Serine/threonine kinase HUNK/MAK-V was identified from a mammary tumor in an MMTV-neu transgenic mouse. It is required for the metastasis of c-myc-induced mammary tumours, but is not necessary for c-myc-induced primary tumour formation or normal development. It is required for HER2/neu-induced tumour formation and maintenance of the cells' tumourigenic phenotype. It is over-expressed in aggressive subsets of ovary, colon, and breast carcinomas []. HUNK interacts with synaptopodin, and may also play a role in synaptic plasticity [].
