AURKA (Aurora Kinase A) Gene
A serine/threonine kinase critical for mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome segregation; frequently amplified in cancer.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | AURKA |
|---|---|
| Full Name | aurora kinase A |
| Gene Type | protein-coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 20q13.2 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 6790 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/6790 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000087586 |
| UniProt ID | O14965 |
| OMIM ID | 603072 |
| HGNC ID | 11393 |
| Aliases | STK15, BTAK, AIK, ARK1, AURA, PPP1R47 |
Description
AURKA encodes a cell cycle-regulated serine/threonine kinase that localizes to the centrosome and spindle poles during mitosis. It is essential for centrosome maturation, spindle assembly, and chromosome segregation. Overexpression and gene amplification of AURKA are oncogenic drivers in multiple human cancers, leading to aneuploidy and genomic instability.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Breast cancer | Amplification and overexpression of AURKA lead to centrosome amplification and aneuploidy, promoting tumorigenesis. | PMID: 15688063; COSMIC; ClinVar |
| Ovarian cancer | AURKA amplification (20q13.2) is recurrent in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, associated with poor prognosis. | PMID: 21720365; COSMIC |
| Colorectal cancer | AURKA overexpression correlates with chromosomal instability and poor survival. | PMID: 12506203; COSMIC |
| Neuroblastoma | AURKA stabilizes MYCN protein, contributing to oncogenic signaling. | PMID: 19252505; ClinVar |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Bone marrow | 15.2 | Medium |
| Testis | 12.8 | Medium |
| Lymph node | 10.5 | Medium |
| Colon | 8.3 | Low |
| Breast | 6.1 | Low |
| Ovary | 5.9 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HeLa | 18.4 | Cervical adenocarcinoma; high expression |
| MCF7 | 14.2 | Breast cancer; moderate expression |
| A549 | 11.7 | Lung carcinoma; moderate expression |
| K562 | 9.3 | Chronic myeloid leukemia; low expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.91G>A (p.Glu31Lys) | Missense | <0.1% | Unknown functional impact; rare in COSMIC |
| c.169A>G (p.Ile57Val) | Missense | <0.1% | Reported in colorectal cancer; functional significance unclear |
| c.911T>C (p.Phe304Ser) | Missense | <0.1% | Kinase domain; potential loss-of-function in vitro |
| Amplification | Copy number gain | ~10-20% in breast/ovarian | Gain-of-function; drives oncogenesis |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Rare missense variants in the kinase domain (e.g., p.Phe304Ser) reduce catalytic activity in vitro, but no clear loss-of-function disease phenotype is established.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Gene amplification and overexpression are the primary gain-of-function mechanisms, leading to increased kinase activity, centrosome amplification, and aneuploidy.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No well-characterized dominant-negative mutations reported in human disease.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• Cell Cycle
• Mitotic (Reactome R-HSA-69278)
• Aurora A signaling (Reactome R-HSA-8854518)
• PLK1 signaling events (Reactome R-HSA-1566948)
• G2/M DNA damage checkpoint (Reactome R-HSA-69481)
Protein Summary
Aurora kinase A (AURKA) is a 403-amino-acid serine/threonine kinase with an N-terminal regulatory domain and a C-terminal catalytic domain. It is activated by autophosphorylation at Thr288 and localized to centrosomes and spindle poles during mitosis. AURKA phosphorylates substrates including TPX2, CEP192, and BORA to promote centrosome maturation, spindle assembly, and mitotic entry. Overexpression leads to centrosome amplification, multipolar spindles, and aneuploidy, making it a target for cancer therapy (e.g., alisertib).
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AURKA Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ50666 | Human | 6790 | Details Get a Quote |
| AURKA Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ54585 | Human | 6790 | Details Get a Quote |
| AURKA Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ63069 | Human | 6790 | Details Get a Quote |
| AURKA Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ71545 | Human | 6790 | Details Get a Quote |
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