Isoform 11 of Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II subunit gamma

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II (CaMK-II) subunit gamma is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a key role in calcium signaling and synaptic plasticity. This isoform (Q13555-11) is 539 amino acids long and catalyzes phosphorylation reactions downstream of calmodulin binding, contributing to neuronal signal transduction (UniProt: Q13555-11).

CaMK-II is prominently expressed in the brain and has established roles in learning, memory, and long-term potentiation. The gamma subunit is a major component of the CaMK-II holoenzyme in neurons, where it regulates synaptic transmission and plasticity through phosphorylation of AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits and other synaptic proteins.

In Alzheimer's Disease, CaMK-II subunit gamma is upregulated in human post-mortem AD brain tissue compared to age-matched controls, with a mean log2 fold-change of +0.537 (Chaparral AD proteomics). This upregulation was detected via TMT-labeled proteomics across subcellular fractions, suggesting altered calcium signaling and potential compensatory or pathological changes in synaptic function associated with AD neurodegeneration.