Enables beta-catenin binding activity and protein kinase activity. Involved in several processes, including embryonic body morphogenesis; negative regulation of canonical Wnt signaling pathway; and regulation of epidermal cell differentiation. Located in several cellular components, including cell-cell junction; nucleus; and plasma membrane. Is expressed in several structures, including germ line; hermaphrodite gonad; hypodermis; intestine; and sperm. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in esophagus squamous cell carcinoma; hepatocellular carcinoma; and lung adenocarcinoma. Orthologous to human FER (FER tyrosine kinase) and FES (FES proto-oncogene, tyrosine kinase).
WB Description
frk-1 encodes a non-receptor tyrosine kinase orthologous to the human proto-oncogene Fer; frk-1 is an essential gene required early for embryonic cell proliferation and later in embryonic epidermal cells for enclosure, morphogenesis and late stages of differentiation; FRK-1's role in embryonic development is independent of its kinase domain, and when expressed in cultured mammalian cells, FRK-1 disrupts cell adhesion; FRK-1 is initially expressed in all cells of the early embryo where it localizes to nuclei and points of cell-cell contact; later expression is seen in epithelial cells, body wall muscle, and the adult germline, including mature sperm; FRK-1 expression in epidermal cells requires activity of the ELT-1 GATA transcription factor, and FRK-1 localization to the plasma membrane requires PAT-3/Beta-integrin, JAC-1/p120 catenin, and HMP-2/Beta-catenin with which FRK-1 interacts in vitro.