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Updated: Jun 26, 2025

Real-Time Monitoring of Aurora kinase A Activation using Conformational FRET Biosensors in Live Cells
Published on: July 30, 2020
Research progress on the relationship between AURKA and tumorigenesis: the neglected nuclear function of AURKA
Menghua Chen1, Huijun Zhu1, Jian Li1
1Department of Radiation Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Abstract:
AURKA is a threonine or serine kinase that needs to be activated by TPX2, Bora and other factors. AURKA is located on chromosome 20 and is amplified or overexpressed in many human cancers, such as breast cancer. AURKA regulates some basic cellular processes, and this regulation is realized via the phosphorylation of downstream substrates. AURKA can function in either the cytoplasm or the nucleus. It can promote the transcription and expression of oncogenes together with other transcription factors in the nucleus, including FoxM1, C-Myc, and NF-κB. In addition, it also sustains carcinogenic signaling, such as N-Myc and Wnt signaling. This article will focus on the role of AURKA in the nucleus and its carcinogenic characteristics that are independent of its kinase activity to provide a theoretical explanation for mechanisms of resistance to kinase inhibitors and a reference for future research on targeted inhibitors.
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