Isoform 4 of Kinesin-like protein KIF2A

KIF2A is a kinesin family motor protein encoded by the KIF2A gene (UniProt: O00139-4). Kinesins are molecular motors that utilize ATP hydrolysis to transport cargo along microtubules and participate in microtubule dynamics. This 744-amino acid protein functions in cellular transport and cytoskeletal regulation, processes essential for neuronal morphology and axonal integrity.

KIF2A operates within the microtubule cytoskeleton network, which is critical for neuronal structure and synaptic function. The protein has not been linked to specific monogenic diseases in current UniProt annotations, but its role in microtubule-dependent processes positions it within pathways relevant to neurodegeneration.

KIF2A is down-regulated in Alzheimer's Disease brain tissue compared to age-matched controls (Chaparral AD proteomics). In a quantitative proteomic study of post-mortem AD brain across four subcellular fractions, KIF2A showed a mean log2 fold-change of −0.24, indicating reduced expression. This modest but consistent decrease may reflect compromised axonal transport or cytoskeletal remodeling in AD pathology.