Prkce, encoding protein kinase C-epsilon, is an isoform of the large PKC family. It functions in regulating cardiac muscle contraction by targeting sarcomeric proteins and modulating cardiac cell energy production and metabolism via targeting mitochondria. It is also involved in intracellular localization-based substrate selectivity [1].

In mouse models, maternal Prkce expression in mature oocytes is crucial. Prkce knockout mice showed a reduced 2-cell rate, which could be rescued by Prkce cRNA injection. This indicates Prkce's role in facilitating the maternal-to-zygotic transition in early embryos [2].

In summary, Prkce has significant functions in cardiac muscle regulation and early embryo development. Mouse knockout models have been instrumental in revealing its role in early embryo development, contributing to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these biological processes.

References:

1. Scruggs, Sarah B, Wang, Ding, Ping, Peipei. 2016. PRKCE gene encoding protein kinase C-epsilon-Dual roles at sarcomeres and mitochondria in cardiomyocytes. In Gene, 590, 90-6. doi:10.1016/j.gene.2016.06.016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27312950/

2. Zhang, Shaoqing, Gong, Xiuli, Zhou, Yiye, Zeng, Yitao, Zeng, Fanyi. 2022. Maternal Prkce expression in mature oocytes is critical for the first cleavage facilitating maternal-to-zygotic transition in mouse early embryos. In Cell proliferation, 55, e13231. doi:10.1111/cpr.13231. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35582855/