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Description

Keratin, type II cytoskeletal 8 (UniProt: P05787, also known as Cytokeratin-8, CK-8 Keratin-8, K8, Type-II keratin Kb80) is encoded by the KRT8 (also known as CYK8) gene (Gene ID: 3856) in human. Cytokeratin-8 is a type II, neutral to basic, protein of the intermediate filament family that together with Cytokeratin-19 (KRT19) helps to link the contractile apparatus to dystrophin at the costameres of striated muscle. Cytokeratin-8 can undergo phosphorylation on three major serine residues: Serine 23, 431, and 73. Serine 23 is shown to be highly conserved in all type II keratins. Phosphorylation at Serine 73 is reported to increase during cellular stress, including hear and drug exposure. However, under normal conditions serine 73 remains largely dephosphorylated. Cytokeratin-8 can also undergo O-glycosylation in a cell cycle-dependent manner and glycosylation increases its solubility and reduces stability by inducing proteasomal degradation. Mutations in KRT8 gene have been linked to liver cirrhosis that is characterized by severe panlobular liver-cell swelling with Mallory body formation, prominent pericellular fibrosis, and marked deposits of copper. Two isoforms of Cytokeratin-8 have been described that are produced by alternative splicing.