title: Aurora B kinase activation requires survivin priming phosphorylation by PLK1.
abstract: During cell division, chromosome segregation is orchestrated by the interaction of spindle microtubules with the centromere. Accurate attachment of spindle microtubules to kinetochore requires the chromosomal passenger of Aurora B kinase complex with borealin, INCENP and survivin (SUR). The current working model argues that SUR is responsible for docking Aurora B to the centromere whereas its precise role in Aurora B activation has been unclear. Here, we show that Aurora B kinase activation requires SUR priming phosphorylation at Ser20 which is catalyzed by polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1). Inhibition of PLK1 kinase activity or expression of non-phosphorylatable SUR mutant prevents Aurora B activation and correct spindle microtubule attachment. The PLK1-mediated regulation of Aurora B kinase activity was examined in real-time mitosis using fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based reporter and quantitative analysis of native Aurora B substrate phosphorylation. We reason that the PLK1-mediated priming phosphorylation is critical for orchestrating Aurora B activity in centromere which is essential for accurate chromosome segregation and faithful completion of cytokinesis.
authors.affiliation: Anhui Key Laboratory of Cellular Dynamics and Chemical Biology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Youjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Phil Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Wenwen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhikai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liangyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuejia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yuwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xuebiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002460:Cell Line; D002503:Centromere / Q000378:metabolism; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008938:Mitosis; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism; D000077022:Survivin; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1
chemical_list: D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; C576921:AURKB protein, human