Aurora A is involved in central spindle assembly through phosphorylation of Ser 19 in P150Glued

• Published in: The Journal of cell biology Vol. 201; no. 1; pp. 65 - 79
• Main Authors: Reboutier, David, Troadec, Marie-Bérengère, Cremet, Jean-Yves, Chauvin, Lucie, Guen, Vincent, Salaun, Patrick, Prigent, Claude
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Rockefeller University Press 01.04.2013; The Rockefeller University Press
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate; Adenosine Triphosphate - analogs & derivatives; Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Adenosine Triphosphate - pharmacology; Anaphase; Anaphase - drug effects; Anaphase - physiology; Aurora Kinases; Cell Line; Cellular Biology; Dynactin Complex; Enzymes; Genetics; Human subjects; Humans; Kinases; Life Sciences; Maturation; Metaphase; Metaphase - drug effects; Metaphase - physiology; Microtubule-Associated Proteins; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - genetics; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Phosphorylation - physiology; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases - genetics; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases - metabolism; Serine; Serine - genetics; Serine - metabolism; Spindle Apparatus; Spindle Apparatus - genetics; Spindle Apparatus - metabolism
• ISSN: 0021-9525; 1540-8140; 1540-8140
• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201210060

Knowledge of Aurora A kinase functions is limited to premetaphase events, particularly centrosome maturation, G2/M transition, and mitotic spindle assembly. The involvement of Aurora A in events after metaphase has only been suggested because appropriate experiments are technically difficult. We report here the design of the first human Aurora A kinase (as-AurA) engineered by chemical genetics techniques. This kinase is fully functional biochemically and in cells, and is rapidly and specifically inhibited by the ATP analogue 1-Naphthyl-PP1 (1-Na-PP1). By treating cells exclusively expressing the as-AurA with 1-Na-PP1, we discovered that Aurora A is required for central spindle assembly in anaphase through phosphorylation of Ser 19 of P150Glued. This paper thus describes a new Aurora A function that takes place after the metaphase-to-anaphase transition and a new powerful tool to search for and study new Aurora A functions.