Timing of events in mitosis

Disruption of common ocular developmental pathways in patient-derived optic vesicle models of microphthalmia

Genetic perturbations influencing early eye development can result in microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma (MAC). Over 100 genes are associated with MAC, but little is known about common disease mechanisms. In this study, we generated induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived optic vesicles (OVs) from two unrelated microphthalmia patients and healthy controls. At day 20, 35, and 50, microphthalmia patient OV diameters were significantly smaller, recapitulating the "small eye" phenotype. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed upregulation of apoptosis-initiating and extracellular matrix (ECM) genes at day 20 and 35. Western blot and immunohistochemistry revealed increased expression of lumican, nidogen, and collagen type IV, suggesting ECM overproduction. Increased apoptosis was observed in microphthalmia OVs with reduced phospho-histone 3 (pH3+) cells confirming decreased cell proliferation at day 35. Pharmacological inhibition of caspase-8 activity with Z-IETD-FMK decreased apoptosis in one patient model, highlighting a potential therapeutic approach. These data reveal shared pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to a microphthalmia phenotype.

Revisiting the multisite phosphorylation that produces the M-phase supershift of key mitotic regulators

The term M-phase supershift denotes the phosphorylation-dependent substantial increase in the apparent molecular weight of numerous proteins of varied biological functions during M-phase induction. Although the M-phase supershift of multiple key mitotic regulators has been attributed to the multisite phosphorylation catalyzed by the Cdk1/cyclin B/Cks complex, this view is challenged by multiple lines of paradoxical observations. To solve this problem, we reconstituted the M-phase supershift of Xenopus Cdc25C, Myt1, Wee1A, APC3 and Greatwall in Xenopus egg extracts and characterized the supershift-producing phosphorylations. Our results demonstrate that their M-phase supershifts are each due to simultaneous phosphorylation of a considerable portion of S/T/Y residues in a long intrinsically disordered region that is enriched in both S/T residues and S/TP motifs. Although the major mitotic kinases in Xenopus egg extracts, Cdk1, MAPK, Plx1 and RSK2, are able to phosphorylate the five mitotic regulators, they are neither sufficient nor required to produce the M-phase supershift. Accordingly, inhibition of the four major mitotic kinase activities in Xenopus oocytes did not inhibit the M-phase supershift in okadaic acid-induced oocyte maturation. These findings indicate that the M-phase supershift is produced by a previously unrecognized category of mitotic phosphorylation that likely plays important roles in M-phase induction.

Spatial and Temporal Scaling of Microtubules and Mitotic Spindles

During cell division, the mitotic spindle, a macromolecular structure primarily comprised of microtubules, drives chromosome alignment and partitioning between daughter cells. Mitotic spindles can sense cellular dimensions in order to adapt their length and mass to cell size. This scaling capacity is particularly remarkable during early embryo cleavage when cells divide rapidly in the absence of cell growth, thus leading to a reduction of cell volume at each division. Although mitotic spindle size scaling can occur over an order of magnitude in early embryos, in many species the duration of mitosis is relatively short, constant throughout early development and independent of cell size. Therefore, a key challenge for cells during embryo cleavage is not only to assemble a spindle of proper size, but also to do it in an appropriate time window which is compatible with embryo development. How spatial and temporal scaling of the mitotic spindle is achieved and coordinated with the duration of mitosis remains elusive. In this review, we will focus on the mechanisms that support mitotic spindle spatial and temporal scaling over a wide range of cell sizes and cellular contexts. We will present current models and propose alternative mechanisms allowing cells to spatially and temporally coordinate microtubule and mitotic spindle assembly.

The rates of stem cell division determine the cell cycle lengths of its lineage

Adult stem cells and their transit-amplifying progeny alter their proliferation rates to maintain tissue homeostasis. To test how the division rates of stem cells and transit-amplifying progeny affect tissue growth and differentiation, we developed a computation strategy that estimates the average cell-cycle lengths (lifespans) of germline stem cells and their progeny from fixed-tissue demography in the Drosophila testis. Analysis of the wild-type data using this method indicated that during the germline transit-amplification, the cellular lifespans extend by nearly 1.3-fold after the first division and shrink by about 2-folds after the second division. Cell-autonomous perturbations of the stem cell lifespan accordingly altered the lifespans of successive transit-amplifying stages. Remarkably, almost 2-fold alterations in the lifespans of stem cells and their immediate daughters did not affect the subsequent differentiation. The results indicate that the early germline division rates can adjust the following division rates and the onset of differentiation.

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Prediction of cellular lifespan from the demography of transit-amplifying cells

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Lifespans of spermatogonial cells change anomalously during transit-amplification

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Anomalous lifespan extension during transit-amplification precedes the onset of Bam

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Lifespan changes of early TA stages readjust that of the subsequent stages

Bistable, Biphasic Regulation of PP2A-B55 Accounts for the Dynamics of Mitotic Substrate Phosphorylation

The phosphorylation of mitotic proteins is bistable, which contributes to the decisiveness of the transitions into and out of M phase. The bistability in substrate phosphorylation has been attributed to bistability in the activation of the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdk1. However, more recently it has been suggested that bistability also arises from positive feedback in the regulation of the Cdk1-counteracting phosphatase PP2A-B55. Here, we demonstrate biochemically using Xenopus laevis egg extracts that the Cdk1-counter-acting phosphatase PP2A-B55 functions as a bistable switch, even when the bistability of Cdk1 activation is suppressed. In addition, Cdk1 regulates PP2A-B55 in a biphasic manner; low concentrations of Cdk1 activate PP2A-B55 and high concentrations inactivate it. As a consequence of this incoherent feedforward regulation, PP2A-B55 activity rises concurrently with Cdk1 activity during interphase and suppresses substrate phosphorylation. PP2A-B55 activity is then sharply downregulated at the onset of mitosis. During mitotic exit, Cdk1 activity initially falls with no obvious change in substrate phosphorylation; dephosphorylation then commences once PP2A-B55 spikes in activity. These findings suggest that changes in Cdk1 activity are permissive for mitotic entry and exit but that the changes in PP2A-B55 activity are the ultimate trigger.

