Figure 4.

Isolating the mitotic kinase activity of a promiscuous kinase.

(a): CK1α is a Ser/Thr protein kinase involved in many diverse cellular processes. (b): Selective recruitment of CK1α to spindle microtubules by FAM83D: In interphase, the FAM83D-HMMR complex cannot associate with CK1α. During mitosis, the FAM83D-HMMR complex localizes to spindle microtubules, and, through as of yet unidentified mechanisms, FAM83D binds CK1α and recruits it to the mitotic spindle to coordinate proper spindle positioning. CK1α phosphorylates FAM83D, but the exact relevance of this phosphorylation event is still to be determined. (c): CK1α is a pleiotropic kinase with critical roles in both interphase and mitosis. Thus, pan-cellular inhibition or knockdown of CK1α will affect all of these processes, and specific mitotic effects will be hard to infer. Targeting FAM83D, on the other hand, may present a means to selectively disrupt the mitotic functions of CK1α, without impacting its other physiological roles. Created with BioRender.com.