PAK6: p21 (RAC1) Activated Kinase 6
A Serine/Threonine Kinase Involved in Cytoskeletal Dynamics, Cell Migration, and Cancer
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | PAK6 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | p21 (RAC1) Activated Kinase 6 |
| Gene Type | protein-coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 15q15.1 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 56924 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/56924 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000137801 |
| UniProt ID | Q9NQU5 |
| OMIM ID | 608110 |
| HGNC ID | 16067 |
| Aliases | PAK5, MGC26269 |
Description
PAK6 (p21 activated kinase 6) is a member of the group II p21-activated kinases (PAKs), which are serine/threonine protein kinases that serve as effectors for the small GTPases CDC42 and RAC1. PAK6 is involved in cytoskeletal reorganization, cell motility, and transcriptional regulation. It is expressed in multiple tissues including brain, prostate, and testis. PAK6 has been implicated in cancer progression, particularly in prostate and breast cancers, where it may influence androgen receptor signaling and cell invasion.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Prostate Cancer | PAK6 overexpression enhances androgen receptor transcriptional activity and promotes cell migration and invasion. | PMID: 20068070, PMID: 23966111 |
| Breast Cancer | PAK6 promotes cell proliferation and invasion through activation of MAPK/ERK signaling. | PMID: 25242043 |
| Colorectal Cancer | PAK6 expression is upregulated and associated with poor prognosis; promotes metastasis via cytoskeletal remodeling. | PMID: 27323851 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Brain | 8.2 | Medium |
| Prostate | 6.5 | Medium |
| Testis | 5.1 | Low |
| Breast | 4.3 | Low |
| Colon | 3.8 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC-3 (prostate cancer) | 7.1 | Androgen-independent cell line |
| MCF-7 (breast cancer) | 5.4 | ER-positive cell line |
| LNCaP (prostate cancer) | 6.8 | Androgen-sensitive cell line |
| HEK293 (embryonic kidney) | 4.2 | Normal expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.1042C>T (p.Arg348Trp) | Missense | 0.02% (gnomAD) | Unknown functional effect |
| c.157G>A (p.Gly53Arg) | Missense | 0.01% (gnomAD) | Unknown functional effect |
| c.1345_1346insA (p.Thr449AsnfsTer5) | Frameshift | Rare | Predicted loss of function |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Frameshift mutations (e.g., p.Thr449AsnfsTer5) are predicted to truncate the kinase domain, leading to loss of catalytic activity.
Gain of Function (GOF)
No validated gain-of-function mutations reported in COSMIC or ClinVar.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No dominant-negative mutations described in the literature.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• RAC1/CDC42-PAK signaling pathway
• Androgen receptor signaling pathway
• MAPK/ERK signaling pathway
• Regulation of actin cytoskeleton
Protein Summary
PAK6 is a 681-amino acid serine/threonine kinase with an N-terminal regulatory domain containing a p21-binding domain (PBD) and a C-terminal kinase domain. It binds to and is activated by CDC42 and RAC1. PAK6 localizes to the cytoplasm and nucleus, and its kinase activity regulates cytoskeletal dynamics, cell adhesion, and migration. It also modulates androgen receptor function and has been linked to cancer cell invasion and metastasis.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PAK6 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ274 | Human | 56924 | Details Get a Quote |
| BUB1B-PAK6 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ1241 | Human | 106821730 | Details Get a Quote |
| PAK6 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ20594 | Human | 56924 | Details Get a Quote |
| PAK6 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ20595 | Human | 56924 | Details Get a Quote |
| BUB1B-PAK6 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ20596 | Human | 106821730 | Details Get a Quote |
| BUB1B-PAK6 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ20597 | Human | 106821730 | Details Get a Quote |
| BUB1B-PAK6 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ20598 | Human | 106821730 | Details Get a Quote |
| PAK6 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ65271 | Human | 56924 | Details Get a Quote |
