LATS2

Also designated KPM, LATS2 is the paralogue of LATS1 within the NDR branch and the Hippo kinase that most directly restrains YAP/TAZ-driven growth in mammalian cells. Like LATS1 it requires MST1/MST2 phosphorylation and MOB1 association, and it phosphorylates YAP on 14-3-3-binding serines to exclude it from the nucleus. LATS2 additionally engages p53 signalling, being induced by p53 and capable of antagonising MDM2, and it localises to centrosomes where it contributes to mitotic fidelity. The gene lies in a region frequently deleted in cancers, and reduced LATS2 expression correlates with poor prognosis in several tumour types. Recombinant LATS2 is used for Hippo and p53-pathway studies.