Mitotic transitions are accompanied by drastic changes in the phosphorylation state of proteins. Kamenz et al. demonstrate biochemically that the major mitotic phosphatase PP2A-B55 is regulated by incoherent feedforward and double-negative feedback loops to promote rapid and switch-like mitotic entry and exit.

Exploring the Underlying Mechanisms of the Xenopus laevis Embryonic Cell Cycle

The cell cycle is an indispensable process in proliferation and development. Despite significant efforts, global quantification and physical understanding are still challenging. In this study, we explored the mechanisms of the Xenopus laevis embryonic cell cycle by quantifying the underlying landscape and flux. We uncovered the Mexican hat landscape of the Xenopus laevis embryonic cell cycle with several local basins and barriers on the oscillation path. The local basins characterize the different phases of the Xenopus laevis embryonic cell cycle, and the local barriers represent the checkpoints. The checkpoint mechanism of the cell cycle is revealed by the landscape basins and barriers. While landscape shape determines the stabilities of the states on the oscillation path, the curl flux force determines the stability of the cell cycle flow. Replication is fundamental for biology of living cells. We quantify the input energy (through the entropy production) as the thermodynamic requirement for initiation and sustainability of single cell life (cell cycle). Furthermore, we also quantify curl flux originated from the input energy as the dynamical requirement for the emergence of a new stable phase (cell cycle). This can provide a new quantitative insight for the origin of single cell life. In fact, the curl flux originated from the energy input or nutrition supply determines the speed and guarantees the progression of the cell cycle. The speed of the cell cycle is a hallmark of cancer. We characterized the quality of the cell cycle by the coherence time and found it is supported by the flux and energy cost. We are also able to quantify the degree of time irreversibility by the cross correlation function forward and backward in time from the stochastic traces in the simulation or experiments, providing a way for the quantification of the time irreversibility and the flux. Through global sensitivity analysis upon landscape and flux, we can identify the key elements for controlling the cell cycle speed. This can help to design an effective strategy for drug discovery against cancer.

PP2ACdc55 Phosphatase Imposes Ordered Cell-Cycle Phosphorylation by Opposing Threonine Phosphorylation

In the quantitative model of cell-cycle control, progression from G1 through S phase and into mitosis is ordered by thresholds of increasing cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) activity. How such thresholds are read out by substrates that respond with the correct phosphorylation timing is not known. Here, using the budding yeast model, we show that the abundant PP2A^Cdc55 phosphatase counteracts Cdk phosphorylation during interphase and delays phosphorylation of late Cdk substrates. PP2A^Cdc55 specifically counteracts phosphorylation on threonine residues, and consequently, we find that threonine-directed phosphorylation occurs late in the cell cycle. Furthermore, the late phosphorylation of a model substrate, Ndd1, depends on threonine identity of its Cdk target sites. Our results support a model in which Cdk-counteracting phosphatases contribute to cell-cycle ordering by imposing Cdk thresholds. They also unveil a regulatory principle based on the phosphoacceptor amino acid, which is likely to apply to signaling pathways beyond cell-cycle control.

Positive Feedback Keeps Duration of Mitosis Temporally Insulated from Upstream Cell-Cycle Events

Cell division is characterized by a sequence of events by which a cell gives rise to two daughter cells. Quantitative measurements of cell-cycle dynamics in single cells showed that despite variability in G1-, S-, and G2 phases, duration of mitosis is short and remarkably constant. Surprisingly, there is no correlation between cell-cycle length and mitotic duration, suggesting that mitosis is temporally insulated from variability in earlier cell-cycle phases. By combining live cell imaging and computational modeling, we showed that positive feedback is the molecular mechanism underlying the temporal insulation of mitosis. Perturbing positive feedback gave rise to a sluggish, variable entry and progression through mitosis and uncoupled duration of mitosis from variability in cell cycle length. We show that positive feedback is important to keep mitosis short, constant, and temporally insulated and anticipate it might be a commonly used regulatory strategy to create modularity in other biological systems.

Mechanism of APC/CCDC20 activation by mitotic phosphorylation

Chromosome segregation and mitotic exit are initiated by the 1.2-MDa ubiquitin ligase APC/C (anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome) and its coactivator CDC20 (cell division cycle 20). To avoid chromosome missegregation, APC/C(CDC20) activation is tightly controlled. CDC20 only associates with APC/C in mitosis when APC/C has become phosphorylated and is further inhibited by a mitotic checkpoint complex until all chromosomes are bioriented on the spindle. APC/C contains 14 different types of subunits, most of which are phosphorylated in mitosis on multiple sites. However, it is unknown which of these phospho-sites enable APC/C(CDC20) activation and by which mechanism. Here we have identified 68 evolutionarily conserved mitotic phospho-sites on human APC/C bound to CDC20 and have used the biGBac technique to generate 47 APC/C mutants in which either all 68 sites or subsets of them were replaced by nonphosphorylatable or phospho-mimicking residues. The characterization of these complexes in substrate ubiquitination and degradation assays indicates that phosphorylation of an N-terminal loop region in APC1 is sufficient for binding and activation of APC/C by CDC20. Deletion of the N-terminal APC1 loop enables APC/C(CDC20) activation in the absence of mitotic phosphorylation or phospho-mimicking mutations. These results indicate that binding of CDC20 to APC/C is normally prevented by an autoinhibitory loop in APC1 and that its mitotic phosphorylation relieves this inhibition. The predicted location of the N-terminal APC1 loop implies that this loop controls interactions between the N-terminal domain of CDC20 and APC1 and APC8. These results reveal how APC/C phosphorylation enables CDC20 to bind and activate the APC/C in mitosis.

Cell-Size Control

Cells of a given type maintain a characteristic cell size to function efficiently in their ecological or organismal context. They achieve this through the regulation of growth rates or by actively sensing size and coupling this signal to cell division. We focus this review on potential size-sensing mechanisms, including geometric, external cue, and titration mechanisms. Mechanisms that titrate proteins against DNA are of particular interest because they are consistent with the robust correlation of DNA content and cell size. We review the literature, which suggests that titration mechanisms may underlie cell-size sensing in Xenopus embryos, budding yeast, and Escherichia coli, whereas alternative mechanisms may function in fission yeast.

