Overview:

JAK2 is a member of intracellular non-receptor tyrosine kinases that transduce cytokine-mediated signals via the JAK-STAT pathway (1). JAK2 has two near-identical phosphate-transferring domains. One domain exhibits the kinase activity while the other stabilizes the JAK conformational structure. JAK2 is the predominant JAK kinase activated in response to several growth factors and cytokines such as IL-3, GM-CSF and erythropoietin. JAK2 has been found to be constitutively associated with the prolactin receptor and is required for responses to gamma interferon (2).

References:

1. Lacronique, V. Et al: A TEL-JAK2 fusion protein with constitutive kinase activity in human leukemia. Science, 1997; 278: 1309-1312.2. Ho, J.M. et al: TEL-JAK2 constitutively activates the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), stress-activated protein/Jun kinase (SAPK/JNK), and p38 signaling pathways. Blood, 2002; 100: 1438-1448.3. Feener EP, et al.(2004) Mol Cell Biol. 24(11): 4968-4978. Argetsinger LS, et al.(2004) Mol Cell Biol. 24(11): 4955-4967.