Recent studies revealed that leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) phosphorylates several Rab proteins under physiological conditions. Mutations linked with familial Parkinson's disease cause an abnormal increase in the Rab phosphorylation, which has not been elucidated in an in vitro kinase assays where artificial peptide substrates are often used. Here, we provide protocols for detecting the LRRK2 activity in tissues and cultured cells using Rab phosphorylation as a readout.
Keywords: Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2; Parkinson disease; Phos-tag; Phosphorylation; Rab.