Given that previous studies have shown that AKT activation at Thr308 and Ser473 is primarily regulated by upstream kinases PDK1[29] and PI3K,[30, 31] respectively, the involvement of PDK1 and PI3K in BCKDK‐mediated phosphorylation and activation of these AKT sites in RCC was investigated. The gene discussed is BCKDK; the disease is renal cell carcinoma.