title: The N-terminal domain of the Aurora-A Phe-31 variant encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase and mediates ubiquitination of IkappaBalpha.
abstract: Aurora-A is an important regulator of mitosis and is frequently amplified in human cancer. Ectopic expression of Aurora-A in mammalian cells induces centrosome amplification, genomic instability and transformation. A common genetic variant in Aurora-A (F31I) is preferentially amplified and is associated with the occurrence and the status of colon, oesophageal and breast cancers. Here we demonstrate that the N-terminal domain of Aurora-A Phe-31 variant exhibits an intrinsic ubiquitin ligase activity. Mutation of cysteines 8, 33 and 49 of Aurora-A abolishes the ubiquitin ligase activity of the protein. Aurora-A in a complex with UBE2N/MMS2 catalyses polyubiquitination of IkappaBalpha in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: The breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Center, The Institute of Cancer Research, Fulham Road, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Briassouli
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Spiros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Linardopoulos
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D006801:Humans; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000378:metabolism*; D044763:Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D025801:Ubiquitin; D010649:Phenylalanine; C471607:UBE2N protein, human; D044763:Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase