Recombinant Human Ceramide kinase (CERK)

Uniprot Id

Q8TCT0

Target Species

Human

Target Name

CERK

Target Full Name

Ceramide kinase

Target Function

Catalyzes specifically the phosphorylation of ceramide to form ceramide 1-phosphate. Acts efficiently on natural and analog ceramides (C6, C8, C16 ceramides, and C8-dihydroceramide), to a lesser extent on C2-ceramide and C6-dihydroceramide, but not on other lipids, such as various sphingosines. Shows a greater preference for D-erythro isomer of ceramides. Binds phosphoinositides.

Target Subcellular Location

Cytoplasm. Cell membrane; Peripheral membrane protein.

Target Tissue Specificity

High level expression in heart, brain, skeletal muscle, kidney and liver; moderate in peripheral blood leukocytes and thymus; very low in spleen, small intestine, placenta and lung.

Target Synonyms

Acylsphingosine kinase; Ceramide kinase; Cerk; CERK1_HUMAN; dA59H18.2; dA59H18.3; hCERK; KIAA1646; Lipid kinase 4; Lipid kinase LK4; LK4

Target Background

CERK converts ceramide to ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P), a sphingolipid metabolite. Both CERK and C1P have been implicated in various cellular processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, phagocytosis, and inflammation (Kim et al., 2006 [PubMed 16488390]).