Pin1: Intimate involvement with the regulatory protein kinase networks in the global phosphorylation landscape

BACKGROUND

Protein phosphorylation is a universal regulatory mechanism that involves an extensive network of protein kinases. The discovery of the phosphorylation-dependent peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1 added an additional layer of complexity to these regulatory networks.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

We have evaluated interactions between Pin1 and the regulatory kinome and proline-dependent phosphoproteome taking into consideration findings from targeted studies as well as data that has emerged from systematic phosphoproteomic workflows and from curated protein interaction databases.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

The relationship between Pin1 and the regulatory protein kinase networks is not restricted simply to the recognition of proteins that are substrates for proline-directed kinases. In this respect, Pin1 itself is phosphorylated in cells by protein kinases that modulate its functional properties. Furthermore, the phosphorylation-dependent targets of Pin1 include a number of protein kinases as well as other enzymes such as phosphatases and regulatory subunits of kinases that modulate the actions of protein kinases.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

As a result of its interactions with numerous protein kinases and their substrates, as well as itself being a target for phosphorylation, Pin1 has an intricate relationship with the regulatory protein kinase and phosphoproteomic networks that orchestrate complex cellular processes and respond to environmental cues. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Proline-directed Foldases: Cell Signaling Catalysts and Drug Targets.

The Cdk1-APC/C cell cycle oscillator circuit functions as a time-delayed, ultrasensitive switch

Despite the complexity and variety of biological oscillators, their core design invariably includes an essential negative feedback loop. In the Xenopus laevis embryonic cell cycle oscillator, this loop consists of the kinase cyclin B-Cdk1 and the ubiquitin ligase APC/C(Cdc20); active Cdk1 activates APC/C(Cdc20), which then brings about cyclin B degradation and inactivates Cdk1. Here we ask how this negative feedback loop functions quantitatively, with the aim of understanding what mechanisms keep the Cdk1-APC/C(Cdc20) system from settling into a stable steady state with intermediate levels of Cdk1 and APC/C(Cdc20) activity. We found that the system operates as a time-delayed, digital switch, with a time lag of ∼ 15 min between Cdk1 and APC/C(Cdc20) activation and a tremendously high degree of ultrasensitivity (n(H)≈17). Computational modelling shows how these attributes contribute to the generation of robust, clock-like oscillations. Principles uncovered here may also apply to other activator-repressor oscillators and help in designing robust synthetic clocks.

Role of polyamines at the G1/S boundary and G2/M phase of the cell cycle

The role of polyamines at the G1/S boundary and in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle was studied using synchronized HeLa cells treated with thymidine or with thymidine and aphidicolin. Synchronized cells were cultured in the absence or presence of α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, plus ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (EGBG), an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. When polyamine content was reduced by treatment with DFMO and EGBG, the transition from G1 to S phase was delayed. In parallel, the level of p27(Kip1) was greatly increased, so its mechanism was studied in detail. Synthesis of p27(Kip1) was stimulated at the level of translation by a decrease in polyamine levels, because of the existence of long 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) in p27(Kip1) mRNA. Similarly, the transition from the G2/M to the G1 phase was delayed by a reduction in polyamine levels. In parallel, the number of multinucleate cells increased by 3-fold. This was parallel with the inhibition of cytokinesis due to an unusual distribution of actin and α-tubulin at the M phase. Since an association of polyamines with chromosomes was not observed by immunofluorescence microscopy at the M phase, polyamines may have only a minor role in structural changes of chromosomes at the M phase. In general, the involvement of polyamines at the G2/M phase was smaller than that at the G1/S boundary.

Multisite phosphoregulation of Cdc25 activity refines the mitotic entrance and exit switches

Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) kinase dephosphorylation and activation by Cdc25 phosphatase are essential for mitotic entry. Activated Cdk1 phosphorylates Cdc25 and other substrates, further activating Cdc25 to form a positive feedback loop that drives the abrupt G2/mitosis switch. Conversely, mitotic exit requires Cdk1 inactivation and reversal of Cdk1 substrate phosphorylation. This dephosphorylation is mediated, in part, by Clp1/Cdc14, a Cdk1-antagonizing phosphatase, which reverses Cdk1 phosphorylation of itself, Cdc25, and other Cdk1 substrates. Thus, Cdc25 phosphoregulation is essential for proper G2-M transition, and its contributions to cell cycle control have been modeled based on studies using Xenopus and human cell extracts. Because cell extract systems only approximate in vivo conditions where proteins interact within dynamic cellular environments, here, we use Schizosaccharomyces pombe to characterize, both experimentally and mathematically, the in vivo contributions of Cdk1-mediated phosphorylation of Cdc25 to the mitotic transition. Through comprehensive mapping of Cdk1 phosphosites on Cdc25 and characterization of phosphomutants, we show that Cdc25 hyperphosphorylation by Cdk1 governs Cdc25 catalytic activation, the precision of mitotic entry, and unvarying cell length but not Cdc25 localization or abundance. We propose a mathematical model that explains Cdc25 regulation by Cdk1 through a distributive and disordered phosphorylation mechanism that ultrasensitively activates Cdc25. We also show that Clp1/Cdc14 dephosphorylation of Cdk1 sites on Cdc25 controls the proper timing of cell division, a mechanism that is likely due to the double negative feedback loop between Clp1/Cdc14 and Cdc25 that controls the abruptness of the mitotic exit switch.

