Aurora kinases

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aurora kinases are enzymes from the serine / threonine protein kinase family . They play an important role in cell growth . In oncology , the aurora kinases are potential targets for the development of new drugs for the treatment of cancer . The genes coding for the enzymes are counted among the oncogenes .

Function and occurrence in humans

As in all mammals, there are three different aurora kinases in the human genome . All three aurora kinases are involved in several biological cell processes. These include above all cell division (cytokinesis) and the segregation of chromosomes .

Aurora kinase A

The AURKA gene coding for aurokinase A (also called Aurora-2) is located in humans on chromosome 20 gene locus q13. The gene product consists of 403 amino acids . Aurora A is directly involved in the formation of microtubules and the stabilization of the spindle poles during chromosome segregation . Consequently, it is found inside the cells on the centrosome when the cell is in the interphase of the cell cycle and in the case of mitosis on the spindle poles. On chromosome 1 of man is a pseudogene of Auraka and on chromosome 10 , not processed pseudogene.

Aurora kinase A is overexpressed in many human breast cancers.

Aurora kinase B

Aurora kinase B (also called Aurora-1) is encoded by the AURKB gene. In humans, it is located on chromosome 17 gene locus p13.1. The gene product consists of 371 amino acids. It is located in the cell near the microtubules, especially the kinetochore microtubules.

Aurora Kinase C

Aurora kinase C is a so-called chromosomal passenger protein that is encoded by the AURKC gene. In humans, this gene is located on chromosome 19 gene locus q13.43. The gene product consists of 275 amino acids and forms complexes with aurora kinase B and the inner centromer protein (INCEP). Aurora kinase C probably organizes the microtubules during mitosis. Like the other two aurora kinases, AURA is overexpressed in a number of tumor diseases.

Other organisms

In simpler organisms such as frogs , fruit flies and nematodes , aurora kinase C is missing.

Aurora kinases as a therapeutic target

The three human aurora kinases are overexpressed in tumor cells in a variety of cancers. They are therefore a promising target for the therapy of malignant tumors. In recent years a number of aurora kinase inhibitors have been developed which are currently (as of November 2009) still in clinical trials (phase I and II). No aurora kinase inhibitor has yet been approved as a drug .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c V. M. Bolanos-Garcia: Aurora kinases. In: Int J Biochem Cell Biol 37, 2005, pp. 1572-1577, PMID 15896667 .
  2. ↑ NCBI (Entrez Protein): aurora kinase A (Homo sapiens). Retrieved November 10, 2009.
  3. ↑ Entrez genes of the NCBI : AURKA aurora kinase A (Homo sapiens). Retrieved November 10, 2009
  4. ^ Protein Data Bank : Aurora-2. Retrieved November 10, 2009
  5. ^ MA Lampson et al: Correcting improper chromosome-spindle attachments during cell division. In: Nat Cell Biol 6, 2004, pp. 232-237, PMID 14767480 .
  6. ↑ NCBI (Entrez Protein): AURKB protein (Homo sapiens). Retrieved November 10, 2009
  7. ↑ Entrez genes of the NCBI : AURKB aurora kinase B (Homo sapiens). Retrieved November 10, 2009.
  8. ↑ NCBI (Entrez Protein): AURKC protein (Homo sapiens). Retrieved November 10, 2009.
  9. ↑ Entrez genes of the NCBI : AURKC aurora kinase C (Homo sapiens). Retrieved November 10, 2009.
  10. ^ H. Katayama et al.: The Aurora kinases: role in cell transformation and tumorigenesis. In: Cancer Metastasis Rev 22, 2004, pp. 451-464. doi : 10.1023 / A: 1023789416385 PMID 12884918 .
  11. ^ O. Gautschi et al.: Aurora kinases as anticancer drug targets. In: Clin Cancer Res 14, 2008, pp. 1639-1948, PMID 18347165 .

further reading

Reviews

Technical article in Open Access