Aurora A plays a role in cell cycle regulation during anaphase and/or telophase, in relation to the function of the centrosome/spindle pole region during chromosome segregation. Aurora A plays a key role during tumor development and progression and is overexpressed in many human cancers including breast, ovarian and colorectal. Aurora A is viewed as a potential target for anticancer drug treatment.



Aurora B is a mitotic protein kinase that phosphorylates histone H3 (probably on Serine 10), behaves as a chromosomal passenger protein, and may regulate several stages of mitosis such as centrosome separation, chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. It localizes to the inner centromere region from prophase to anaphase. 


The Aurora kinases, members of the Ser/Thr protein kinase family, associate with microtubules during chromosome movement and segregation. Aurora kinase C may play a part in organizing microtubules in relation to the function of the centrosome/spindle pole during mitosis. This protein is localized to centrosome from anaphase to cytokinesis. Expression is limited to testis in normal cells. Elevated expression levels are seen only in a subset of cancer cells such as HepG2, HuH7 and HeLa cells. Aurora-C expression is maximum at M phase.