Connector enhancer of KSR (Kinase suppressor of ras) (CNK) pleckstrin homology (PH) domain
CNK family members function as protein scaffolds, regulating the activity and the subcellular localization of RAS activated RAF. There is a single CNK protein present in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans in contrast to mammals which have 3 CNK proteins (CNK1, CNK2, and CNK3). All of the CNK members contain a sterile a motif (SAM), a conserved region in CNK (CRIC) domain, and a PSD-95/DLG-1/ZO-1 (PDZ) domain, and a PH domain. A CNK2 splice variant CNK2A also has a PDZ domain-binding motif at its C terminus and Drosophila CNK (D-CNK) also has a domain known as the Raf-interacting region (RIR) that mediates binding of the Drosophila Raf kinase. This cd contains CNKs from insects, spiders, mollusks, and nematodes. PH domains have diverse functions, but in general are involved in targeting proteins to the appropriate cellular location or in the interaction with a binding partner. They share little sequence conservation, but all have a common fold, which is electrostatically polarized. Less than 10% of PH domains bind phosphoinositide phosphates (PIPs) with high affinity and specificity. PH domains are distinguished from other PIP-binding domains by their specific high-affinity binding to PIPs with two vicinal phosphate groups: PtdIns(3,4)P2, PtdIns(4,5)P2 or PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 which results in targeting some PH domain proteins to the plasma membrane. A few display strong specificity in lipid binding. Any specificity is usually determined by loop regions or insertions in the N-terminus of the domain, which are not conserved across all PH domains. PH domains are found in cellular signaling proteins such as serine/threonine kinase, tyrosine kinases, regulators of G-proteins, endocytotic GTPases, adaptors, as well as cytoskeletal associated molecules and in lipid associated enzymes.
Jiyao W et al.(2023). "The conserved domain database in 2023.",