More specifically, Aurora kinases play a crucial role in cellular division by controlling chromatid segregation.
Defects in this segregation can cause genetic instability, a condition which is highly associated with tumorigenesis.
[1] The first aurora kinases were identified in Drosophila melanogaster, where mutations led to failure of centrosome separation with the monopolar spindles reminiscent of the North Pole, suggesting the name aurora.
The N-terminal domain of three proteins share low sequence conservation, which determines selectivity during protein–protein interactions.
[1] As described above, there are three classes of aurora kinases in multicellular organisms, including humans: