CHK1 — Neurospora crassa

Summary

NCU08346 (CHK1, un-1) on Neurospora crassa chromosome 1 encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase with histone H3S10 kinase activity, phospholipid binding, and ATP binding. It is associated with multiple cell cycle checkpoints, including the meiotic G2/MI DNA replication checkpoint, mitotic G2 DNA damage checkpoint, pachytene checkpoint, and positive regulation of the mitotic-to-meiotic cell cycle switch. The gene is linked to meiotic processes such as regulation of monopolar attachment, meiotic spindle assembly checkpoint, interphase mitotic telomere clustering, and positive regulation of mitotic sister chromatid biorientation. It is also associated with septin ring assembly, regulation of cytokinesis, and the CAMKK-AMPK signaling cascade. Localization evidence places the product at the spindle midzone, kinetochore, spindle pole, and septin ring. Phenotypic associations include altered cell cycle progression rates, increased sporulation, decreased lifespan, and abnormal chromosome segregation. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to DNA damage checkpoint control and loss of pathogenicity.