Survivin enhances Aurora-B kinase activity and localizes Aurora-B in human cells

J Biol Chem. 2003 Jan 3;278(1):486-90. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M211119200. Epub 2002 Nov 4.

Abstract

Survivin, one of the most tumor-specific gene products, has been implicated in both anti-apoptosis and cytokinesis. However, the mechanism by which survivin regulates these two different processes is still elusive. Here, we show that survivin binds to the catalytic domain of Aurora-B. We demonstrate that in the presence of survivin, Aurora-B phosphorylates histone H3 much more efficiently than in the absence of survivin in a cell-free system. Furthermore, we confirm that cells lacking survivin due to survivin antisense oligonucleotide-treatment have lower Aurora-B kinase activity, whereas cells overexpressing survivin have higher Aurora-B kinase activity. We also provide evidence that depletion of survivin by survivin antisense oligonucleotide treatment causes significant reduction of endogenous phosphorylated histone H3 and mislocalization of Aurora-B. These results indicate that survivin stimulates Aurora-B kinase activity and helps correctly target Aurora-B to its substrates during the cell cycle, thus providing a mechanism as to how survivin exerts its function in human cells.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aurora Kinase B
  • Aurora Kinases
  • Catalytic Domain
  • Cell Cycle / physiology
  • Cell Line
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / metabolism*
  • Down-Regulation / physiology
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Survivin

Substances

  • BIRC5 protein, human
  • Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Histones
  • Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Survivin
  • AURKB protein, human
  • Aurora Kinase B
  • Aurora Kinases
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases