AP2-associated protein kinase 1 (Aak1) is a member of the Ark1/Prk1 subfamily of Ser/Thr protein kinases that are thought to regulate endocytosis by phosphorylating the accessory endocytic components.   Aak1 interacts with and phosphorylates the mu2 subunit of the AP-2 complex, which promotes binding of the AP-2 to tyrosine based (Yxxphi) internalization motif-containing receptors and subsequent receptor endocytosis.  At least two isoforms of Aak1 are known to exist; the longer isoform contains an extended carboxy-terminus that contains an additional clathrin-binding domain.   Overexpression of this long isoform or Aak1 depletion by RNA interference impairs transferrin recycling from the early/sorting endosome, suggesting that Aak1 functions at multiple steps of the endosomal pathway by regulating transferrin internalization and its recycling back to the plasma membrane.