FAK1 (focal adhesion kinase 1) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that localizes to focal adhesions in adherent cells and it is involved in diverse cellular roles. The N-terminal region of FAK1 contains a FERM domain which is subdivided FERM_N or A-lobe, FERM_M or B-lobe and FERM_C or C-lobe. This entry represents the C-lobe, which is structurally similar to the PH and PTB domains and consequently is capable of binding to both peptides and phospholipids at different sites [1-5]. This domain is also present in protein-tyrosine kinase 2-beta (also known as PYK2), a cytoplasmic, non-receptor tyrosine kinase which is a close paralogue to FAK in vertebrates. FRMPD1/3/4 also contain this domain; FRMPD1 regulates the subcellular location of activator of G-protein signaling 3 and its interaction with G-proteins. FRMPD4 has been shown to regulate dendritic spine morphogenesis and the function of FRMPD3 is not clear.

1: Crystal structure of the FERM domain of focal adhesion kinase. Ceccarelli DF, Song HK, Poy F, Schaller MD, Eck MJ; J Biol Chem. 2006;281:252-259. PMID:16221668

2: Structural basis for the autoinhibition of focal adhesion kinase. Lietha D, Cai X, Ceccarelli DF, Li Y, Schaller MD, Eck MJ; Cell. 2007;129:1177-1187. PMID:17574028

3: Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate triggers activation of focal adhesion kinase by inducing clustering and conformational changes. Goni GM, Epifano C, Boskovic J, Camacho-Artacho M, Zhou J, Bronowska A, Martin MT, Eck MJ, Kremer L, Grater F, Gervasio FL, Perez-Moreno M, Lietha D; Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014;111:E3177-E3186. PMID:25049397

4: FAK dimerization controls its kinase-dependent functions at focal adhesions. Brami-Cherrier K, Gervasi N, Arsenieva D, Walkiewicz K, Boutterin MC, Ortega A, Leonard PG, Seantier B, Gasmi L, Bouceba T, Kadare G, Girault JA, Arold ST; EMBO J. 2014;33:356-370. PMID:24480479

5: High resolution crystal structure of the FAK FERM domain reveals new insights on the Druggability of tyrosine 397 and the Src SH3 binding site. Marlowe T, Dementiev A, Figel S, Rivera A, Flavin M, Cance W; BMC Mol Cell Biol. 2019;20:10. PMID:31109284