Differential Selective Pressures Experienced by the Aurora Kinase Gene Family.

ABSTRACT: Aurora kinases (AKs) are serine/threonine kinases that are essential for cell division. Humans have three AK genes: AKA, AKB, and AKC. AKA is required for centrosome assembly, centrosome separation, and bipolar spindle assembly, and its mutation leads to abnormal spindle morphology. AKB is required for the spindle checkpoint and proper cytokinesis, and mutations cause chromosome misalignment and cytokinesis failure. AKC is expressed in germ cells, and has a role in meiosis analogous to that of AKB in mitosis. Mutation of any of the three isoforms can lead to cancer. AK proteins possess divergent N- and C-termini and a conserved central catalytic domain. We examined the evolution of the AK gene family using an identity matrix and by building a phylogenetic tree. The data suggest that AKA is

SUBMITTER: Seeling JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5796022 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature