Protein Kinase Ck2 (The Wiley-Iubmb Series On Biochemistry And Molecular Biology)

Protein kinase CK2, one of a large gene family that includes over 500 enzymes, is singled out for study because of its significance in the generation of the human phosphoproteome and for its part in cancer and other disease development. The authors present the variety of work being conducted on this very important enzyme. Topics include: structural basics of protein kinase CK2 function and inhibition, CK2 in embryonic development, CK2 as a global regulator of cell survival, special features, and the role of CK2 in the control of cell plasticity in breast carcinoma progression. It is intended for professionals in fields such as biochemistry, protein science, metabolic regulation, cancer biology, and therapeutics. While the text is very technical, topics are clearly explained, well-illustrated, and extensive references are included. Editor is Pinna (biomedical sciences, U. of Padua, Italy). Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Lorenzo A. Pinna received his B. Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Padova in 1962. From 1965-66 he was postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Physiological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University Medical School, Baltimore, USA. In 1975 he was appointed Professor of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry and in 1988 Director of the Department of Biological Chemistry at the University of Padova. A pioneer in the field of CK2 research, his research interests encompass various aspects of protein phosphorylation, with special reference to the design of synthetic peptide substrates for the specific monitoring of protein kinases and the assessment of the biological role and pathogenic potential of protein kinase CK2.