Functional characterization of the interaction between the human Nek7 protein kinase and their proteins partners

• Grant number: 11/20423-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2011
• End date: November 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Jörg Kobarg
• Grantee: Bárbara Biatriz de Godoy
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The NIMA (never in mitosis, gene A) protein is a mitotic regulator that has been identified and functionally described in Apergillus nidulans. The Neks (NIMA related kinases) are protein kinases evolutionarily conserved and structurally to NIMA homologous. In Human Neks 11 were identified, with only Nek2, Nek6, Nek7 and Nek9 has been directly implicated in mitotic regulation. It is likely that Nek6, and Nek7 Nek9, form the same signaling cascade during the mitotic process, as well as Nek7 and Nek6 have an independent role in mitotic spindle formation and cytokinesis. But little is known about the functional role of interactions between proteins and their partners Nek7 in human cells as well as the different functions performed by Nek7and Nek6 in the cell. Therefore, this project, we will perform the cloning and expression of proteins interacting with human Nek7 well as functional studies in human cells in order to elucidate the mechanism by which Nek6, Nek7 and Nek9 can contribute to different events in mitotic progression as well as for understanding of new functions performed by Nek7 in the cell. (AU)