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Protein / target

Leucine-rich repeat serine/threonine-protein kinase 2

Encoded byLRRK2Q5S007Homo sapiensSwiss-Prot
Small-molecule tractable
Druggability
Structure with Ligand
1
Research papers

Protein at a glance

Biological role

Signaling receptor complex adaptor

Strongest disease association

Parkinson's Disease

Via encoding gene LRRK2 · Genetic evidence · score 0.80

Research activity

Emerging research

1 papers · latest 2013

Derived from structured UniProt, Open Targets and literature data on this page.

Protein profile

UniProt 2026_02

Canonical identity and biological annotation from UniProt.

Function overview

Serine/threonine-protein kinase which phosphorylates a broad range of proteins involved in multiple processes such as neuronal plasticity, innate immunity, autophagy, and vesicle trafficking.

View complete UniProt function annotation

Serine/threonine-protein kinase which phosphorylates a broad range of proteins involved in multiple processes such as neuronal plasticity, innate immunity, autophagy, and vesicle trafficking (PubMed:17114044, PubMed:20949042, PubMed:21850687, PubMed:22012985, PubMed:23395371, PubMed:24687852, PubMed:25201882, PubMed:26014385, PubMed:26824392, PubMed:27830463, PubMed:28720718, PubMed:29125462, PubMed:29127255, PubMed:29212815, PubMed:30398148, PubMed:30635421). Is a key regulator of RAB GTPases by regulating the GTP/GDP exchange and interaction partners of RABs through phosphorylation (PubMed:26824392, PubMed:28720718, PubMed:29125462, PubMed:29127255, PubMed:29212815, PubMed:30398148, PubMed:30635421). Phosphorylates RAB3A, RAB3B, RAB3C, RAB3D, RAB5A, RAB5B, RAB5C, RAB8A, RAB8B, RAB10, RAB12, RAB29, RAB35, and RAB43 (PubMed:23395371, PubMed:26824392, PubMed:28720718, PubMed:29125462, PubMed:29127255, PubMed:29212815, PubMed:30398148, PubMed:30635421, PubMed:38127736). Regulates the RAB3IP-catalyzed GDP/GTP exchange for RAB8A through the phosphorylation of 'Thr-72' on RAB8A (PubMed:26824392). Inhibits the interaction between RAB8A and GDI1 and/or GDI2 by phosphorylating 'Thr-72' on RAB8A (PubMed:26824392). Regulates primary ciliogenesis through phosphorylation of RAB8A and RAB10, which promotes SHH signaling in the brain (PubMed:29125462, PubMed:30398148). Together with RAB29, plays a role in the retrograde trafficking pathway for recycling proteins, such as mannose-6-phosphate receptor (M6PR), between lysosomes and the Golgi apparatus in a retromer-dependent manner (PubMed:23395371). Regulates neuronal process morphology in the intact central nervous system (CNS) (PubMed:17114044). Plays a role in synaptic vesicle trafficking (PubMed:24687852). Plays an important role in recruiting SEC16A to endoplasmic reticulum exit sites (ERES) and in regulating ER to Golgi vesicle-mediated transport and ERES organization (PubMed:25201882). Positively regulates autophagy through a calcium-dependent activation of the CaMKK/AMPK signaling pathway (PubMed:22012985). The process involves activation of nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) receptors, increase in lysosomal pH, and calcium release from lysosomes (PubMed:22012985). Phosphorylates PRDX3 (PubMed:21850687). By phosphorylating APP on 'Thr-743', which promotes the production and the nuclear translocation of the APP intracellular domain (AICD), regulates dopaminergic neuron apoptosis (PubMed:28720718). Acts as a positive regulator of innate immunity by mediating phosphorylation of RIPK2 downstream of NOD1 and NOD2, thereby enhancing RIPK2 activation (PubMed:27830463). Independent of its kinase activity, inhibits the proteasomal degradation of MAPT, thus promoting MAPT oligomerization and secretion (PubMed:26014385). In addition, has GTPase activity via its Roc domain which regulates LRRK2 kinase activity (PubMed:18230735, PubMed:26824392, PubMed:28720718, PubMed:29125462, PubMed:29212815). Recruited by RAB29/RAB7L1 to overloaded lysosomes where it phosphorylates and stabilizes RAB8A and RAB10 which promote lysosomal content release and suppress lysosomal enlargement through the EHBP1 and EHBP1L1 effector proteins (PubMed:30209220, PubMed:38227290)

Subcellular location

Cytoplasmic vesiclePerikaryonGolgi apparatus membraneCell projection, axonCell projection, dendriteEndoplasmic reticulum membraneCytoplasmic vesicle, secretory vesicle, synaptic vesicle membraneEndosomeLysosomeMitochondrion outer membraneCytoplasm, cytoskeletonCytoplasmic vesicle, phagosome
Domains and Gene Ontology detail (160)

Domains & features

RocCORProtein kinase

Gene Ontology

  • Camphisome
  • Cautolysosome
  • Caxon
  • Ccaveola neck
  • Ccytoplasm
  • Ccytoplasmic side of mitochondrial outer membrane
  • Ccytoplasmic vesicle
  • Ccytoskeleton
  • Ccytosol
  • Cdendrite
  • Cdendrite cytoplasm
  • Cendoplasmic reticulum

2527 aa · 286 kDa

Biological roles

What this protein does, drawn together from its UniProt function, Gene Ontology terms and Reactome pathways.

