Creatine Kinase
Creatine Kinase (CKB, creatine kinase B, CKBB) is a phosphotransferase that reversibly transfers phosphate between ATP and phosphogens such as creatine phosphate. It supports energy homeostasis in tissues with large, fluctuating energy demands, including brain, skeletal muscle and heart. Browse Assay Genie's current range of Creatine Kinase research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
Creatine Kinase B-type reversibly catalyses the transfer of phosphate between ATP and various phosphogens, for example creatine phosphate. Creatine kinase isoenzymes play a central role in energy transduction in tissues with large, fluctuating energy demands, such as skeletal muscle, heart, brain and spermatozoa. By buffering phosphate between ATP and phosphocreatine, the enzyme contributes to energy homeostasis in these tissues.
Creatine Kinase also acts as a key regulator of adaptive thermogenesis as part of the futile creatine cycle. In thermogenic fat cells it localises to the mitochondria and phosphorylates creatine, initiating a cycle of creatine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. In this cycle, creatine and N-phosphocreatine are interconverted, dissipating the high energy charge of N-phosphocreatine as heat without performing mechanical or chemical work.
The CKB gene encodes a cytoplasmic enzyme, and UniProt also reports it in the cytosol, mitochondrion and cell membrane. It belongs to the ATP:guanido phosphotransferase family and is the sole member HGNC lists here within the creatine kinase family group alongside related isoenzymes. The protein acts as a homodimer in brain and other tissues, and as a heterodimer with a similar muscle isozyme in heart. The gene was previously named creatine kinase, brain, and is also known as CKBB. A pseudogene of this gene has been characterised. Mouse and rat both carry a Ckb ortholog, which makes rodent models a practical route for studying the Creatine Kinase gene and protein.
Creatine Kinase links ATP and phosphocreatine pools, making it a central enzyme for studying energy transduction in tissues with fluctuating demand.
Creatine Kinase regulates the futile creatine cycle in mitochondria of thermogenic fat cells, dissipating phosphocreatine energy as heat.
As the brain-type isoenzyme acting as a homodimer in brain, Creatine Kinase B is relevant to energy homeostasis in neural tissue.
Heterodimers with the muscle isozyme in heart, and a role in skeletal muscle energetics, make Creatine Kinase useful in studies of these tissues.
Creatine Kinase reversibly catalyses phosphate transfer between ATP and phosphogens such as creatine phosphate. This supports energy transduction in tissues with large, fluctuating demands, including skeletal muscle, heart, brain and spermatozoa. It also drives the futile creatine cycle, which releases energy as heat in thermogenic fat cells.
The gene symbol is CKB, with the full name creatine kinase B. It is also called CKBB, and was previously named creatine kinase, brain. UniProt lists the protein as Creatine kinase B-type, and the enzyme carries the EC number 2.7.3.2.
Yes. Both mouse and rat have a Ckb ortholog of the human CKB gene, so rodent models can be used to study the enzyme. The protein belongs to the ATP:guanido phosphotransferase family. Check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other creatine kinase isoenzymes and creatine metabolism targets that sit alongside Creatine Kinase in energy homeostasis research.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt P12277; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.