Psychiatry related information on CkIIbeta

• Andante lengthens the period of the circadian eclosion and locomotor activity rhythms by 1.5-2.0 hours [1].

High impact information on CkIIbeta

• Here we show that the catalytic subunit of Drosophila casein kinase 2 (CK2alpha) is expressed predominantly in the cytoplasm of key circadian pacemaker neurons [2].
• CKI and CKII mediate the FREQUENCY-dependent phosphorylation of the WHITE COLLAR complex to close the Neurospora circadian negative feedback loop [3].
• Consistent with a direct action on the clock mechanism, we show that CK2beta is localized within clock neurons and that the clock proteins Period (Per) and Timeless (Tim) accumulate to abnormally high levels in the Andante mutant [4].
• Furthermore, the nuclear translocation of Per and Tim is delayed in Andante, and this defect accounts for the long-period phenotype of the mutant [4].
• Andante is a mutation of the gene encoding the beta subunit of CK2 and is predicted to perturb CK2beta subunit dimerization [4].

Biological context of CkIIbeta

• The phenotype of the viable DmCK2beta mutation mushroom bodies undersized(P1) (DmCK2beta(mbuP1)) described in this study implicates a role for DmCK2beta in cell proliferation or cell survival during brain development [5].
• Genes encoding for the two evolutionary highly conserved subunits of a heterotetrameric protein kinase CK2 holoenzyme are present in all examined eukaryotic genomes [6].
• The X-linked DmCK2beta transcription unit encodes for several CK2beta protein isoforms due to alternative splicing of its primary transcript [6].
• The phosphotransferase activity of members of the protein kinase CK2alpha family is thought to be independent of second messengers but is modulated by interaction with CK2beta-like proteins [6].
• Evaluation of DNA complementary to RNA sequences and Western blot analysis revealed a complex pattern of DmCK2beta transcription and the existence of at least three distinct DmCK2beta isoforms in adult flies [5].

Associations of CkIIbeta with chemical compounds

• Biochemical analyses using gel filtration analysis, inhibitor and heat treatment, as well as urea denaturation studies did not yield significant differences between the wildtype holoenzyme (alpha2beta2) and a holoenzyme containing wildtype CK2alpha and andante CK2beta(And) [7].

Other interactions of CkIIbeta

• In the genome of Drosophila melanogaster, one gene encoding for a CK2alpha subunit and three genes encoding for CK2beta-like proteins are present [6].
• We have used real-time RT-PCR to assess developmental expression, and find that CKIIbeta is robust and ubiquitous, whereas SSL is restricted to males (third-instar-larvae, pupae, and adults), but is nondetectable in females of the corresponding stages [8].
• In observer-blind experiments, however, it was found that neither pacemaker-slowing (Andante-like) dy mutations nor others that cause no rhythm defects produced subnormal conditioned courtship [9].

References