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    J Biol Chem. 2004 Mar 5;279(10):8642-7. Epub 2003 Dec 29.

    Inhibition of spliceosome assembly by the cell cycle-regulated protein kinase MELK and involvement of splicing factor NIPP1.

    Vulsteke V, Beullens M, Boudrez A, Keppens S, Van Eynde A, Rider MH, Stalmans W, Bollen M.

    Afdeling Biochemie, Faculteit Geneeskunde, Catholic University of Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.

    NIPP1 is a ubiquitous nuclear protein that is required for spliceosome assembly. We report here that the phosphothreonine-binding Forkhead-associated domain of NIPP1 interacts with the cell cycle-regulated protein Ser/Thr kinase MELK (maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase). The NIPP1-MELK interaction was critically dependent on the phosphorylaton of Thr-478 of MELK and was increased in lysates from mitotically arrested cells. Recombinant MELK was a potent inhibitor of an early step of spliceosome assembly in nuclear extracts. This splicing defect was also seen with a kinase-dead mutant but was absent after mutation (T478A) of the NIPP1 binding site of MELK, indicating a mediatory role for NIPP1. Our data suggest that MELK has a role in the cell cycle-regulated control of pre-mRNA splicing.

    PMID: 14699119 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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