Punctuated cyclin synthesis drives early embryonic cell cycle oscillations

Cyclin B activates cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) at mitosis, but conflicting views have emerged on the dynamics of its synthesis during embryonic cycles, ranging from continuous translation to rapid synthesis during mitosis. Here we show that a CDK1-mediated negative-feedback loop attenuates cyclin production before mitosis. Cyclin B plateaus before peak CDK1 activation, and proteasome inhibition caused minimal accumulation during mitosis. Inhibiting CDK1 permitted continual cyclin B synthesis, whereas adding nondegradable cyclin stalled it. Cycloheximide treatment before mitosis affected neither cyclin levels nor mitotic entry, corroborating this repression. Attenuated cyclin production collaborates with its destruction, since excess cyclin B1 mRNA accelerated cyclin synthesis and caused incomplete proteolysis and mitotic arrest. This repression involved neither adenylation nor the 3' untranslated region, but it corresponded with a shift in cyclin B1 mRNA from polysome to nonpolysome fractions. A pulse-driven CDK1-anaphase-promoting complex (APC) model corroborated these results, revealing reduced cyclin levels during an oscillation and permitting more effective removal. This design also increased the robustness of the oscillator, with lessened sensitivity to changes in cyclin synthesis rate. Taken together, the results of this study underscore that attenuating cyclin synthesis late in interphase improves both the efficiency and robustness of the CDK1-APC oscillator.

Commitment to a cellular transition precedes genome-wide transcriptional change

In budding yeast, commitment to cell division corresponds to activating the positive feedback loop of G1 cyclins controlled by the transcription factors SBF and MBF. This pair of transcription factors has over 200 targets, implying that cell-cycle commitment coincides with genome-wide changes in transcription. Here, we find that genes within this regulon have a well-defined distribution of transcriptional activation times. Combinatorial use of SBF and MBF results in a logical OR function for gene expression and partially explains activation timing. Activation of G1 cyclin expression precedes the activation of the bulk of the G1/S regulon, ensuring that commitment to cell division occurs before large-scale changes in transcription. Furthermore, we find similar positive feedback-first regulation in the yeasts S. bayanus and S. cerevisiae, as well as human cells. The widespread use of the feedback-first motif in eukaryotic cell-cycle control, implemented by nonorthologous proteins, suggests its frequent deployment at cellular transitions.

The coupling of pathways and processes through shared components

Background

The coupling of pathways and processes through shared components is being increasingly recognised as a common theme which occurs in many cell signalling contexts, in which it plays highly non-trivial roles.

Results

In this paper we develop a basic modelling and systems framework in a general setting for understanding the coupling of processes and pathways through shared components. Our modelling framework starts with the interaction of two components with a common third component and includes production and degradation of all these components. We analyze the signal processing in our model to elucidate different aspects of the coupling. We show how different kinds of responses, including "ultrasensitive" and adaptive responses, may occur in this setting. We then build on the basic model structure and examine the effects of additional control regulation, switch-like signal processing, and spatial signalling. In the process, we identify a way in which allosteric regulation may contribute to signalling specificity, and how competitive effects may allow an enzyme to robustly coordinate and time the activation of parallel pathways.

Conclusions

We have developed and analyzed a common systems platform for examining the effects of coupling of processes through shared components. This can be the basis for subsequent expansion and understanding the many biologically observed variations on this common theme.

Phosphorylation of mixed lineage leukemia 5 by CDC2 affects its cellular distribution and is required for mitotic entry

The human mixed lineage leukemia-5 (MLL5) gene is frequently deleted in myeloid malignancies. Emerging evidence suggests that MLL5 has important functions in adult hematopoiesis and the chromatin regulatory network, and it participates in regulating the cell cycle machinery. Here, we demonstrate that MLL5 is tightly regulated through phosphorylation on its central domain at the G(2)/M phase of the cell cycle. Upon entry into mitosis, the phosphorylated MLL5 delocalizes from condensed chromosomes, whereas after mitotic exit, MLL5 becomes dephosphorylated and re-associates with the relaxed chromatin. We further identify that the mitotic phosphorylation and subcellular localization of MLL5 are dependent on Cdc2 kinase activity, and Thr-912 is the Cdc2-targeting site. Overexpression of the Cdc2-targeting MLL5 fragment obstructs mitotic entry by competitive inhibition of the phosphorylation of endogenous MLL5. In addition, G(2) phase arrest caused by depletion of endogenous MLL5 can be compensated by exogenously overexpressed full-length MLL5 but not the phosphodomain deletion or MLL5-T912A mutant. Our data provide evidence that MLL5 is a novel cellular target of Cdc2, and the phosphorylation of MLL5 may have an indispensable role in the mitotic progression.

Quantitative reconstitution of mitotic CDK1 activation in somatic cell extracts

The regulation of mitotic entry in somatic cells differs from embryonic cells, yet it is only for embryonic cells that we have a quantitative understanding of this process. To gain a similar insight into somatic cells, we developed a human cell extract system that recapitulates CDK1 activation and nuclear envelope breakdown in response to mitotic cyclins. As cyclin B concentrations increase, CDK1 activates in a three-stage nonlinear response, creating an ordering of substrate phosphorylations. This response is established by dual regulatory feedback loops involving WEE1/MYT1, which impose a cyclin B threshold, and CDC25, which allows CDK1 to escape the WEE1/MYT1 inhibition. This system also exhibits a complex response to cyclin A. Cyclin A promotes WEE1 phosphorylation to weaken the negative feedback loop and primes mitotic entry through cyclin B. This observation explains the requirement of both cyclin A and cyclin B to initiate mitosis in somatic cells.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen associates with anaphase-promoting complex and induces chromosomal instability

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a transmembrane protein highly expressed in advanced and metastatic prostate cancers. The pathologic consequence of elevated PSMA expression in not known. Here, we report that PSMA is localized to a membrane compartment in the vicinity of mitotic spindle poles and associates with the anaphase-promoting complex (APC). PSMA-expressing cells prematurely degrade cyclin B and exit mitosis due to increased APC activity and incomplete inactivation of APC by the spindle assembly checkpoint. Further, expression of PSMA in a karyotypically stable cell line induces aneuploidy. Thus, these findings provide the first evidence that PSMA has a causal role in the induction of aneuploidy and might play an etiologic role in the progression of prostate cancer.

