This gene encodes an adenylate kinase enzyme involved in energy metabolism and homeostasis of cellular adenine nucleotide ratios in different intracellular compartments. This gene is highly expressed in skeletal muscle, brain and erythrocytes. Certain mutations in this gene resulting in a functionally inadequate enzyme are associated with a rare genetic disorder causing nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia. Alternative splicing of this gene results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. This gene shares readthrough transcripts with the upstream ST6GALNAC6 gene. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2022]
Forensic Context
A study in mice demonstrated that adenosine kinase (Adk) gene expression was down-regulated specifically in liver tissue following neutron exposure, as part of a broader analysis of radiation-induced gene expression changes [Roudkenar et al. DOI:10.1269/jrr.07078].