DRAK1 (DAP kinase-related apoptosis-inducing protein kinase 1) is a novel member of the ser/thr protein kinase family, which mediate apoptosis through their catalytic activities. The full-length cDNA encodes a deduced 414-amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 46.56 kD. DRAKs contain an N-terminal kinase domain and a C-terminal regulation domain. DRAK1 messenger RNA appears to be ubiquitously expressed in human tissues. Overexpression of DRAK1 induces apoptosis. It has been shown in vitro that DRAK1 is capable of autophosphorylation and of phosphorylating the myosin light chain as an exogenous substrate, and that the noncatalytic C terminus is crucial for full kinase activity.