LIM kinase 2 Proteins and Enzymes

LIM-kinase 2 (LIMK2), a 75-kDa member of the LIM kinase family, is responsible for regulating actin polymerization via phosphorylation and inactivation of the actin depolymerizing factors ADF/cofilin (1). LIMK2 protein is found in the cytoplasm during interphase, redistributed to the mitotic spindle and then to the spindle midzone during anaphase to telophase (2). It has been shown that ROCK, a downstream protein kinase of Rho, activates LIMK2 by directly phosphorylates threonine 505 residue. Since activity of LIMK2 is cell cycle dependant, LIMK2 activity is markedly increased when HeLa cells are synchronized at mitosis with nocodazole treatment (3).