynamics.

The phosphorylation of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) is thought to be a key factor in the regulation of microtubule stability. We have shown recently that a novel protein kinase, termed p110 microtubule-affinity regulating kinase ("MARK"), phosphorylates microtubule-associated protein tau at the KXGS motifs in the region of internal repeats and causes the detachment of tau from microtubules (Drewes, G., Trinczek, B.

Microtubule-associated protein/microtubule affinity-regulating kinase (p110mark). A novel protein kinase that regulates tau-microtubule interactions and dynamic instability by phosphorylation at the Alzheimer-specific site serine 262.

Aberrant phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau is one of the pathological features of neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer's disease. The phosphorylation of Ser-262 within the microtubule binding region of tau is of particular interest because so far it is observed only in Alzheimer's disease (Hasegawa, M., Morishima-Kawashima, M.

Tau protein becomes long and stiff upon phosphorylation: correlation between paracrystalline structure and degree of phosphorylation.

In a previous report we have shown that microtubule-associated protein tau can be induced to form paracrystals (Lichtenberg, B., E.-M.