Adenylate kinase (AK) is a phosphotransferase essential for energy homeostasis. It catalyzes the reaction . 2 ADP ↔ ATP + AMP, maintaining the balance of adenine nucleotides (ATP, ADP, AMP) within cells, ensuring a rapid response to fluctuating energy demand. This reaction is crucial for regenerating ATP, particularly during periods of high energy consumption (muscle contraction, neuronal activity, cellular proliferation). AK acts as a metabolic sensor, modulating AMP levels, activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a master regulator of energy status. Through this AK → AMP → AMPK axis, cells sense energy deficits and initiate adaptive responses, upregulating catabolic pathways and downregulating anabolic processes to restore energy balance. Dysregulation and mutations in AK isoforms are linked to a spectrum of human diseases, including Reticular Dysgenesis, Autoimmune Limbic Encephalitis, neuro degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, cancer and a variety of other conditions (metabolic syndrome, diabetes, celiac disease, asthma and primary male infertility). AkrivisBio’s Adenylate Kinase Activity Assay is a simple, sensitive way to measure AK activity in a wide variety of samples.
