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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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GK2
glycerol kinase 2
Chromosome 4 · 4q21.21
NCBI Gene: 2712Ensembl: ENSG00000196475.6HGNC: HGNC:4291UniProt: A0A140VKG0
16PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Kinase
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
mitochondrionprotein bindingsperm midpieceextracellular exosomecervical carcinomastricture or kinking of uretermyopiarefractive error
✦AI Summary

GK2 (glycerol kinase 2) is a mitochondrial enzyme with dual roles in glycerol metabolism and male fertility. In its metabolic function, GK2 catalyzes glycerol-3-phosphate biosynthesis and regulates glycerol uptake and metabolism. However, its primary physiological significance lies in spermatogenesis, where GK2 is essential for sperm mitochondrial sheath formation and male fertility 1. GK2 mediates mitochondrial clustering through interactions with PLD6 and phosphatidic acid synthesis upregulation in mitochondria. During spermiogenesis, GK2 is one of several proteins whose translation is selectively enhanced through METTL5-mediated 18S rRNA m6A modification, critical for proper sperm head and tail development 2. GK2 function requires post-translational S-depalmitoylation by the depalmitoylase ABHD10; loss of ABHD10-mediated depalmitoylation causes GK2 hyper-palmitoylation, leading to malformed mitochondrial sheaths and severe sperm motility defects 1. Mutations affecting GK2 expression or function contribute to oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT), a major cause of male infertility 2. GK2's role in galactose metabolism appears minor compared to the predominant galactokinase GALK1 3. Clinically, GK2 dysfunction represents a genetic target for male infertility diagnosis and potential therapeutic intervention.

Sources cited
1
GK2 is essential for sperm mitochondrial sheath formation and male fertility; ABHD10-mediated depalmitoylation of GK2 is critical for proper mitochondrial sheath assembly
PMID: 41285782
2
GK2 expression is selectively regulated during spermiogenesis through METTL5-mediated 18S rRNA m6A modification; GK2 deficiency contributes to oligoasthenoteratozoospermia
PMID: 40783785
3
GK2 has minimal galactokinase activity in mammalian cells compared to GALK1, suggesting uncertain role in galactose metabolism
PMID: 7542884
⚠Limited data available — This gene has 3 indexed publications. Summary and analysis may be incomplete.
Disease Associationsⓘ20
cervical carcinomaOpen Targets
0.30Weak
stricture or kinking of ureterOpen Targets
0.30Weak
myopiaOpen Targets
0.25Weak
refractive errorOpen Targets
0.21Weak
frozen shoulderOpen Targets
0.19Weak
Abnormality of refractionOpen Targets
0.18Weak
ovarian dysfunctionOpen Targets
0.18Weak
HypermetropiaOpen Targets
0.17Weak
Progressive visual lossOpen Targets
0.17Weak
disease of peritoneumOpen Targets
0.16Weak
azoospermiaOpen Targets
0.11Weak
spermatogenic failure 10Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 11Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 58Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 83Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 79Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 65Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 47Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 56Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
spermatogenic failure 94Open Targets
0.10Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
GPAMProtein interaction100%GPAT2Protein interaction98%LPLProtein interaction97%GPAT3Protein interaction94%AKR1B1Protein interaction94%MGLLProtein interaction94%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Heart
0%
Ovary
0%
Liver
0%
Brain
0%
Lung
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
GK2GPAMGPAT2LPLGPAT3AKR1B1MGLL
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q14410
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.42LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.92 [0.61–1.42]
RankingsWhere GK2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #15,269of 20,598
    Most Researched16
  • #14,612of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.42
Genes detectedGK2
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Vaccines - safety in pregnancy.
PMID: 33773923
Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol · 2021
1.00
2
Protective effect of GK2 fused BLVRA protein against oxidative stress-induced dopaminergic neuronal cell damage.
PMID: 36688733
FEBS J · 2023
0.90
3
Comparison of the enzymatic activities of human galactokinase GALK1 and a related human galactokinase protein GK2.
PMID: 7542884
Biochem Biophys Res Commun · 1995
0.80
4
Cloning of a human galactokinase gene (GK2) on chromosome 15 by complementation in yeast.
PMID: 1438294
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 1992
0.70
5
The S-depalmitoylase ABHD10 is essential for sperm mitochondrial sheath formation and male fertility.
PMID: 41285782
Nat Commun · 2025
0.60