The Structure of a Monomeric Mutant Cks Protein Reveals Multiple Functions for a Conserved Hinge-Region Proline

CKS1 expression in melanocytic nevi and melanoma

Cyclin-dependent kinase subunit 1 (Cks1) regulates the degradation of p27, an important G1-S inhibitor, which is up regulated by MAPK pathway activation. In this study, we sought to determine whether Cks1 expression is increased in melanocytic tumors and correlates with outcome and/or other clinicopathologic prognostic markers. Cks1 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 298 melanocytic lesions. The frequency and intensity of cytoplasmic and nuclear expression was scored as a labeling index and correlated with clinico-pathological data. Nuclear Cks1 protein was found in 63% of melanocytic nevi, 89% primary and 90% metastatic melanomas with mean labeling index of 7 ± 16, 19 ± 20, and 30 ± 29, respectively. While cytoplasmic Cks1 was found in 41% of melanocytic nevi, 84% primary and 95% metastatic melanomas with mean labeling index of 18 ± 34, 35 ± 34, and 52 ± 34, accordingly. Histologic stepwise model of tumor progression, defined as progression from benign nevi to primary melanomas, to melanoma metastases, revealed a significant increase in nuclear and cytoplasmic Cks1 expression with tumor progression. Nuclear and cytoplasmic Cks1 expression correlated with the presence of ulceration, increased mitotic rate, Breslow depth, Clark level, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and gender. However, other well-known prognostic factors (age, anatomic site, and regression) did not correlate with any type of Cks1 expression. Similarly, increasing nuclear expression of Cks1 significantly correlated with worse overall survival. Thus, Cks1 expression appears to play a role in the progression of melanoma, where high levels of expression are associated with poor outcome. Cytoplasmic expression of Cks1 might represent high turnover of protein via the ubiquination/proteosome pathway.

CKS Proteins Promote Checkpoint Recovery by Stimulating Phosphorylation of Treslin

CKS proteins are small (9-kDa) polypeptides that bind to a subset of the cyclin-dependent kinases. The two paralogs expressed in mammals, Cks1 and Cks2, share an overlapping function that is essential for early development. However, both proteins are frequently overexpressed in human malignancy. It has been shown that CKS protein overexpression overrides the replication stress checkpoint, promoting continued origin firing. This finding has led to the proposal that CKS protein-dependent checkpoint override allows premalignant cells to evade oncogene stress barriers, providing a causal link to oncogenesis. Here, we provide mechanistic insight into how overexpression of CKS proteins promotes override of the replication stress checkpoint. We show that CKS proteins greatly enhance the ability of Cdk2 to phosphorylate the key replication initiation protein treslin in vitro Furthermore, stimulation of treslin phosphorylation does not occur by the canonical adapter mechanism demonstrated for other substrates, as cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) binding-defective mutants are capable of stimulating treslin phosphorylation. This effect is recapitulated in vivo, where silencing of Cks1 and Cks2 decreases treslin phosphorylation, and overexpression of wild-type or CDK binding-defective Cks2 prevents checkpoint-dependent dephosphorylation of treslin. Finally, we provide evidence that the role of CKS protein-dependent checkpoint override involves recovery from checkpoint-mediated arrest of DNA replication.