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Mol. Cell. Biol., Dec 1995, 7143-7151, Vol 15, No. 12
KS Lee, YL Yuan, R Kuriyama and RL Erikson
PLK (STPK13) encodes a murine protein kinase closely related to those
encoded by the Drosophila melanogaster polo gene and the Saccharomyces
cerevisiae CDC5 gene, which are required for normal mitotic and meiotic
divisions. Affinity-purified antibody generated against the C-terminal 13
amino acids of Plk specifically recognizes a single polypeptide of 66 kDa
in MELC, NIH 3T3, and HeLa cellular extracts. The expression levels of both
poly(A)+ PLK mRNA and its encoded protein are most abundant about 17 h
after serum stimulation of NIH 3T3 cells. Plk protein begins to accumulate
at the S/G2 boundary and reaches the maximum level at the G2/M boundary in
continuously cycling cells. Concurrent with cyclin B-associated cdc2 kinase
activity, Plk kinase activity sharply peaks at the onset of mitosis. Plk
enzymatic activity gradually decreases as M phase proceeds but persists
longer than cyclin B-associated cdc2 kinase activity. Plk is localized to
the area surrounding the chromosomes in prometaphase, appears condensed as
several discrete bands along the spindle axis at the interzone in anaphase,
and finally concentrates at the midbody during telophase and cytokinesis.
Plk and CHO1/mitotic kinesin-like protein 1 (MKLP-1), which induces
microtubule bundling and antiparallel movement in vitro, are colocalized
during late M phase. In addition, CHO1/MKLP-1 appears to interact with Plk
in vivo and to be phosphorylated by Plk-associated kinase activity in
vitro.
Copyright © 1995, American Society for Microbiology
Plk is an M-phase-specific protein kinase and interacts with a kinesin- like protein, CHO1/MKLP-1
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
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