MARCKS — Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate

MARCKS — Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate

<table class="infobox infobox-gene">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">MARCKS — Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Symbol</td>
<td><strong>MARCKS</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Full Name</td>
<td>Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate (MARCKS, MACS)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Chromosome</td>
<td>6q21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">NCBI Gene</td>
<td><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4082" target="_blank">4082</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ensembl</td>
<td><a href="https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000198237" target="_blank">ENSG00000198237</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">OMIM</td>
<td><a href="https://www.omim.org/entry/177620" target="_blank">177620</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt</td>
<td><a href="https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P29566" target="_blank">P29566</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Diseases</td>
<td>[AD](/diseases/alzheimers), [PD](/diseases/parkinsons-disease), [ALS](/diseases/als), intellectual disability</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Expression</td>
<td>Brain ([neurons](/entities/neurons), glia), lung, spleen, immune cells</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Associated Diseases</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/als" style="color:#ef9a9a">Als</a>, <a href="/wiki/cancer" style="color:#ef9a9a">Cancer</a>, <a href="/wiki

MARCKS — Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate

<table class="infobox infobox-gene">
<tr>
<th class="infobox-header" colspan="2">MARCKS — Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Symbol</td>
<td><strong>MARCKS</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Full Name</td>
<td>Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate (MARCKS, MACS)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Chromosome</td>
<td>6q21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">NCBI Gene</td>
<td><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4082" target="_blank">4082</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Ensembl</td>
<td><a href="https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000198237" target="_blank">ENSG00000198237</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">OMIM</td>
<td><a href="https://www.omim.org/entry/177620" target="_blank">177620</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">UniProt</td>
<td><a href="https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P29566" target="_blank">P29566</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Diseases</td>
<td>[AD](/diseases/alzheimers), [PD](/diseases/parkinsons-disease), [ALS](/diseases/als), intellectual disability</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Expression</td>
<td>Brain ([neurons](/entities/neurons), glia), lung, spleen, immune cells</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">Associated Diseases</td>
<td><a href="/wiki/als" style="color:#ef9a9a">Als</a>, <a href="/wiki/cancer" style="color:#ef9a9a">Cancer</a>, <a href="/wiki/ms" style="color:#ef9a9a">Ms</a>, <a href="/wiki/tumor" style="color:#ef9a9a">Tumor</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="label">KG Connections</td>
<td><a href="/atlas" style="color:#4fc3f7">22 edges</a></td>
</tr>
</table>

MARCKS (Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate)

Introduction

MARCKS (Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate) is a key substrate of Protein Kinase C (PKC) with critical roles in synaptic plasticity, cytoskeletal dynamics, and cell signaling[@hartwig1992][@sheetz2006]. This page covers its function and relevance to neurodegeneration.

Overview

MARCKS is encoded on chromosome 6q21 and functions as a downstream effector of PKC signaling. The protein contains an N-terminal myristoylation motif that directs it to the plasma membrane, and a basic effector domain (BED) that binds actin and calmodulin in a phosphorylation-dependent manner["@calabrese2005"].

Function

Synaptic Plasticity

MARCKS is critical for:

• Dendritic spine formation and maintenance
• [Long-term potentiation](/mechanisms/long-term-potentiation) (LTP)
• AMPA receptor trafficking
• Synaptic vesicle dynamics

Cytoskeletal Regulation

The protein regulates:

• Actin filament cross-linking
• Membrane-cytoskeleton interactions
• Cell motility
• Neurite outgrowth

PKC Signaling

MARCKS is phosphorylated by:

• Protein kinase C (all isoforms)
• ROCK (Rho-associated kinase)
• AKT/PKB

Disease Associations

Alzheimer's Disease

• MARCKS in [amyloid precursor protein](/entities/app-protein) (APP) processing
• Altered MARCKS phosphorylation in AD brain
• Role in synaptic dysfunction
• Potential therapeutic target

Parkinson's Disease

• MARCKS in dopaminergic signaling
• Impaired in PD models
• Links to PKC and dopamine pathways

ALS

• MARCKS in motor neuron function
• Altered in ALS models
• Cytoskeletal abnormalities

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

• MARCKS mutations cause intellectual disability
• Role in brain development
• Synaptogenesis defects

Expression Pattern

MARCKS is expressed in:

• Hippocampal neurons
• Cortical pyramidal cells
• Cerebellar Purkinje cells
• [Astrocytes](/entities/astrocytes) and [microglia](/cell-types/microglia-neuroinflammation)
• Lung, spleen, immune cells

Therapeutic Implications

Drug Targets

• PKC-MARCKS pathway inhibitors
• Membrane-targeting peptides
• Actin-binding domain inhibitors

Biomarkers

• MARCKS phosphorylation as signaling marker
• Diagnostic potential in neurodegeneration

Key Publications

Cross-References

• [Protein kinase C signaling](/mechanisms/protein-kinase-c-signaling)
• [Synaptic plasticity mechanisms](/mechanisms/synaptic-plasticity)
• [Actin cytoskeleton](/entities/actin)
• [Alzheimer's disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
• [Parkinson's disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
• [ALS](/diseases/als)

See Also

• [Protein kinase C signaling](/mechanisms/protein-kinase-c-signaling)
• [Synaptic plasticity mechanisms](/mechanisms/synaptic-plasticity)
• [Alzheimer's disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease)
• [Parkinson's disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease)
• [ALS](/diseases/als)

External Links

• [Ensembl: ENSG00000198237](https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000198237)

References

Pathway Diagram

The following diagram shows the key molecular relationships involving MARCKS — Myristoylated Alanine-Rich Protein Kinase C Substrate discovered through SciDEX knowledge graph analysis: