Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase that functions autonomously after Ca2+/calmodulin-binding and autophosphorylation, and is involved in dendritic spine and synapse formation, neuronal plasticity and regulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ transport in skeletal muscle. In neurons, plays an essential structural role in the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton during plasticity by binding and bundling actin filaments in a kinase-independent manner. This structural function is required for correct targeting of CaMK2A, which acts downstream of NMDAR to promote dendritic spine and synapse formation and maintain synaptic plasticity which enables long-term potentiation (LTP) and hippocampus-dependent learning. In developing hippocampal neurons, promotes arborization of the dendritic tree and in mature neurons, promotes dendritic remodeling. Participates in the modulation of skeletal muscle function in response to exercise. In slow-twitch muscles, is involved in regulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ transport and in fast-twitch muscle participates in the control of Ca2+ release from the SR through phosphorylation of triadin, a ryanodine receptor-coupling factor, and phospholamban (PLN/PLB), an endogenous inhibitor of SERCA2A/ATP2A2.
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