PR-Set7-dependent lysine methylation ensures genome replication and stability through S phase

PR-Set7/SET8 is a histone H4–lysine 20 methyltransferase required for normal cell proliferation. However, the exact functions of this enzyme remain to be determined. In this study, we show that human PR-Set7 functions during S phase to regulate cellular proliferation. PR-Set7 associates with replication foci and maintains the bulk of H4-K20 mono- and trimethylation. Consistent with a function in chromosome dynamics during S phase, inhibition of PR-Set7 methyltransferase activity by small hairpin RNA causes a replicative stress characterized by alterations in replication fork velocity and origin firing. This stress is accompanied by massive induction of DNA strand breaks followed by a robust DNA damage response. The DNA damage response includes the activation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated and ataxia telangiectasia related kinase–mediated pathways, which, in turn, leads to p53-mediated growth arrest to avoid aberrant chromosome behavior after improper DNA replication. Collectively, these data indicate that PR-Set7–dependent lysine methylation during S phase is an essential posttranslational mechanism that ensures genome replication and stability.

Substrate competition as a source of ultrasensitivity in the inactivation of Wee1

The mitotic regulators Wee1 and Cdk1 can inactivate each other through inhibitory phosphorylations. This double-negative feedback loop is part of a bistable trigger that makes the transition into mitosis abrupt and decisive. To generate a bistable response, some component of a double-negative feedback loop must exhibit an ultrasensitive response to its upstream regulator. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that Wee1 exhibits a highly ultrasensitive response to Cdk1. Several mechanisms can, in principle, give rise to ultrasensitivity, including zero-order effects, multisite phosphorylation, and competition mechanisms. We found that the ultrasensitivity in the inactivation of Wee1 arises mainly through two competition mechanisms: competition between two sets of phosphorylation sites in Wee1 and between Wee1 and other high-affinity Cdk1 targets. Based on these findings, we were able to reconstitute a highly ultrasensitive Wee1 response with purified components. Competition provides a simple way of generating the equivalent of a highly cooperative allosteric response.

Intracellular targets of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in cardiac disease: rationale and therapeutic approaches

A new paradigm of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) action in the heart undergoing oxidative stress has emerged. Although best known for its role in the proteolysis of extracellular protein targets, MMP-2 is also localized to the sarcomere within the cardiomyocyte. Oxidative stress activates full-length MMP-2 without need for proteolytic processing and inactivates an endogenous inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-4. MMP-2 proteolyzes specific targets within the cell to cause acute, reversible contractile dysfunction. Inhibitors of MMPs are discussed and their possible use for the therapy of acute heart injury caused by oxidative stress is examined.

Systems biology by the rules: hybrid intelligent systems for pathway modeling and discovery

BACKGROUND

Expert knowledge in journal articles is an important source of data for reconstructing biological pathways and creating new hypotheses. An important need for medical research is to integrate this data with high throughput sources to build useful models that span several scales. Researchers traditionally use mental models of pathways to integrate information and development new hypotheses. Unfortunately, the amount of information is often overwhelming and these are inadequate for predicting the dynamic response of complex pathways. Hierarchical computational models that allow exploration of semi-quantitative dynamics are useful systems biology tools for theoreticians, experimentalists and clinicians and may provide a means for cross-communication.

RESULTS

A novel approach for biological pathway modeling based on hybrid intelligent systems or soft computing technologies is presented here. Intelligent hybrid systems, which refers to several related computing methods such as fuzzy logic, neural nets, genetic algorithms, and statistical analysis, has become ubiquitous in engineering applications for complex control system modeling and design. Biological pathways may be considered to be complex control systems, which medicine tries to manipulate to achieve desired results. Thus, hybrid intelligent systems may provide a useful tool for modeling biological system dynamics and computational exploration of new drug targets. A new modeling approach based on these methods is presented in the context of hedgehog regulation of the cell cycle in granule cells. Code and input files can be found at the Bionet website: www.chip.ord/~wbosl/Software/Bionet.

CONCLUSION

This paper presents the algorithmic methods needed for modeling complicated biochemical dynamics using rule-based models to represent expert knowledge in the context of cell cycle regulation and tumor growth. A notable feature of this modeling approach is that it allows biologists to build complex models from their knowledge base without the need to translate that knowledge into mathematical form. Dynamics on several levels, from molecular pathways to tissue growth, are seamlessly integrated. A number of common network motifs are examined and used to build a model of hedgehog regulation of the cell cycle in cerebellar neurons, which is believed to play a key role in the etiology of medulloblastoma, a devastating childhood brain cancer.

Vitamin K-dependent proteins in Ciona intestinalis, a basal chordate lacking a blood coagulation cascade

We have isolated and sequenced several cDNAs derived from the sea squirt Ciona intestinalis that encode vitamin K-dependent proteins. Four of these encode gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) domain-containing proteins, which we have named Ci-Gla1 through Ci-Gla4. Two additional cDNAs encode the apparent orthologs of gamma-glutamyl carboxylase and vitamin K epoxide reductase. Ci-Gla1 undergoes gamma-glutamyl carboxylation when expressed in CHO cells and is homologous to Gla-RTK, a putative receptor tyrosine kinase previously identified in a related ascidian. The remaining three Gla domain proteins are similar to proteins that participate in fundamental developmental processes, complement regulation, and blood coagulation. These proteins are generally expressed at low levels throughout development and exhibit either relatively constant expression (Ci-Gla1, gamma-glutamyl carboxylase, and vitamin K epoxide reductase) or spatiotemporal regulation (Ci-Gla2, -3, and -4). These results demonstrate the evolutionary emergence of the vitamin K-dependent Gla domain before the divergence of vertebrates and urochordates and suggest novel functions for Gla domain proteins distinct from their roles in vertebrate hemostasis. In addition, these findings highlight the usefulness of C. intestinalis as a model organism for investigating vitamin K-dependent physiological phenomena, which may be conserved among the chordate subphyla.

Differences in regulation of the first two M-phases in Xenopus laevis embryo cell-free extracts

The first embryonic M-phase is special, being the time when paternal and maternal chromosomes mix together for the first time. Reports from a variety of species suggest that the regulation of first M-phase has many particularities; however, no systematic comparative study of the biochemical aspects of first and the following M-phases has been previously undertaken. Here, we ask whether the regulation of the first embryonic M-phase is modified, using Xenopus cell-free extracts. We developed new types of extract specific for the first and the second M-phase obtained either from parthenogenetic or from in vitro fertilized embryos. Analyses of these extracts confirmed that the amplitude of histone H1 kinase activity reflecting CDK1/cyclin B (or MPF for M-phase Promoting Factor) activity is higher and persists longer than during the second M-phase, and that levels of cyclins B1 and B2 are correspondingly higher during the first than the second embryonic M-phase. Inhibition of protein synthesis shortly before M-phase entry reduced mitotic histone H1 kinase amplitude, shortened the period of mitotic phosphorylation of chosen marker proteins, and reduced cyclin B1 and B2 levels, suggesting a role of B-type cyclins in regulating the duration of mitotic events. Moreover, addition of exogenous cyclin B to the extract prior the second mitosis brought forward the activation of mitotic histone H1 kinase but prolonged the duration of this activity. We also confirmed that the inhibitory phosphorylation of CDK1 on tyrosine 15 oscillates between the first two embryonic M-phases, but is clearly more pronounced before the first than the second mitosis, while the MAP kinase ERK2 tended to show greater activation during the first embryonic M-phase but with a similar duration of activation. We conclude that discrete differences exist between the first two M-phases in Xenopus embryo and that higher CDK1/cyclin B activity and B-type cyclin levels could account for the different characteristics of these M-phases.

The processivity of multiubiquitination by the APC determines the order of substrate degradation

The anaphase-promoting complex (APC) coordinates mitosis and G1 by sequentially promoting the degradation of key cell-cycle regulators. Following the degradation of its substrates in G1, the APC catalyzes the autoubiquitination of its E2 UbcH10. This stabilizes cyclin A and allows it to inactivate APC(Cdh1). How the APC establishes this complex temporal sequence of ubiquitinations, referred to as substrate ordering, is not understood. Here we show that substrate ordering depends on the relative processivity of substrate multiubiquitination by the APC. Processive substrates obtain ubiquitin chains in a single APC binding event. The multiubiquitination of distributive substrates requires multiple rounds of APC binding, which render it sensitive to lower APC concentrations, competition by processive substrates, and deubiquitination. Consequently, more processive substrates are preferentially multiubiquitinated in vitro and degraded earlier in vivo. The processivity of multiubiquitination is strongly influenced by the D box within the substrate, suggesting that substrate ordering is established by a mechanism intrinsic to APC and its substrates and similar to kinetic proofreading.

Genetic association of CDC2 with cerebrospinal fluid tau in Alzheimer's disease

We have recently reported that a polymorphism in the cell division cycle (CDC2) gene, designated Ex6 + 7I/D, is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The CDC2 gene is located on chromosome 10q21.1 close to the marker D10S1225 linked to AD. Active cdc2 accumulates in neurons containing neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), a process that can precede the formation of NFT. Therefore, CDC2 is a promising candidate susceptibility gene for AD. We investigated the possible effects of the CDC2 polymorphism on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers in AD patients. CDC2 genotypes were evaluated in relation to CSF protein levels of total tau, phospho-tau and beta-amyloid(1-42) in AD patients and control individuals, and in relation to the amount of senile plaques and NFT in the frontal cortex and in the hippocampus in patients with autopsy-proven AD and controls. The CDC2 Ex6 + 7I allele was associated with a gene dose-dependent increase of CSF total tau levels (F(2, 626) = 7.0, p = 0.001) and the homozygous CDC2 Ex6 + 7II genotype was significantly more frequent among AD patients compared to controls (p = 0.006, OR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.13-2.17). Our results provide further evidence for an involvement of cdc2 in the pathogenesis of AD.

TDP-43 Binds Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A/B through Its C-terminal Tail

TDP-43 is a highly conserved nuclear factor of yet unknown function that binds to ug-repeated sequences and is responsible for cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator exon 9 splicing inhibition. We have analyzed TDP-43 interactions with other splicing factors and identified the critical regions for the protein/protein recognition events that determine this biological function. We show here that the C-terminal region of TDP-43 is capable of binding directly to several proteins of the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) family with well known splicing inhibitory activity, in particular, hnRNP A2/B1 and hnRNP A1. Mutational analysis showed that TDP-43 proteins lacking the C-terminal region could not inhibit splicing probably because they were unable to form the hnRNP-rich complex involved in splicing inhibition. Finally, through splicing complex analysis, we show that splicing inhibition mediated by TDP-43 occurs at the earliest stages of spliceosomal assembly.

Identification of Novel and Known Oocyte-Specific Genes Using Complementary DNA Subtraction and Microarray Analysis in Three Different Species1

The main objective of the present study was to identify novel oocyte-specific genes in three different species: bovine, mouse, and Xenopus laevis. To achieve this goal, two powerful technologies were combined: a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based cDNA subtraction, and cDNA microarrays. Three subtractive libraries consisting of 3456 clones were established and enriched for oocyte-specific transcripts. Sequencing analysis of the positive insert-containing clones resulted in the following classification: 53% of the clones corresponded to known cDNAs, 26% were classified as uncharacterized cDNAs, and a final 9% were classified as novel sequences. All these clones were used for cDNA microarray preparation. Results from these microarray analyses revealed that in addition to already known oocyte-specific genes, such as GDF9, BMP15, and ZP, known genes with unknown function in the oocyte were identified, such as a MLF1-interacting protein (MLF1IP), B-cell translocation gene 4 (BTG4), and phosphotyrosine-binding protein (xPTB). Furthermore, 15 novel oocyte-specific genes were validated by reverse transcription-PCR to confirm their preferential expression in the oocyte compared to somatic tissues. The results obtained in the present study confirmed that microarray analysis is a robust technique to identify true positives from the suppressive subtractive hybridization experiment. Furthermore, obtaining oocyte-specific genes from three species simultaneously allowed us to look at important genes that are conserved across species. Further characterization of these novel oocyte-specific genes will lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms related to the unique functions found in the oocyte.

