The maximum activation of Aurora B kinase requires the binding of the heterochromatin protein HP1 at the mitotic centromeres, and this regulatory mechanism is hampered in cancer cells (Abe et al, 2016), suggesting that in addition to a certain amount of Aurora B at the centromeres, HP1-mediated Aurora B activation is also required to control Aurora B activity for efficient error correction. This evidence concerns the gene AURKB and cancer.