# AURKB

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/aurkb/  
OnCo record `aurkb` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

AURKB (Aurora kinase B) is a protein kinase, an enzyme that switches other proteins on by adding phosphate groups. The public catalogues list it as a drug target and a biomarker, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

## Summary

Serine/threonine-protein kinase component of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), a complex that acts as a key regulator of mitosis. The CPC complex has essential functions at the centromere in ensuring correct chromosome alignment and segregation and is required for chromatin-induced microtubule stabilisation and spindle assembly. Involved in the bipolar attachment of spindle microtubules to kinetochores and is a key regulator for the onset of cytokinesis during mitosis.

CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence item and 0 assertions across 1 variant, naming Alisertib, Barasertib and Copanlisib.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: aurora kinase B; Aurora kinase B; Aik2; IPL1; AurB; AIM-1; ARK2; STK5; PPP1R48; STK12
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: AURKB
- Class: kinase
- Biology: Serine/threonine-protein kinase component of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), a complex that acts as a key regulator of mitosis. The CPC complex has essential functions at the centromere in ensuring correct chromosome alignment and segregation and is required for chromatin-induced microtubule stabilisation and spindle assembly. Involved in the bipolar attachment of spindle microtubules to kinetochores and is a key regulator for the onset of cytokinesis during mitosis. Required for central/midzone spindle assembly and cleavage furrow formation. Key component of the cytokinesis checkpoint, a process required to delay abscission to prevent both premature resolution of intercellular chromosome bridges and accumulation of DNA damage: phosphorylates CHMP4C, leading to retain abscission-competent VPS4 (VPS4A and/or VPS4B) at the midbody ring until abscission checkpoint signalling is terminated at late cytokinesis. AURKB phosphorylates the CPC complex subunits BIRC5/survivin, CDCA8/borealin and INCENP. Location: Nucleus; Chromosome; Chromosome, centromere; Chromosome, centromere, kinetochore (UniProt). Locus 17p13.1 (HGNC).
- Where found: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: CIViC evidence names this disease

## Notes

- Written by scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts from CIViC, Open Targets, IntOGen, HGNC and UniProt; the function text is UniProt's, condensed and in UK spelling. Roles: CIViC lists 3 therapies; CIViC holds 1 clinical evidence items on its variants. Evidence tier "clinical-evidence" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:11390: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:11390
- UniProt Q96GD4: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q96GD4/entry
- NCBI Gene 9212: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/9212
- Ensembl ENSG00000178999: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000178999

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/)
- cancers: [Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma](https://onco.cc/cancers/head-and-neck/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/aurkb.json