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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 15 days ago
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TESK2
testis associated actin remodelling kinase 2
Chromosome 1 · 1p34.1
NCBI Gene: 10420Ensembl: ENSG00000070759.18HGNC: HGNC:11732UniProt: B4DFN2
22PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Kinase
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
nucleoplasmprotein bindingcytoplasmnucleusneurodegenerative diseaseneuroinflammatory disorderSensorineural hearing impairmenthearing loss
✦AI Summary

TESK2 is a dual-specificity protein kinase that catalyzes phosphorylation of both serine/threonine and tyrosine residues 1. The kinase specifically phosphorylates cofilin at serine-3, inducing actin cytoskeletal reorganization, stress fiber formation, and focal adhesion assembly 2. Unlike its homolog TESK1, TESK2 localizes predominantly to the nucleus in a kinase activity-dependent manner and is primarily expressed in testicular Sertoli cells rather than germ cells 2. TESK2 plays a critical role in spermatogenesis, with expression predominantly in round spermatids after postnatal day 30 1. Beyond reproduction, TESK2 has emerged as relevant to several disease states. In preeclampsia, mendelian randomization and colocalization analyses confirmed TESK2 as a causal genetic target, with single-cell RNA sequencing supporting its association with disease development 3. TESK2 expression is silenced through epigenetic mechanisms in epi-cblC, an inherited disorder of vitamin B12 metabolism affecting hematological, neurological, and cardiometabolic outcomes 4. In cancer contexts, low TESK2 expression associates with poor survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma 5 and lung adenocarcinoma 6, and apomorphine treatment targeting TESK2 prevented brain metastasis formation in preclinical models 6.

Sources cited
1
TESK2 structure, chromosomal localization, tissue expression predominantly in testis, and role in spermatogenesis
PMID: 10512679
2
TESK2 phosphorylates cofilin at Ser-3, induces actin stress fibers and focal adhesions, nuclear localization dependent on kinase activity, Sertoli cell expression
PMID: 11418599
3
TESK2 identified as causal genetic target for preeclampsia through mendelian randomization and colocalization analysis
PMID: 40715499
4
TESK2 epigenetically silenced in epi-cblC inherited disorder of vitamin B12 metabolism
PMID: 35440018
5
Low TESK2 expression correlates with poor survival in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
PMID: 39272022
6
TESK2 targeted by apomorphine to prevent brain metastasis; low expression associated with poor lung adenocarcinoma survival
PMID: 29986997
Disease Associationsⓘ20
neurodegenerative diseaseOpen Targets
0.40Weak
neuroinflammatory disorderOpen Targets
0.29Weak
Sensorineural hearing impairmentOpen Targets
0.26Weak
hearing lossOpen Targets
0.21Weak
Griscelli diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Abnormal thrombosisOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
allergic diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
respiratory system diseaseOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
vitamin B12 deficiencyOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
open-angle glaucomaOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Griscelli disease type 3Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
Griscelli syndrome type 3Open Targets
0.05Suggestive
Waardenburg syndrome type 2Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
uncombable hair syndromeOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Tietz syndromeOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Tietze syndromeOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
oculocutaneous albinism type 3Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
Waardenburg syndrome, IIa 2FOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Griscelli disease type 1Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
Griscelli syndrome type 1Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
CDC42BPGShared pathway40%TBCKShared pathway29%CDC42BPAShared pathway29%NUAK2Shared pathway25%LIMK2Shared pathway25%SPMIP7Shared pathway25%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Ovary
70%
Liver
51%
Brain
50%
Lung
34%
Heart
17%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
TESK2CDC42BPGTBCKCDC42BPANUAK2LIMK2SPMIP7
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
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AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt Q96S53
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
0.86LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.66 [0.51–0.86]
RankingsWhere TESK2 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #13,766of 20,598
    Most Researched22
  • #7,601of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)0.86
Genes detectedTESK2
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Exploration of potential therapeutic target genes for preeclampsia through genetic analysis.
PMID: 40715499
J Hum Hypertens · 2025
1.00
2
Epimutations in both the TESK2 and MMACHC promoters in the Epi-cblC inherited disorder of intracellular metabolism of vitamin B
PMID: 35440018
Clin Epigenetics · 2022
0.90
3
Identification and characterization of TESK2, a novel member of the LIMK/TESK family of protein kinases, predominantly expressed in testis.
PMID: 10512679
Genomics · 1999
0.80
4
Exosomal transcript cargo and functional correlation with HNSCC patients' survival.
PMID: 39272022
BMC Cancer · 2024
0.70
5
Discovery of novel heart rate-associated loci using the Exome Chip.
PMID: 28379579
Hum Mol Genet · 2017
0.60