title: Role of Plk2 (Snk) in mouse development and cell proliferation.
abstract: Plk2 (Snk) is a polo-like kinase expressed at G(1) in cultured cells and mainly in the hippocampal neurons in the brains of adult rodents, but its function is poorly understood. We have generated mice deficient in Plk2 by gene targeting. Although Plk2 is not required for postnatal growth, Plk2(-/-) embryos show retarded growth and skeletal development late in gestation. The labyrinthine zone of the placenta is diminished in Plk2(-/-) embryos due to decreased cell proliferation. Cultured Plk2(-/-) embryonic fibroblasts grow more slowly than normal cells and show delayed entry into S phase. These data suggest a role for Plk2 in the cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charron
authors.forename: Raymond L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Erikson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D016193:G1 Phase; D017353:Gene Deletion; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018390:Gene Targeting; D005838:Genotype; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology*; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008938:Mitosis; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; C438873:PlK2 protein, Xenopus; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases