Functional divergence of microtubule-associated TPX2 family members in Arabidopsis thaliana

0524457 - ÚEB 2021 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Tomaštíková, Eva - Rutten, T. - Dvořák, P. - Tugai, A. - Ptošková, Klára - Petrovská, Beáta - Van Damme, D. - Houben, A. - Doležel, Jaroslav - Demidov, D.
Functional divergence of microtubule-associated TPX2 family members in Arabidopsis thaliana.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Roč. 21, č. 6 (2020), č. článku 2183. E-ISSN 1422-0067
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) LTC18026; GA MŠMT(CZ) EF16_019/0000827
Institutional support: RVO:61389030
Keywords : Arabidopsis thaliana * Aurora kinase 1 * In vivo co-localization * Kinase assay * Phylogeny * Targeting protein for Xklp2
OECD category: Cell biology
Impact factor: 5.924, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Open access
http://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062183

TPX2 (Targeting Protein for Xklp2) is an evolutionary conserved microtubule-associated protein important for microtubule nucleation and mitotic spindle assembly. The protein was described as an activator of the mitotic kinase Aurora A in humans and the Arabidopsis AURORA1 (AUR1) kinase. In contrast to animal genomes that encode only one TPX2 gene, higher plant genomes encode a family with several TPX2-LIKE gene members (TPXL). TPXL genes of Arabidopsis can be divided into two groups. Group A proteins (TPXL2, 3, 4, and 8) contain Aurora binding and TPX2_importin domains, while group B proteins (TPXL1, 5, 6, and 7) harbor an Xklp2 domain. Canonical TPX2 contains all the above-mentioned domains. We confirmed using in vitro kinase assays that the group A proteins contain a functional Aurora kinase binding domain. Transient expression of Arabidopsis TPX2-like proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed preferential localization to microtubules and nuclei. Co-expression of AUR1 together with TPX2-like proteins changed the localization of AUR1, indicating that these proteins serve as targeting factors for Aurora kinases. Taken together, we visualize the various localizations of the TPX2-LIKE family in Arabidopsis as a proxy to their functional divergence and provide evidence of their role in the targeted regulation of AUR1 kinase activity.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0308817