| Cat# | Product Name | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Kit-0121 | Aurora A Kinase (Human) Assay/Inhibitor Screening Kit | Inquiry |
| Kit-0122 | Aurora Family Kinase (Human) Assay/Inhibitor Screening Kit | Inquiry |
In the simplest terms, Aurora kinases—usually referred to as Aurora A, Aurora B, and Aurora C—are a family of serine/ threonine kinases that play vital roles in cell division. Kinases have wide-ranging roles in the human cellular network, controlling processes such as metabolic pathways, DNA repair, and cell cycle regulation. Essentially, these enzymes are the facilitators, or "traffic signals," for the complicated molecular machinery of the cell. The Aurora family of kinases, in particular, has been linked to mitosis, the division of the cell's nucleus, and meiosis, the production of reproductive cells.
The Aurora A, B, and C kinases differ slightly in their functions. Aurora A is primarily associated with the early stages of mitosis, especially the separation of centrosomes and the formation of the mitotic spindle. Aurora B, part of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), involves in central mitotic processes, like chromosomal alignment, correction of kinetochore-microtubule attachment errors, and cytokinesis. Aurora C shares functional overlap with Aurora B but is primarily expressed in reproductive cells and has a significant role in spermatogenesis and oogenesis.
The discovery and exploration of Aurora kinases have been a focal point for many researchers, as the activity of these kinases is often abnormally high in cancer cells. Consequently, they are seen as potential targets for the development of new cancer drugs.
The detection of Aurora kinase in biological specimens primarily uses immunological methods like western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The principle behind these techniques is the recognition of Aurora kinases by specific antibodies, which bind to the kinase and consequently allow for its detection.
Aurora kinase activity can be assessed in vitro using radioactive assays or non-radioactive assays. Here, researchers use a substrate of Aurora kinases along with gamma-P32-ATP (in radioactive assays) or ATP analogs (in non-radioactive assays) to detect the phosphate group transfer catalyzed by the kinase.
Recent advances have also seen the development of high-resolution microscopy and chromatography techniques to quantify the dynamic changes in Aurora kinase activity throughout the cell cycle. A method known as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) has proved to be useful at monitoring Aurora kinase activities in live cells, providing real-time, spatial resolution of Aurora kinase function.
Given the importance attached to Aurora kinases in cell biology and cancer research, several Aurora kinase activity/detection kits are available for use. These include:
Aurora A Kinase Assay Kit: This kit uses a non-radioactive format and is perfect for measuring Aurora A kinase activity.
Aurora B Kinase Activity Assay Kit: A novel non-radioactive assay to assess the activity of Aurora B kinase.
Aurora Kinase/CyclinB1 In-Cell ELISA Kit: This kit allows quantification of endogenous Aurora B, Aurora B phosphorylated at Thr232, and Cyclin B1 proteins within the cellular environment during drug discovery procedures.
Whether you are a researcher investigating the role of Aurora kinases in cell division or a pharmaceutical scientist focusing on the development of targeted cancer therapies, these kits provide the resources to accurately detect and measure Aurora kinase activity, underscoring the pivotal role these kinases play in cellular biology.
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