Unc-51 Like Kinase 2 (ULK2)

The ULK2 transcript contains a 3-prime Alu sequence, and the deduced protein contains 1,036 amino acids. RT-PCR detected highest ULK2 expression in ovary and testis, followed by brain, kidney, lung, heart, skeletal muscle, and liver. Little to no expression was detected in spleen.

The protein has an N-terminal kinase domain characteristic of serine/threonine kinases, as well as a proline/serine-rich domain. Northern blot analysis detected several transcripts between 3.5 and 5.5 kb in all mouse tissues examined. The longest transcript was most abundant in skeletal muscle, and the shortest transcript was most abundant in testis. In situ hybridization of mouse embryos detected Ulk2 in several regions of the developing brain and spinal cord.