N-acetylgalactosamine kinase (GALK2)

N-acetylgalactosamine kinase (GALK2) is a member of the GHMP kinase family and catalyzes the phosphorylation of N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) to N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosamine 1-phosphate, using ATP as the phosphate donor[2][3][4][7]. GALK2 also has galactokinase activity when galactose is present at high concentrations, but its primary role is in the salvage pathway for recycling GalNAc liberated from the breakdown of complex carbohydrates[3][4][6][7]. The enzyme displays greater efficiency for GalNAc than galactose and plays a role in galactose and GalNAc metabolism. The gene encoding GALK2 is located on chromosome 15q21.1–q21.2 and undergoes alternative splicing[4][7]. GALK2 is linked to inherited metabolic disorders when deficient, but specific drugs or established mechanisms of pharmacological targeting have not been described in the current literature[7].

Other names

GK2GalNAc kinaseN-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-1-phosphate kinaseGalactokinase 2galNAc kinase