Mitotic serine/threonine kinase that contributes to the regulation of cell cycle progression. 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. Required for normal spindle positioning during mitosis and for the localization of NUMA1 and DCTN1 to the cell cortex during metaphase. Required for initial activation of CDK1 at centrosomes. Phosphorylates numerous target proteins, including ARHGEF2, BORA, BRCA1, CDC25B, DLGP5, HDAC6, KIF2A, LATS2, NDEL1, PARD3, PPP1R2, PLK1, RASSF1, TACC3, p53/TP53 and TPX2. Regulates KIF2A tubulin depolymerase activity. Required for normal axon formation. Plays a role in microtubule remodeling during neurite extension. Important for microtubule formation and/or stabilization. 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. Phosphorylates its own inhibitors, the protein phosphatase type 1 (PP1) isoforms, to inhibit their activity. Necessary for proper cilia disassembly prior to mitosis. 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 (By similarity). ATP + L-seryl-[protein] = ADP + H(+) + O-phospho-L-seryl-[protein] ATP + L-threonyl-[protein] = ADP + H(+) + O-phospho-L-threonyl-[protein] Activation of CDK1, appears to be an upstream event of AURKA activation (By similarity). Phosphatase inhibitor-2 (PPP1R2) and TPX2 act also as activators (By similarity). Inactivated by the G2 checkpoint (By similarity). Inhibited by GADD45A and p53/TP53, and through dephosphorylation by protein phosphatase type 1 (PP1) (By similarity). MLN8054 is also a potent and selective inhibitor (By similarity). Activated during the early phase of cilia disassembly in the presence of PIFO (By similarity). Inhibited by the small molecule inhibitor VX-680 (By similarity). Interacts with CPEB1, JTB, TACC1, TPX2, PPP2CA, as well as with the protein phosphatase type 1 (PP1) isoforms PPP1CA, PPP1CB and PPP1CC (By similarity). Interacts also with its substrates ARHGEF2, BORA, KIF2A, PARD3, and p53/TP53 (By similarity). Interaction with BORA promotes phosphorylation of PLK1 (By similarity). Interacts with FBXL7 and PIFO (By similarity). Interacts with GADD45A, competing with its oligomerization (By similarity). Interacts (via C-terminus) with AUNIP (via C-terminus) (By similarity). Identified in a complex with AUNIP and NIN (By similarity). Interacts with SIRT2 (By similarity). Interacts with FRY; this interaction facilitates AURKA-mediated PLK1 phosphorylation (By similarity). Interacts with MYCN; interaction is phospho-independent and triggers AURKA activation; AURKA competes with FBXW7 for binding to unphosphorylated MYCN but not for binding to phosphorylated MYCN (By similarity). Interacts with HNRNPU (By similarity). Interacts with AAAS (By similarity). Interacts with KLHL18 and CUL3 (By similarity). Interacts with FOXP1 (By similarity). Detected at the neurite hillock in developing neurons. Localizes at the centrosome in mitotic cells from early prophase until telophase, but also localizes to the spindle pole MTs from prophase to anaphase. Moves to the midbody during both telophase and cytokinesis. Associates with both the pericentriolar material (PCM) and centrioles. Colocalized with SIRT2 at centrosome. The localization to the spindle poles is regulated by AAAS (By similarity). Activated by phosphorylation at Thr-288; this brings about a change in the conformation of the activation segment (By similarity). Phosphorylation at Thr-288 varies during the cell cycle and is highest during M phase (By similarity). Autophosphorylated at Thr-288 upon TPX2 binding (By similarity). Thr-288 can be phosphorylated by several kinases, including PAK and PKA (By similarity). Protein phosphatase type 1 (PP1) binds AURKA and inhibits its activity by dephosphorylating Thr-288 during mitosis (By similarity). Phosphorylation at Ser-342 decreases the kinase activity (By similarity). Ubiquitinated by CHFR, leading to its degradation by the proteasome (By similarity). Ubiquitinated by the anaphase-promoting complex (APC), leading to its degradation by the proteasome (By similarity). Ubiquitinated by the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase complex SCF(FBXL7) during mitosis, leading to its degradation by the proteasome (By similarity). Ubiquitinated by the CUL3-KLHL18 ligase leading to its activation at the centrosome which is required for initiating mitotic entry (By similarity). Ubiquitination mediated by CUL3-KLHL18 ligase does not lead to its degradation by the proteasome (By similarity). Belongs to the protein kinase superfamily. Ser/Thr protein kinase family. Aurora subfamily.