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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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MARK4
microtubule affinity regulating kinase 4
Chromosome 19 · 19q13.32
NCBI Gene: 57787Ensembl: ENSG00000007047.17HGNC: HGNC:13538UniProt: Q96L34
68PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Kinase
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
microtubule cytoskeleton organizationpositive regulation of cell cyclecytoplasmmicrotubule organizing centerHermansky-Pudlak syndrome 8brain malformation renal syndromeMeckel syndromegenetic disorder
✦AI Summary

MARK4 is a serine/threonine protein kinase that primarily regulates microtubule dynamics and cellular organization 1. The kinase phosphorylates microtubule-associated proteins including tau/MAPT, MAP2, and MAP4, promoting microtubule bundling and reorganization 12. MARK4 is essential for cilium assembly, mediating axoneme extension initiation and controlling ODF2 centrosomal localization 3. Beyond cytoskeletal functions, MARK4 regulates cell cycle progression at the G1/S checkpoint 4 and acts as a negative regulator of mTORC1 signaling by phosphorylating RPTOR 5. The kinase also coordinates NLRP3 inflammasome positioning at microtubule organizing centers 6. Disease relevance is substantial. In Alzheimer's disease, MARK4-mediated tau hyperphosphorylation contributes to neurofibrillary tangle formation and neuronal vulnerability 78. MARK4 knockdown or inhibition ameliorates tau pathology and rescues memory deficits in AD models 8. Elevated MARK4 expression is associated with impaired cardiac contractility in heart failure patients, correlating with reduced ejection fraction and diastolic dysfunction 9. MARK4 also promotes cancer cell proliferation in breast and lung cancers 1011, making it a therapeutic target. Additionally, MARK4 interacts with mitofusin-2 to regulate mitochondrial fusion and synaptic integrity 12. These findings position MARK4 as a clinically relevant drug target across neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and malignant diseases.

Sources cited
1
MARK4 is a serine/threonine protein kinase that primarily regulates microtubule dynamics and cellular organization .
PMID: 14594945
2
MARK4 is essential for cilium assembly, mediating axoneme extension initiation and controlling ODF2 centrosomal localization .
PMID: 23400999
3
Beyond cytoskeletal functions, MARK4 regulates cell cycle progression at the G1/S checkpoint and acts as a negative regulator of mTORC1 signaling by phosphorylating RPTOR .
PMID: 25123532
4
Beyond cytoskeletal functions, MARK4 regulates cell cycle progression at the G1/S checkpoint and acts as a negative regulator of mTORC1 signaling by phosphorylating RPTOR .
PMID: 23184942
5
The kinase also coordinates NLRP3 inflammasome positioning at microtubule organizing centers .
PMID: 28656979
6
In Alzheimer's disease, MARK4-mediated tau hyperphosphorylation contributes to neurofibrillary tangle formation and neuronal vulnerability , .
PMID: 40038800
7
Elevated MARK4 expression is associated with impaired cardiac contractility in heart failure patients, correlating with reduced ejection fraction and diastolic dysfunction .
PMID: 40332117
8
Additionally, MARK4 interacts with mitofusin-2 to regulate mitochondrial fusion and synaptic integrity .
PMID: 37550059
Disease Associationsⓘ20
Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome 8Open Targets
0.50Moderate
brain malformation renal syndromeOpen Targets
0.36Weak
Meckel syndromeOpen Targets
0.26Weak
genetic disorderOpen Targets
0.19Weak
parasitic infectionOpen Targets
0.15Weak
Hermansky-Pudlak syndromeOpen Targets
0.15Weak
head injuryOpen Targets
0.11Weak
coronary atherosclerosisOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
dilated cardiomyopathyOpen Targets
0.07Suggestive
attention deficit hyperactivity disorderOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
coronary artery diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
heart diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Alzheimer diseaseOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
hereditary attention deficit-hyperactivity disorderOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
myocardial infarctionOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiencyOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
Mobius syndromeOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
schizophrenia 15Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
gastric cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
triple-negative breast cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
MZT1Protein interaction100%TUBGCP5Protein interaction100%MZT2BProtein interaction99%MZT2AProtein interaction92%BLOC1S2Protein interaction90%TOPORSProtein interaction90%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Brain
100%
Ovary
91%
Liver
73%
Lung
63%
Heart
61%
Bone Marrow
28%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
MARK4MZT1TUBGCP5MZT2BMZT2ABLOC1S2TOPORS
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB5ES1 · 2.80 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.36Moderately Constrained
pLIⓘ
1.00Intolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.25 [0.17–0.36]
RankingsWhere MARK4 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #6,914of 20,598
    Most Researched68
  • #1,623of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.36 · top 10%
Genes detectedMARK4
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
KMT5A-methylated SNIP1 promotes triple-negative breast cancer metastasis by activating YAP signaling.
PMID: 35449131
Nat Commun · 2022
1.00
2
HYPK coordinates degradation of polyneddylated proteins by autophagy.
PMID: 34836490
Autophagy · 2022
0.90
3
The Role of Kinases in Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Pathogenesis to Treatment.
PMID: 40464332
Eur J Neurosci · 2025
0.80
4
Improving vulnerable Calbindin1
PMID: 40038800
Transl Neurodegener · 2025
0.70
5
Increased Myocardial
PMID: 40332117
Int J Mol Sci · 2025
0.60