“Stop Ne(c)king around”: How interactomics contributes to functionally characterize Nek family kinases

Table 1 Subcellular localization, established and possible additional functions of human and mammalian Neks

Nek	Gene/ protein synonyms	Subcellular localization	Established function	Possible additional functions (under investigation)
1	NY-REN-55 SRPS2, SRPS2A, KIAA1901	Cytoplasm, cilia, centrosome, γH2X positive DNA damage sites in nucleus	Stability and function of the primary cilium/polycystic kidney disease[14], DNA damage response to IR and chemical mutagens[2,23-25]	Meiosis[26-28], apoptosis mediated by mitochondria[13]
2	NEK2A, NLK1, RP67, HsPK21, SRPS2A	Centrosome	Regulation and promotion of centrosome segregation[33-35]	DNA damage response[127]
3	HSPK36, RP11-248G5.5	Cytoplasm	Regulation of prolactin response[41], microtubule deacetylation in neurons[47]	?
4	STK2, NRK2, pp12301	Cilia/basal bodies	Microtubule stability (silencing alters sensitivity to vincristine/taxol)[54]	DNA damage response[9], replicative senescence[9], primary cilia function[53]
5	-	?	Skeletal muscle differentiation[60], caspase-3 substrate/ apoptosis[60]	?
6	SID6-1512, RP11-101K10.6	Citotic spindle, centrosome	Mitotic spindle formation[11-12], centrosome separation[69-70]	DNA damage response[18], NF-kappaB signaling?[3,71]
7	-	Spindle poles	Mitotic spindle formation[12,88], centrosome separation[69-70]	DNA damage response?1
8	JCK, NEK12A, NPHP9, RHPD2	Centrosome, cilia, γH2X positive DNA damage sites in nucleus	Stability and function of the primary cilium/polycystic kidney disease[95], DNA damage response[10]	Integration of primary cilia function and DNA damage response[10]
9	NERCC, NERCC1,KIAA1995, (NEK8)	Spindle poles, centrosome, cytoplasm	Mitotic spindle formation[106], centrosome separation[100]	?
10	-	Possible centrosome/pericentriolar localization (?)	DNA damage response after UV induced damage[74]	Centrosome function?
11	-	Nucleus, nucleoli	DNA damage response induced by IR[73]	?

¹Souza et al, unpublished observation.