TY - JOUR
T1 - Structure, function, and evolution of plant NIMA-related kinases
T2 - implication for phosphorylation-dependent microtubule regulation
AU - Takatani, Shogo
AU - Otani, Kento
AU - Kanazawa, Mai
AU - Takahashi, Taku
AU - Motose, Hiroyasu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, The Botanical Society of Japan and Springer Japan.
PY - 2015/9/9
Y1 - 2015/9/9
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Cell division
KW - Cell expansion
KW - Microtubule
KW - NIMA-related kinase
KW - Phosphorylation
KW - Tubulin
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U2 - 10.1007/s10265-015-0751-6
DO - 10.1007/s10265-015-0751-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 26354760
AN - SCOPUS:84946497673
VL - 128
SP - 875
EP - 891
JO - Journal of Plant Research
JF - Journal of Plant Research
SN - 0918-9440
IS - 6
ER -