title: Nek2A specifies the centrosomal localization of Erk2.
abstract: Nek2A is a cell-cycle-regulated protein kinase that localizes to the centrosome and kinetochore. Our recent studies provide a link between Nek2A and spindle checkpoint signaling [J. Biol. Chem. 279 (2004) 20049]. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (Erk2) is an important kinase, which belongs to mitogen activating protein (MAP) kinase family. Here we demonstrated that Nek2A binds specifically to Erk2. Erk2 interacts with Nek2A via a conserved Erk2 docking site located to the C-terminus of Nek2A. Our studies indicate this docking site is essential and sufficient for a direct Nek2A-Erk2 interaction. In addition, our immunocytochemical studies show that Nek2A and Erk2 are co-localized to centrosome. Significantly, elimination of Nek2A by RNA interference delocalized Erk2 from its centrosomal location, while inhibition of Erk2 kinase activity did not affect the localization of Nek2A in centrosome. We propose that Erk2 links extracellular signaling to centrosome dynamics by Nek2A.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China. yaoxb@ustc.edu.cn
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Dong-Fang
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian-hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Zhao-feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yu-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yun-Yu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Xue-Biao
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018385:Centrosome / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008938:Mitosis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D011817:Rabbits; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques
chemical_list: C089441:NEK2 protein, human; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1