LIM domain kinase 1 (LIMK1)

Serine/threonine-protein kinase that plays a vital role in the regulation of actin filament dynamics. Acts downstream of several Rho family GTPase signal transduction pathways.

Activated by upstream kinases including ROCK1, PAK1 and PAK4, which phosphorylate LIMK1 on a threonine residue located in its activation loop. LIMK1 then phosphorylates and inactivates the actin binding/depolymerizing factors cofilin-1/CFL1, cofilin- 2/CFL2 and destrin/DSTN, thereby preventing the cleavage of filamentous actin (F-actin), and stabilizing the actin cytoskeleton.