Mitotic serine/threonine kinase that contributes to the regulation of cell cycle progression (PubMed:11039908, PubMed:12390251, PubMed:17125279, PubMed:17360485, PubMed:18615013, PubMed:26246606). Associates with the centrosome and the spindle microtubules during mitosis and plays a critical role in various mitotic events including the establishment of mitotic spindle, centrosome duplication, centrosome separation as well as maturation, chromosomal alignment, spindle assembly checkpoint, and cytokinesis (PubMed:14523000, PubMed:26246606). Required for normal spindle positioning during mitosis and for the localization of NUMA1 and DCTN1 to the cell cortex during metaphase (PubMed:27335426). Required for initial activation of CDK1 at centrosomes (PubMed:13678582, PubMed:15128871). Phosphorylates numerous target proteins, including ARHGEF2, BORA, BRCA1, CDC25B, DLGP5, HDAC6, KIF2A, LATS2, NDEL1, PARD3, PPP1R2, PLK1, RASSF1, TACC3, p53/TP53 and TPX2 (PubMed:11551964, PubMed:14702041, PubMed:15128871, PubMed:15147269, PubMed:15987997, PubMed:17604723, PubMed:18056443, PubMed:18615013). Regulates KIF2A tubulin depolymerase activity (PubMed:19351716). Important for microtubule formation and/or stabilization (PubMed:18056443). Required for normal axon formation (PubMed:19812038). Plays a role in microtubule remodeling during neurite extension (PubMed:19668197). Also acts as a key regulatory component of the p53/TP53 pathway, and particularly the checkpoint-response pathways critical for oncogenic transformation of cells, by phosphorylating and destabilizing p53/TP53 (PubMed:14702041). Phosphorylates its own inhibitors, the protein phosphatase type 1 (PP1) isoforms, to inhibit their activity (PubMed:11551964). Inhibits cilia outgrowth (By similarity). Required for cilia disassembly via phosphorylation of HDAC6 and subsequent deacetylation of alpha-tubulin (PubMed:17604723, PubMed:20643351). Regulates protein levels of the anti-apoptosis protein BIRC5 by suppressing the expression of the SCF(FBXL7) E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase substrate adapter FBXL7 through the phosphorylation of the transcription factor FOXP1 (PubMed:28218735).
