Abstract
The Aurora kinases are a family of serine/threonine protein kinases that perform important functions during the cell cycle. Recently, it was shown that Drosophila Aurora A also regulates the asymmetric localization of Numb to the basal and the partitioning-defective (Par) complex to the apical cortex of neuroblasts by phosphorylating Par6. Here, we show that Aurora A is required for neuronal polarity. Suppression of Aurora A by RNA interference results in the loss of neuronal polarity. Aurora A interacts directly with the atypical protein kinase C binding domain of Par3 and phosphorylates it at serine 962. The phosphorylation of Par3 at serine 962 contributes to its function in the establishment of neuronal polarity.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
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Amino Acid Substitution
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Animals
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Aurora Kinase A
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Aurora Kinases
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Axons / metabolism
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Binding Sites
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Blotting, Western
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Carrier Proteins / genetics
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Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
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Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
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Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
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Cell Differentiation
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Cell Line
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Cell Polarity*
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Cells, Cultured
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Fluorescent Antibody Technique
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Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
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Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
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Humans
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism
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Mutation
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Neurons / cytology
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Neurons / metabolism*
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Phosphorylation
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Protein Binding
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
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RNA Interference
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Rats
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Serine / genetics
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Serine / metabolism*
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Transfection
Substances
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Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
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Carrier Proteins
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Cell Cycle Proteins
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Membrane Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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PARD3 protein, human
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Pard3 protein, rat
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Green Fluorescent Proteins
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Serine
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Aurka protein, rat
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Aurora Kinase A
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Aurora Kinases
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases