The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key enzyme involved in the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. There are multiple isoforms of the three subunits of this enzymatic complex, each encoded by a different gene in humans. We have investigated the PRKAB2 gene encoding the beta2 subunit, which is located on chromosome 1q within a region linked with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the Pima Indians and four different Caucasian populations. The gene consists of eight exons spanning about 15 kb, and we detected nine variants in the introns and 3' UTR, including eight informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one rare 4 bp insertion/deletion. In an analysis of representative markers in selected Pima Indians including 149 diabetic cases (onset age < 25 years) and 150 controls (at least 45 years old, with normal glucose tolerance), we found no evidence for association of this locus with T2DM. We conclude that variants in PRKAB2 are unlikely to contribute to the disease susceptibility in Pima Indians.