Plays an essential role in the NF-kappa-B signaling pathway which is activated by multiple stimuli such as inflammatory cytokines, bacterial or viral products, DNA damages or other cellular stresses. Activation of IKK depends upon phosphorylation at Ser177 and Ser181 in the activation loop of IKKbeta (Ser176 and Ser180 in IKKalpha), which causes conformational changes, resulting in kinase activation.
