Table 1.

Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is implicated in the key phases of mitosis and meiosis.

Cell Cycle Stage	PLK1 Role in Mitosis	Reference	PLK1 Role in Meiosis	Reference
M-phase entry	PLK1 activity is required for entry into mitosis in vertebrates	[1,2,13]	PLK1 activity is essential for progression through the M-phase	[14]
M-phase entry	PLK1-dependent phosphorylation of phosphatase CDC25C promotes mitotic entry	[7]	PLK1 is required for activation of the phosphatase CDC25C and CDK1	[15]
NEBD	PLK1 participates in nuclear envelope reformation and nuclear pore disassembly	[16,17]	PLK1 promotes NEBD during meiotic resumption	[18]
NEBD	PLK1 triggers chromosome condensation in early mitosis	[8,9]	PLK1 triggers chromosome compaction	[19]
Spindle organization	PLK1 activates Aurora B, Haspin, and BUB1 in early mitosis, which establishes the centromere and recruits the chromosomal passenger complex	[6]	PLK1 triggers decondensation of the MTOC structure and is required for C-NAP1 dissociation during NEBD, which is critical for the fragmentation of MTOC components	[20]
Spindle organization	PLK1 phosphorylates several centrosomal proteins, including ninein-like protein, CEP55, NEDD1, and pericentrin	[21,22,23]	PLK1 regulates MTOC fragmentation and LISD recruitment. PLK1 controls the normal localization of acentriolar MTOC components (γ-tubulin, CEP192, NEDD1)	[24]
Spindle organization	PLK1 colocalization with p4E-BP1 on the spindle is essential for spindle integrity	[25]	PLK1 recruits centrosomal proteins to acentriolar MTOCs to promote spindle formation	[18]
Spindle organization	PLK1 is essential in spindle assembly checkpoint and chromosome segregation	[26]	PLK1 regulates 4E-BP1 phosphorylation on the spindle, which is essential for spindle formation integrity	[27]
Segregation of chromosomes	PLK1 stabilizes kinetochore-microtubule attachment and spindle checkpoint silencing	[10,26]	PLK1 plays an essential role in chromosomal segregation and spindle formation in porcine oocytes	[4,28]
Segregation of chromosomes	PLK1 phosphorylates Sororin and SA2, a key component of the cohesion dissociation pathway	[8,29]	PLK1 plays an essential role in stable kinetochore-microtubule attachment	[18]
Cytokinesis	PLK1 is an essential early regulator of anaphase spindle elongation and cytokinesis	[2,30]	PLK1 is required for mono-orientation and the protection of centromeric cohesion	[31]
Cytokinesis	PLK1 phosphorylates and activates APC/C and controls the destruction of APC/C inhibitor EMI1	[32,33,34]	PLK1 activates APC/C by promoting degradation of the APC/C inhibitors EMI1 and EMI2, an essential event for entry into anaphase 1	[18,35]