IDENTIFICATION OF A NOVEL DROSOPHILA PROTEIN-KINASE HIGHLY HOMOLOGOUSTO PROTEIN-KINASE-N (PKN)

We identified a novel Drosophila gene, Dpkn (Drosophila protein kinase related to PKN), encoding a putative protein serine/threonine kinase. Although the cDNA obtained was incomplete at its 5'-terminal region, the deduced amino acid sequence of its kinase domain exhibits a high d egree of similarity to protein kinase N (PKN), which has a kinase doma in related to protein kinase C (PKC) and leucine zipper-like sequences in the amino terminal region. Expression of Dpkn was observed through out Drosophila development, although its expression level decreased at later stages of embryogenesis. The expression of Dpkn is first detect ed in the newly formed mesodermal cell layer and is then restricted to the developing somatic musculature, indicating a possible role of Dpk n in the development of somatic muscles in Drosophila. (C) 1997 Academ ic Press.