Excitatory neurotransmissionGOKinase signallingUniProt · GOMetabolic enzyme activityGOMotor controlGO
View supporting evidence

Excitatory neurotransmission

  • ·glutamatergic synapse
  • ·excitatory postsynaptic potential
  • ·negative regulation of excitatory postsynaptic potential
  • ·regulation of synaptic transmission, glutamatergic

Kinase signalling

  • ·Serine/threonine-protein kinase which phosphorylates a broad range of proteins involved…
  • ·GTP-dependent protein kinase activity
  • ·JUN kinase kinase kinase activity
  • ·kinase activity

Metabolic enzyme activity

  • ·GTP metabolic process
  • ·regulation of reactive oxygen species metabolic process

Motor control

  • ·locomotory exploration behavior
  • ·regulation of locomotion

Concepts derived from UniProt GO Reactome — each badge above shows which sources supported that role.

Translational evidence

Open Targets 26

Why this target matters therapeutically, strongest evidence first. Disease associations are gene-level (via the gene that encodes this protein) and open into the full confidence synthesis; the development universe, tractability and safety annotations are target-level, from Open Targets.

Strongest disease associations · via encoding gene LRRK2

Gene-level evidence surfaced through the gene LRRK2 that encodes this protein — not a direct protein–disease relationship. Ranked by Forefront's causal-directness weighting, so genetically- and clinically-evidenced diseases lead over ones that merely share the literature.

Parkinson's Disease
0.86Well supported

Genetic evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.74

Genetic Diseases, Inborn
0.69Moderately supported

Genetic evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.42

Placental abruption
0.56Moderately supported

Genetic evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.34

Alzheimer's Disease
0.40Limited support

Pathway evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.37

Neurodegenerative Diseases
0.32Preliminary

Pathway evidence dominant · Open Targets 0.44 · no direct causal or clinical evidence

View evidence synthesis (5)
Parkinson's DiseaseWell supported
0.86
agreement 0.74–0.98
Genetic68%Pathway19%Literature13%Genetic literaturedup

Open Targets aggregate 0.74 · 3 independent evidence families · 1 not counted as duplicate

Genetic Diseases, InbornModerately supported
0.69
agreement 0.55–0.83
Genetic99%Literature1%

Open Targets aggregate 0.42 · 2 independent evidence families

Placental abruptionModerately supported
0.56
agreement 0.45–0.69
Genetic100%

Open Targets aggregate 0.34 · 1 independent evidence family

Alzheimer's DiseaseLimited support
0.40
agreement 0.28–0.52
Pathway49%Literature28%Genetic23%

Open Targets aggregate 0.37 · 3 independent evidence families

Neurodegenerative DiseasesPreliminary
0.32
agreement 0.14–0.50
Pathway84%Literature16%

Open Targets aggregate 0.44 · 2 independent evidence families · no direct causal or clinical evidence

The evidence agreement range shows how closely the independent evidence families agree — it is not a statistical confidence interval, and nothing here is fitted to outcome data. Derived from Open Targets evidence types under Forefront weighting; the per-type scores above show the calculation.

Show all associations
Parkinson's Disease0.74
Neurodegenerative Diseases0.44
Genetic Diseases, Inborn0.42
Alzheimer's Disease0.37
Placental abruption0.34
Multiple Sclerosis0.34

Tractability

Small molecules — Emerging

Feasibility evidence (structure with ligand and high-quality ligand) — no clinical-stage drug of this modality recorded.

Antibodies — Emerging

Feasibility evidence (uniprot loc high conf and go cc high conf) — no clinical-stage drug of this modality recorded.

Protein degraders — Emerging

Feasibility evidence (literature and uniprot ubiquitination) — no clinical-stage drug of this modality recorded.

View underlying tractability evidence (10)
SM · Structure with LigandSM · High-Quality LigandSM · Druggable FamilyAB · UniProt loc high confAB · GO CC high confPR · LiteraturePR · UniProt UbiquitinationPR · Database UbiquitinationPR · Half-life DataPR · Small Molecule Binder

Raw Open Targets tractability assessment buckets, by modality.

Research activity

1 papers · to 2013

Papers linked directly to this protein. This is the protein's own literature — descriptor-derived papers are kept separate below.

Most cited

Dias V · Journal of Parkinson's disease · 2013

Recent

The role of oxidative stress in Parkinson's disease.

Dias V · Journal of Parkinson's disease · 2013

Europe PMC papers linked directly to this protein.