Structural and functional analysis of SET8, a histone H4 Lys-20 methyltransferase

SET8 (also known as PR-SET7) is a histone H4-Lys-20-specific methyltransferase that is implicated in cell-cycle-dependent transcriptional silencing and mitotic regulation in metazoans. Herein we report the crystal structure of human SET8 (hSET8) bound to a histone H4 peptide bearing Lys-20 and the product cofactor S-adenosylhomocysteine. Histone H4 intercalates in the substrate-binding cleft as an extended parallel beta-strand. Residues preceding Lys-20 in H4 engage in an extensive array of salt bridge, hydrogen bond, and van der Waals interactions with hSET8, while the C-terminal residues bind through predominantly hydrophobic interactions. Mutational analysis of both the substrate-binding cleft and histone H4 reveals that interactions with residues in the N and C termini of the H4 peptide are critical for conferring substrate specificity. Finally, analysis of the product specificity indicates that hSET8 is a monomethylase, consistent with its role in the maintenance of Lys-20 monomethylation during cell division.

Viral transport of DNA damage that mimics a stalled replication fork

Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) infection incites cells to arrest with 4N DNA content or die if the p53 pathway is defective. This arrest depends on AAV2 DNA, which is single stranded with inverted terminal repeats that serve as primers during viral DNA replication. Here, we show that AAV2 DNA triggers damage signaling that resembles the response to an aberrant cellular DNA replication fork. UV treatment of AAV2 enhances the G2 arrest by generating intrastrand DNA cross-links which persist in infected cells, disrupting viral DNA replication and maintaining the viral DNA in the single-stranded form. In cells, such DNA accumulates into nuclear foci with a signaling apparatus that involves DNA polymerase delta, ATR, TopBP1, RPA, and the Rad9/Rad1/Hus1 complex but not ATM or NBS1. Focus formation and damage signaling strictly depend on ATR and Chk1 functions. Activation of the Chk1 effector kinase leads to the virus-induced G2 arrest. AAV2 provides a novel way to study the cellular response to abnormal DNA replication without damaging cellular DNA. By using the AAV2 system, we show that in human cells activation of phosphorylation of Chk1 depends on TopBP1 and that it is a prerequisite for the appearance of DNA damage foci.

Amplitude control of cell-cycle waves by nuclear import

Propagation of waves of biochemical activities through consecutive stages of the cell cycle is essential to execute the steps of cell division in a strict temporal order. Mechanisms that ensure the proper amplitude and timing of these waves are poorly understood. Using a synthetic gene circuit, we show that a transcriptional activator driven by yeast cell-cycle promoters propagates transcriptional oscillations with substantial damping. Although regulated nuclear translocation has been implicated in the timing of oscillatory events, mathematical analysis shows that increasing the rate of nuclear transport is an example of a general regulatory principle, which enhances the fidelity of wave propagation. Indeed, increasing the constitutive import rate of the activator counteracts the damping of waves and concurrently preserves the intensity of the signal. In contrast to the regulatory range of nuclear transport, the range of mRNA turnover considerably limits transcriptional wave propagation. This classification of cellular processes outlines potential regulatory mechanisms that can contribute to faithful transmission of oscillations at different stages of the cell cycle.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is present in the nucleus of cardiac myocytes and is capable of cleaving poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in vitro

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are traditionally known for their role in extracellular matrix remodeling. Increasing evidence reveals several alternative substrates and novel biological roles for these proteases. Recent evidence showed the intracellular localization of MMP-2 within cardiac myocytes, colocalized with troponin I within myofilaments. Here we investigated the presence of MMP-2 in the nucleus of cardiac myocytes using both immunogold electron microscopy and biochemical assays with nuclear extracts. The gelatinase activity found in both human heart and rat liver nuclear extracts was blocked with MMP inhibitors. In addition, the ability of MMP-2 to cleave poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) as a substrate was examined as a possible role for MMP-2 in the nucleus. PARP is a nuclear matrix enzyme involved in the repair of DNA strand breaks, which is known to be inactivated by proteolytic cleavage. PARP was susceptible to cleavage by MMP-2 in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner, yielding novel degradation products of ~66 and <45 kDa. The cleavage of PARP by MMP-2 was also blocked by MMP inhibitors. This is the first characterization of MMP-2 within the nucleus and we hereby suggest its possible role in PARP degradation.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe checkpoint response to DNA interstrand cross-links

Drugs that produce covalent interstrand cross-links (ICLs) in DNA remain central to the treatment of cancer, but the cell cycle checkpoints activated by ICLs have received little attention. We have used the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, to elucidate the checkpoint responses to the ICL-inducing anticancer drugs nitrogen mustard and mitomycin C. First we confirmed that the repair pathways acting on ICLs in this yeast are similar to those in the main organisms studied to date (Escherichia coli, budding yeast, and mammalian cells), principally nucleotide excision repair and homologous recombination. We also identified and disrupted the S. pombe homologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SNM1/PSO2 ICL repair gene and found that this activity is required for normal resistance to cross-linking agents, but not other forms of DNA damage. Survival and biochemical analysis indicated a key role for the "checkpoint Rad" family acting through the chk1-dependent DNA damage checkpoint in the ICL response. Rhp9-dependent phosphorylation of Chk1 correlates with G(2) arrest following ICL induction. In cells able to bypass the G(2) block, a second-cycle (S-phase) arrest was observed. Only a transient activation of the Cds1 DNA replication checkpoint factor occurs following ICL formation in wild-type cells, but this is increased and persists in G(2) arrest-deficient mutants. This likely reflects the fraction of cells escaping the G(2) damage checkpoint and arresting in the subsequent S phase due to ICL replication blocks. Disruption of cds1 confers increased resistance to ICLs, suggesting that this second-cycle S-phase arrest might be a lethal event.

Prophase destruction of Emi1 by the SCF(betaTrCP/Slimb) ubiquitin ligase activates the anaphase promoting complex to allow progression beyond prometaphase

Progression through mitosis occurs because cyclin B/Cdc2 activation induces the anaphase promoting complex (APC) to cause cyclin B destruction and mitotic exit. To ensure that cyclin B/Cdc2 does not prematurely activate the APC in early mitosis, there must be a mechanism delaying APC activation. Emi1 is a protein capable of inhibiting the APC in S and G2. We show here that Emi1 is phosphorylated by Cdc2, and on a DSGxxS consensus site, is subsequently recognized by the SCF(betaTrCP/Slimb) ubiquitin ligase and destroyed, thus providing a delay for APC activation. Failure of betaTrCP-dependent Emi1 destruction stabilizes APC substrates and results in mitotic catastrophe including centrosome overduplication, potentially explaining mitotic deficiencies in Drosophila Slimb/betaTrCP mutants. We hypothesize that Emi1 destruction relieves a late prophase checkpoint for APC activation.

