The mammalian Nek1 kinase is involved in primary cilium formation.
Recent studies implicate primary cilium (PC) proteins in the etiologies of various polycystic kidney diseases (PKD). NIMA-related kinases (NRKs) are conserved serine/threonine kinases, which are usually defined as 'mitotic kinases'. Murine mutants for the NRKs, nek1 (kat mice) suffer from PKD, suggesting that it may be involved in cilium control. We demonstrated herein that Nek1 is localized to basal body region and that Nek1 overexpression inhibits ciliogenesis in Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells. The number of primary cilia is dramatically reduced in kat2J mouse embryonic fibroblasts culture. It is thus hypothesized that Nek1 links cell cycle progression and the PC cycle.
Shalom
Ohad
O
The Mina and Everard Goodman, Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel.
Shalva
Nechama
N
Altschuler
Yoram
Y
Motro
Benny
B
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002923:Cilia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004285:Dogs; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D000072380:NIMA-Related Kinase 1; D007690:Polycystic Kidney Diseases / Q000201:enzymology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D000072380:NIMA-Related Kinase 1; C000606920:Nek1 protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases