Recombinant Human PKCd protein

Protein kinase C delta (PKCδ), a member of the serine/threonine-specific protein kinase C (PKC) family, plays critical roles in cellular signaling pathways regulating apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, and stress responses. Belonging to the novel PKC subfamily (nPKC), PKCδ requires diacylglycerol (DAG) and phospholipids for activation but is independent of calcium signaling. Structurally, it contains a regulatory domain with tandem C1 domains for DAG/membrane binding and a catalytic domain with kinase activity. Dysregulation of PKCδ is implicated in cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and immune diseases, making it a therapeutic target of interest.

Recombinant PKCδ proteins are engineered using expression systems (e.g., E. coli, mammalian cells) to produce purified, functional enzymes for research and drug discovery. These proteins retain key post-translational modifications (e.g., phosphorylation) when expressed in eukaryotic systems, ensuring biological activity. Tags like His or GST are often added for purification and detection. Researchers use recombinant PKCδ to study its role in pathways such as DNA damage response, oxidative stress, and B-cell receptor signaling. For example, PKCδ activation promotes apoptosis in cancer cells, while its inhibition is explored in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Additionally, structural studies using recombinant PKCδ aid in designing isoform-specific inhibitors, addressing challenges in PKC-targeted therapies due to family-wide homology. Its dual roles as a tumor suppressor or promoter, depending on context, underscore the need for precise mechanistic studies facilitated by recombinant tools.