Two redundant oscillatory mechanisms in the yeast cell cycle

The cell division cycle requires oscillations in activity of B-type cyclin (Clb)-Cdk1 kinases. Oscillations are due to periodic cyclin degradation by the anaphase-promoting complex (APC) activated by Cdc20 or Cdh1, and to cyclical accumulation of the Sic1 inhibitor. The results presented here suggest that the regulatory machinery controlling Clb kinase levels embeds two distinct oscillatory mechanisms. One, a "relaxation oscillator," involves alternation between two meta-stable states: Clb high/inhibitors (Sic1/APC-Cdh1) low, and Clb low/inhibitors high. The other, a "negative feedback oscillator," involves Clb kinase activation of APC-Cdc20, leading to Clb degradation. Genetic analysis suggests that these two mechanisms can function independently, and inactivation of both mechanisms is required to prevent mitosis. Computational modeling confirms that two such mechanisms can be linked to yield a robust cell cycle control system.

Increased frequency of a new polymorphism in the cell division cycle 2 (cdc2) gene in patients with Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia

Recent studies show linkage between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and two loci on chromosome 10. The cell division cycle 2 (cdc2) gene is located close to one of the chromosome 10 markers, and is a candidate gene for AD since it is involved in the pathogenesis of AD. We sequenced coding exons and flanking intronic sequences and the promoter region on the cdc2 gene and found three new single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We analyzed 272 Caucasian AD cases, 160 controls and 70 cases with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) for these SNPs. Homozygosity for one of the SNPs (Ex6+7I/D) was more frequent in both AD and FTD cases than in controls. In the combined tauopathy (AD and FTD) group the odds ratio (OR) was 1.77 (95% CI 1.19-2.63) for the Ex6+7II genotype. Our findings suggest that the Ex6+7I allele is associated with tauopathies, both AD and FTD.

Ca2+ oscillations at fertilization in mammals are regulated by the formation of pronuclei

In mammals, the sperm triggers a series of cytosolic Ca(2+) oscillations that continue for approximately 4 hours, stopping close to the time of pronucleus formation. Ca(2+) transients are also seen in fertilized embryos during the first mitotic division. The mechanism that controls this pattern of sperm-induced Ca(2+) signalling is not known. Previous studies suggest two possible mechanisms: first, regulation of Ca(2+) oscillations by M-phase kinases; and second, regulation by the presence or absence of an intact nucleus. We describe experiments in mouse oocytes that differentiate between these mechanisms. We find that Ca(2+) oscillations continue after Cdk1-cyclin B1 activity falls at the time of polar body extrusion and after MAP kinase has been inhibited with UO126. This suggests that M-phase kinases are not necessary for continued Ca(2+) oscillations. A role for pronucleus formation in regulating Ca(2+) signalling is demonstrated in experiments where pronucleus formation is inhibited by microinjection of a lectin, WGA, without affecting the normal inactivation of the M-phase kinases. In oocytes with no pronuclei but with low M-phase kinase activity, sperm-induced Ca(2+) oscillations persist for nearly 10 hours. Furthermore, a dominant negative importin beta that inhibits nuclear transport, also prevents pronucleus formation and causes Ca(2+) oscillations that continue for nearly 12 hours. During mitosis, fluorescent tracers that mark nuclear envelope breakdown and the subsequent reformation of nuclei in the newly formed two-cell embryo establish that Ca(2+) oscillations are generated only in the absence of a patent nuclear membrane. We conclude by suggesting a model where nuclear sequestration and release of a Ca(2+)-releasing activity contributes to the temporal organization of Ca(2+) transients in meiosis and mitosis in mice.

Effects of proteasome inhibitor (lactacystin) and cysteine protease inhibitor (E-64-d) on processes of mitosis in Xenopus embryonic cells

At least two different protease pathways have been implicated in the degradation that is required to control the eukaryotic cell cycle; these two pathways center on the activities of ubiquitin/proteasome and cysteine protease. The proteasome inhibitors, lactacystin and AcLLnL and the cysteine protease inhibitor E-64-d were tested for their ability to inhibit the cell cycles of Xenopus embryos. Lactacystin, AcLLnL and E-64-d all caused the complete arrest of the cell cycle. To define the specific cell cycle processes that were affected by the two inhibitors, we performed a cytological analysis. Inhibition of the cell cycle by lactacystin and E-64-d occurred during prophase and metaphase. The number of cells that arrested in prophase was 1.4-times higher in the E-64-d-treated group than in the control group and the number of arrested cells in the lactacystin-treated group was 1.4-times higher than in the E-64-d-treated group. The number of cells that arrested in metaphase was 3-to-4-times higher in the E-64-d and lactacystin groups than in the control group. These results indicate that both cysteine protease(s) and proteasomes are involved in the prophase and metaphase stages of cell division.

Mitotic-specific methylation of histone H4 Lys 20 follows increased PR-Set7 expression and its localization to mitotic chromosomes

We describe distinct patterns of histone methylation during human cell cycle progression. Histone H4 methyltransferase activity was found to be cell cycle-regulated, consistent with increased H4 Lys 20 methylation at mitosis. This increase closely followed the cell cycle-regulated expression of the H4 Lys 20 methyltransferase, PR-Set7. Localization of PR-Set7 to mitotic chromosomes and subsequent increase in H4 Lys 20 methylation were inversely correlated to transient H4 Lys 16 acetylation in early S-phase. These data suggest that H4 Lys 20 methylation by PR-Set7 during mitosis acts to antagonize H4 Lys 16 acetylation and to establish a mechanism by which this mark is epigenetically transmitted.