start-ver=1.4 cd-journal=joma no-vol=128 cd-vols= no-issue=6 article-no= start-page=875 end-page=891 dt-received= dt-revised= dt-accepted= dt-pub-year=2015 dt-pub=201511 dt-online= en-article= kn-article= en-subject= kn-subject= en-title= kn-title=Structure, function, and evolution of plant NIMA-related kinases: implication for phosphorylation-dependent microtubule regulation en-subtitle= kn-subtitle= en-abstract= kn-abstract=icrotubules 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 ƒÀ-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. en-copyright= kn-copyright= en-aut-name=TakataniShogo en-aut-sei=Takatani en-aut-mei=Shogo kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=1 ORCID= en-aut-name=OtaniKento en-aut-sei=Otani en-aut-mei=Kento kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=2 ORCID= en-aut-name=KanazawaMai en-aut-sei=Kanazawa en-aut-mei=Mai kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=3 ORCID= en-aut-name=TakahashiTaku en-aut-sei=Takahashi en-aut-mei=Taku kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=4 ORCID= en-aut-name=MotoseHiroyasu en-aut-sei=Motose en-aut-mei=Hiroyasu kn-aut-name= kn-aut-sei= kn-aut-mei= aut-affil-num=5 ORCID= affil-num=1 en-affil= kn-affil=Division of Bioscience, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University affil-num=2 en-affil= kn-affil=Division of Bioscience, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University affil-num=3 en-affil= kn-affil=Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University affil-num=4 en-affil=Division of Bioscience, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University kn-affil= affil-num=5 en-affil=Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University kn-affil= en-keyword=NIMA-related kinase kn-keyword=NIMA-related kinase en-keyword=Phosphorylation kn-keyword=Phosphorylation en-keyword=Tubulin kn-keyword=Tubulin en-keyword=Microtubule kn-keyword=Microtubule en-keyword=Cell expansion kn-keyword=Cell expansion en-keyword=Cell division kn-keyword=Cell division END