Structure, function, and evolution of plant NIMA-related kinases: implication for phosphorylation-dependent microtubule regulation.
Microtubules are highly dynamic structures that control the spatiotemporal pattern of cell growth and division. Microtubule dynamics are regulated by reversible protein phosphorylation involving both protein kinases and phosphatases. Never in mitosis A (NIMA)-related kinases (NEKs) are a family of serine/threonine kinases that regulate microtubule-related mitotic events in fungi and animal cells (e.g. centrosome separation and spindle formation). Although plants contain multiple members of the NEK family, their functions remain elusive. Recent studies revealed that NEK6 of Arabidopsis thaliana regulates cell expansion and morphogenesis through β-tubulin phosphorylation and microtubule destabilization. In addition, plant NEK members participate in organ development and stress responses. The present phylogenetic analysis indicates that plant NEK genes are diverged from a single NEK6-like gene, which may share a common ancestor with other kinases involved in the control of microtubule organization. On the contrary, another mitotic kinase, polo-like kinase, might have been lost during the evolution of land plants. We propose that plant NEK members have acquired novel functions to regulate cell growth, microtubule organization, and stress responses.
Division of Bioscience, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Tsushimanaka 3-1-1, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
Shogo
S
Takatani
Division of Bioscience, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Tsushimanaka 3-1-1, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
Kento
K
Otani
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University, Tsushimanaka 3-1-1, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
Mai
M
Kanazawa
Division of Bioscience, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Tsushimanaka 3-1-1, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.|Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University, Tsushimanaka 3-1-1, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
Taku
T
Takahashi
Division of Bioscience, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Tsushimanaka 3-1-1, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan. motose@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp.|Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University, Tsushimanaka 3-1-1, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan. motose@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp.
Hiroyasu
H
Motose
D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D010802:Phylogeny; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010944:Plants / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D010940:Plant Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases
Cell division; Cell expansion; Microtubule; NIMA-related kinase; Phosphorylation; Tubulin