Nip2/centrobin may be a substrate of Nek2 that is required for proper spindle assembly during mitosis in early mouse embryos.
Nek2 is a mitotic kinase with multiple cellular functions involving phosphorylation of diverse substrates. Suppression of Nek2 in early mouse embryos has been shown to arrest development at the 4-cell stage with defects in mitotic spindle assembly as well as in interphase nuclear morphology. In the present study, we suppressed expression of two Nek2 centrosomal substrates, Nip2 and C-Nap1, in early mouse embryos. The development of the Nip2-suppressed embryo was arrested at the 4-cell stage with mitotic defects in the blastomeres. In contrast, C-Nap1 suppression did not produce a visible phenotype. The phenotypic similarities of the Nip2- and Nek2-suppressed embryos suggest that Nip2 may be a substrate of Nek2 that is required for mitotic spindle assembly in early mouse embryos.
Sonn
Seongkeun
S
Department of Biological Sciences, Research Center for Functional Cellulomics, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Jeong
Yeontae
Y
Rhee
Kunsoo
K
D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism*
D001324:Autoantigens; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C111329:CEP250 protein, human; C541774:Cntrob protein, mouse; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; C490317:Nek2 protein, mouse; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases