Cyclin A-dependent kinase activity affects chromatin binding of ORC, Cdc6, and MCM in egg extracts of Xenopus laevis

Phosphorylation of Orc6 During Mitosis Regulates DNA Replication and Ribosome Biogenesis

The human Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) is required not only for the initiation of DNA replication, but is also implicated in diverse cellular functions, including chromatin organization, centrosome biology, and cytokinesis. The smallest subunit of ORC, Orc6, is poorly conserved amongst eukaryotes. Recent studies from our laboratory have suggested that human Orc6 is not required for replication licensing, but is needed for S-phase progression. Further, ATR-dependent phosphorylation of Orc6 at T229 is implicated in DNA damage response during S-phase. In this study, we demonstrate that the CDK-dependent phosphorylation of Orc6 at T195 occurs during mitosis. While the phosphorylation at T195 does not seem to be required to exit mitosis, cells expressing the phosphomimetic T195E mutant of Orc6 impede S-phase progression. Moreover, the phosphorylated form of Orc6 associates with ORC more robustly, and Orc6 shows enhanced association with the ORC outside of G1, supporting the view that Orc6 may prevent the role of Orc1-5 in licensing outside of G1. Finally, Orc6 and the phosphorylated Orc6 localize to the nucleolar organizing centers and regulate ribosome biogenesis. Our results suggest that phosphorylated Orc6 at T195 prevents replication.

The origin recognition complex requires chromatin tethering by a hypervariable intrinsically disordered region that is functionally conserved from sponge to man

The first step toward eukaryotic genome duplication is loading of the replicative helicase onto chromatin. This 'licensing' step initiates with the recruitment of the origin recognition complex (ORC) to chromatin, which is thought to occur via ORC's ATP-dependent DNA binding and encirclement activity. However, we have previously shown that ATP binding is dispensable for the chromatin recruitment of fly ORC, raising the question of how metazoan ORC binds chromosomes. We show here that the intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of fly Orc1 is both necessary and sufficient for recruitment of ORC to chromosomes in vivo and demonstrate that this is regulated by IDR phosphorylation. Consistently, we find that the IDR confers the ORC holocomplex with ATP-independent DNA binding activity in vitro. Using phylogenetic analysis, we make the surprising observation that metazoan Orc1 IDRs have diverged so markedly that they are unrecognizable as orthologs and yet we find that these compositionally homologous sequences are functionally conserved. Altogether, these data suggest that chromatin is recalcitrant to ORC's ATP-dependent DNA binding activity, necessitating IDR-dependent chromatin tethering, which we propose poises ORC to opportunistically encircle nucleosome-free regions as they become available.

Mitotic perturbation is a key mechanism of action of decitabine in myeloid tumor treatment

Decitabine (DAC) is clinically used to treat myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Our genome-wide CRISPR-dCas9 activation screen using MDS-derived AML cells indicates that mitotic regulation is critical for DAC resistance. DAC strongly induces abnormal mitosis (abscission failure or tripolar mitosis) in human myeloid tumors at clinical concentrations, especially in those with TP53 mutations or antecedent hematological disorders. This DAC-induced mitotic disruption and apoptosis are significantly attenuated in DNMT1-depleted cells. In contrast, overexpression of Dnmt1, but not the catalytically inactive mutant, enhances DAC-induced mitotic defects in myeloid tumors. We also demonstrate that DAC-induced mitotic disruption is enhanced by pharmacological inhibition of the ATR-CLSPN-CHK1 pathway. These data challenge the current assumption that DAC inhibits leukemogenesis through DNMT1 inhibition and subsequent DNA hypomethylation and highlight the potent activity of DAC to disrupt mitosis through aberrant DNMT1-DNA covalent bonds.

The CMG helicase and cancer: a tumor "engine" and weakness with missing mutations

The replicative Cdc45-MCM-GINS (CMG) helicase is a large protein complex that functions in the DNA melting and unwinding steps as a component of replisomes during DNA replication in mammalian cells. Although the CMG performs this important role in cell growth, the CMG is not a simple bystander in cell cycle events. Components of the CMG, specifically the MCM precursors, are also involved in maintaining genomic stability by regulating DNA replication fork speeds, facilitating recovery from replicative stresses, and preventing consequential DNA damage. Given these important functions, MCM/CMG complexes are highly regulated by growth factors such as TGF-ß1 and by signaling factors such as Myc, Cyclin E, and the retinoblastoma protein. Mismanagement of MCM/CMG complexes when these signaling mediators are deregulated, and in the absence of the tumor suppressor protein p53, leads to increased genomic instability and is a contributor to tumorigenic transformation and tumor heterogeneity. The goal of this review is to provide insight into the mechanisms and dynamics by which the CMG is regulated during its assembly and activation in mammalian genomes, and how errors in CMG regulation due to oncogenic changes promote tumorigenesis. Finally, and most importantly, we highlight the emerging understanding of the CMG helicase as an exploitable vulnerability and novel target for therapeutic intervention in cancer.

A Mechanistic Model for Cell Cycle Control in Which CDKs Act as Switches of Disordered Protein Phase Separation

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are presumed to control the cell cycle by phosphorylating a large number of proteins involved in S-phase and mitosis, two mechanistically disparate biological processes. While the traditional qualitative model of CDK-mediated cell cycle control relies on differences in inherent substrate specificity between distinct CDK-cyclin complexes, they are largely dispensable according to the opposing quantitative model, which states that changes in the overall CDK activity level promote orderly progression through S-phase and mitosis. However, a mechanistic explanation for how such an activity can simultaneously regulate many distinct proteins is lacking. New evidence suggests that the CDK-dependent phosphorylation of ostensibly very diverse proteins might be achieved due to underlying similarity of phosphorylation sites and of the biochemical effects of their phosphorylation: they are preferentially located within intrinsically disordered regions of proteins that are components of membraneless organelles, and they regulate phase separation. Here, we review this evidence and suggest a mechanism for how a single enzyme’s activity can generate the dynamics required to remodel the cell at mitosis.

Molecular determinants of phase separation for Drosophila DNA replication licensing factors

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) in proteins can drive the formation of membraneless compartments in cells. Phase-separated structures enrich for specific partner proteins and exclude others. Previously, we showed that the IDRs of metazoan DNA replication initiators drive DNA-dependent phase separation in vitro and chromosome binding in vivo, and that initiator condensates selectively recruit replication-specific partner proteins (Parker et al., 2019). How initiator IDRs facilitate LLPS and maintain compositional specificity is unknown. Here, using Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) Cdt1 as a model initiation factor, we show that phase separation results from a synergy between electrostatic DNA-bridging interactions and hydrophobic inter-IDR contacts. Both sets of interactions depend on sequence composition (but not sequence order), are resistant to 1,6-hexanediol, and do not depend on aromaticity. These findings demonstrate that distinct sets of interactions drive condensate formation and specificity across different phase-separating systems and advance efforts to predict IDR LLPS propensity and partner selection a priori.

An Essential and Cell-Cycle-Dependent ORC Dimerization Cycle Regulates Eukaryotic Chromosomal DNA Replication

Eukaryotic DNA replication licensing is a prerequisite for, and plays a role in, regulating genome duplication that occurs exactly once per cell cycle. ORC (origin recognition complex) binds to and marks replication origins throughout the cell cycle and loads other replication-initiation proteins onto replication origins to form pre-replicative complexes (pre-RCs), completing replication licensing. However, how an asymmetric single-heterohexameric ORC structure loads the symmetric MCM (minichromosome maintenance) double hexamers is controversial, and importantly, it remains unknown when and how ORC proteins associate with the newly replicated origins to protect them from invasion by histones. Here, we report an essential and cell-cycle-dependent ORC "dimerization cycle" that plays three fundamental roles in the regulation of DNA replication: providing a symmetric platform to load the symmetric pre-RCs, marking and protecting the nascent sister replication origins for the next licensing, and playing a crucial role to prevent origin re-licensing within the same cell cycle.

A new class of disordered elements controls DNA replication through initiator self-assembly

The initiation of DNA replication in metazoans occurs at thousands of chromosomal sites known as origins. At each origin, the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC), Cdc6, and Cdt1 co-assemble to load the Mcm2-7 replicative helicase onto chromatin. Current replication models envisage a linear arrangement of isolated origins functioning autonomously; the extent of inter-origin organization and communication is unknown. Here, we report that the replication initiation machinery of D. melanogaster unexpectedly undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) upon binding DNA in vitro. We find that ORC, Cdc6, and Cdt1 contain intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) that drive LLPS and constitute a new class of phase separating elements. Initiator IDRs are shown to regulate multiple functions, including chromosome recruitment, initiator-specific co-assembly, and Mcm2-7 loading. These data help explain how CDK activity controls replication initiation and suggest that replication programs are subject to higher-order levels of inter-origin organization.

Nuclear DNA Replication in Trypanosomatids: There Are No Easy Methods for Solving Difficult Problems

In trypanosomatids, etiological agents of devastating diseases, replication is robust and finely controlled to maintain genome stability and function in stressful environments. However, these parasites encode several replication protein components and complexes that show potentially variant composition compared with model eukaryotes. This review focuses on the advances made in recent years regarding the differences and peculiarities of the replication machinery in trypanosomatids, including how such divergence might affect DNA replication dynamics and the replication stress response. Comparing the DNA replication machinery and processes of parasites and their hosts may provide a foundation for the identification of targets that can be used in the development of chemotherapies to assist in the eradication of diseases caused by these pathogens.

In trypanosomatids, DNA replication is tightly controlled by protein complexes that diverge from those of model eukaryotes.

There is no consensus for the number of replication origins used by trypanosomatids; how their replication dynamics compares with that of model organisms is the subject of debate.

The DNA replication rate in trypanosomatids is similar to, but slightly higher than, that of model eukaryotes, which may be related to chromatin structure and function.

Recent data suggest that the origin recognition complex in trypanosomatids closely resembles the multisubunit eukaryotic model.

The absence of fundamental replication-associated proteins in trypanosomatids suggests that new signaling pathways may be present in these parasites to direct DNA replication and the replicative stress response.

Mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication initiation in eukaryotes

Cellular DNA replication is initiated through the action of multiprotein complexes that recognize replication start sites in the chromosome (termed origins) and facilitate duplex DNA melting within these regions. In a typical cell cycle, initiation occurs only once per origin and each round of replication is tightly coupled to cell division. To avoid aberrant origin firing and re-replication, eukaryotes tightly regulate two events in the initiation process: loading of the replicative helicase, MCM2-7, onto chromatin by the origin recognition complex (ORC), and subsequent activation of the helicase by its incorporation into a complex known as the CMG. Recent work has begun to reveal the details of an orchestrated and sequential exchange of initiation factors on DNA that give rise to a replication-competent complex, the replisome. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that underpin eukaryotic DNA replication initiation - from selecting replication start sites to replicative helicase loading and activation - and describe how these events are often distinctly regulated across different eukaryotic model organisms.

Regulation of DNA replication proteins in parasitic protozoans: possible role of CDK-like kinases

Regulatory roles of CDKs in fundamental processes including cell cycle progression and transcription are well conserved in metazoans. This family of proteins has undergone significant evolutionary divergence and specialization. Several CDK-like kinases have been identified and characterized in parasitic protozoans. However, clear functional role and physiological relevance of these proteins in protozoans still remain elusive. In continuation with the recent finding that CDK-like protein PfPK5 regulates important DNA replication protein like origin recognition complex subunit 1 in Plasmodium falciparum, here we have discussed the emerging significance of CDK1/2 homologs in DNA replication of parasitic protozoans. In fact, involvement of these proteins in crucial cellular processes projects them as potential drug targets. The possibilities that CDKs offer as potential therapeutic targets in controlling parasite progression have also been explored.

Regulation of Plasmodium falciparum Origin Recognition Complex subunit 1 (PfORC1) function through phosphorylation mediated by CDK-like kinase PK5

Plasmodium falciparum Origin Recognition Complex subunit 1 (PfORC1) has been implicated in DNA replication and var gene regulation. While the C-terminus is involved in DNA replication, the specific role of N-terminus has been suggested in var gene regulation in a Sir2-dependent manner. PfORC1 is localized at the nuclear periphery, where the clustering of chromosomal ends at the early stage of parasite development may be crucial for the regulation of subtelomeric var gene expression. Upon disassembly of telomeric clusters at later stages of parasite development, ORC1 is distributed in the nucleus and parasite cytoplasm where it may be required for its other cellular functions including DNA replication. The level of ORC1 decreases dramatically at the late schizont stage. The mechanisms that mediate regulation of PfORC1 function are largely unknown. Here we show, by the use of recombinant proteins and of transgenic parasites expressing wild type or mutant forms of ORC1, that phosphorylation of the PfORC1-N terminal domain by the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) PfPK5 abolishes DNA-binding activity and leads to changes in subcellular localization and proteasome-mediated degradation of the protein in schizonts. These results reveal that PfORC1 phosphorylation by a CDK is central to the regulation of important biological functions like DNA replication and var gene silencing.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a key mediator for EGF-induced cell transformation mediated through the ELK4/c-Fos signaling pathway

Cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a known regulator in the cell cycle control of the G1/S and S/G2 transitions. However, the role of CDK2 in tumorigenesis is controversial. Evidence from knockout mice as well as colon cancer cell lines indicated that CDK2 is dispensable for cell proliferation. In this study, we found that ectopic CDK2 enhances Ras (G12V)-induced foci formation and knocking down CDK2 expression dramatically decreases EGF-induced cell transformation mediated through the down-regulation of c-fos expression. Interestingly, CDK2 directly phosphorylates ELK4 at Thr194 and Ser387 and regulates ELK4 transcriptional activity, which serves as a mechanism to regulate c-fos expression. In addition, ELK4 is over-expressed in melanoma and knocking down ELK4 or CDK2 expression significantly attenuated the malignant phenotype of melanoma cells. Taken together, our study reveals a novel function of CDK2 in EGF-induced cell transformation and the associated signal transduction pathways. This indicates that CDK2 is a useful molecular target for chemoprevention and therapy against skin cancer.

Genomic instability in cancer

One of the fundamental challenges facing the cell is to accurately copy its genetic material to daughter cells. When this process goes awry, genomic instability ensues in which genetic alterations ranging from nucleotide changes to chromosomal translocations and aneuploidy occur. Organisms have developed multiple mechanisms that can be classified into two major classes to ensure the fidelity of DNA replication. The first class includes mechanisms that prevent premature initiation of DNA replication and ensure that the genome is fully replicated once and only once during each division cycle. These include cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-dependent mechanisms and CDK-independent mechanisms. Although CDK-dependent mechanisms are largely conserved in eukaryotes, higher eukaryotes have evolved additional mechanisms that seem to play a larger role in preventing aberrant DNA replication and genome instability. The second class ensures that cells are able to respond to various cues that continuously threaten the integrity of the genome by initiating DNA-damage-dependent "checkpoints" and coordinating DNA damage repair mechanisms. Defects in the ability to safeguard against aberrant DNA replication and to respond to DNA damage contribute to genomic instability and the development of human malignancy. In this article, we summarize our current knowledge of how genomic instability arises, with a particular emphasis on how the DNA replication process can give rise to such instability.

Visualization of the MCM DNA helicase at replication factories before the onset of DNA synthesis

In mammalian cells, DNA synthesis takes place at defined nuclear structures termed "replication foci" (RF) that follow the same order of activation in each cell cycle. Intriguingly, immunofluorescence studies have failed to visualize the DNA helicase minichromosome maintenance (MCM) at RF, raising doubts about its physical presence at the sites of DNA synthesis. We have revisited this paradox by pulse-labeling RF during the S phase and analyzing the localization of MCM at labeled DNA in the following cell cycle. Using high-throughput confocal microscopy, we provide direct evidence that MCM proteins concentrate in G1 at the chromosome structures bound to become RF in the S phase. Upon initiation of DNA synthesis, an active "MCM eviction" mechanism contributes to reduce the excess of DNA helicases at RF. Most MCM complexes are released from chromatin, except for a small but detectable fraction that remains at the forks during the S phase, as expected for a replicative helicase.

Genome-wide localization of replication factors

Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is a powerful tool for the identification and characterization of protein-DNA interactions in vivo. ChIP has been utilized to study diverse nuclear processes such as transcription regulation, chromatin modification, DNA recombination and DNA replication at specific loci and, more recently, across the entire genome. Advances in genomic approaches, and whole genome sequencing in particular, have made it possible and affordable to comprehensively identify specific protein binding sites throughout the genomes of higher eukaryotes. The dynamic nature of the DNA replication program and the transient occupancy of many replication factors throughout the cell cycle present additional challenges that may not pertain to the mapping of site specific transcription factors. Here we discuss the specific considerations that need to be addressed in the application of ChIP to the genome-wide location analysis of protein factors involved in DNA replication.

Phosphorylation of ORC2 protein dissociates origin recognition complex from chromatin and replication origins

During the late M to the G(1) phase of the cell cycle, the origin recognition complex (ORC) binds to the replication origin, leading to the assembly of the prereplicative complex for subsequent initiation of eukaryotic chromosome replication. We found that the cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation of human ORC2, one of the six subunits of ORC, dissociates ORC2, -3, -4, and -5 (ORC2-5) subunits from chromatin and replication origins. Phosphorylation at Thr-116 and Thr-226 of ORC2 occurs by cyclin-dependent kinase during the S phase and is maintained until the M phase. Phosphorylation of ORC2 at Thr-116 and Thr-226 dissociated the ORC2-5 from chromatin. Consistent with this, the phosphomimetic ORC2 protein exhibited defective binding to replication origins as well as to chromatin, whereas the phosphodefective protein persisted in binding throughout the cell cycle. These results suggest that the phosphorylation of ORC2 dissociates ORC from chromatin and replication origins and inhibits binding of ORC to newly replicated DNA.

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1): an Unexpected Player in DNA Replication

Regulation of cell cycle progression is important for the maintenance of genome integrity, and Polo-like kinases (Plks) have been identified as key regulators of this process. It is well established that Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) plays critical roles in mitosis but little is known about its functions at other stages of the cell cycle. Here we summarize the functions of Plk1 during DNA replication, focusing on the molecular events related to Origin Recognition Complex (ORC), the complex that is essential for the initiation of DNA replication. Within the context of Plk1 phosphorylation of Orc2, we also emphasize regulation of Orc2 in different organisms. This review is intended to provide some insight into how Plk1 coordinates DNA replication in S phase with chromosome segregation in mitosis, and orchestrates the cell cycle as a whole.

Control of DNA replication by cyclin-dependent kinases in development

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are required for initiation of DNA replication in all eukaryotes, and appear to act at multiple levels to control replication origin firing, depending on the cell type and stage of development. In early development of many animals, both invertebrate and vertebrate, rapid cell cycling is coupled with transcriptional repression, and replication initiates at closely spaced replication origins with little or no sequence specificity. This organisation of DNA replication is modified during development as cell proliferation becomes more controlled and defined. In all eukaryotic cells, CDKs promote conversion of "licensed" pre-replication complexes (pre-RC) to active initiation complexes. In certain circumstances, CDKs may also control pre-RC formation, transcription of replication factor genes, chromatin remodelling, origin spacing, and organisation of replication origin clusters and replication foci within the nucleus. Although CDK1 and CDK2 have overlapping roles, there is a limit to their functional redundancy. Here, I review these findings and their implications for development.

Replication licensing and the DNA damage checkpoint

Accurate and timely duplication of chromosomal DNA requires that replication be coordinated with processes that ensure genome integrity. Significant advances in determining how the earliest steps in DNA replication are affected by DNA damage have highlighted some of the mechanisms to establish that coordination. Recent insights have expanded the relationship between the ATM and ATR-dependent checkpoint pathways and the proteins that bind and function at replication origins. These findings suggest that checkpoints and replication are more intimately associated than previously appreciated, even in the absence of exogenous DNA damage. This review summarizes some of these developments.

Biochemical characterization of the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) protein of the crenarchaeote Aeropyrum pernix and its interactions with the origin recognition complex (ORC) proteins

Replication in archaea is carried out by proteins that are homologues of eukaryotic counterparts. However, the archaeal systems tend to be much simpler with fewer different genes encoding the core functions than in eukaryotic counterparts. In many archaea, there is a single minichromosome maintenance (MCM) homologue, presumed to be the replicative helicase and between one and three origin recognition complex (ORC) homologues involved in binding to the replication origins. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of the MCM protein from the crenarchaeote Aeropyrum pernix. Like other eukaryotic and archaeal MCM proteins, it is found to be an ATP-dependent DNA helicase, and the putative active site residues involved in ATP binding and hydrolysis are confirmed by mutation. Deletion of the N-terminal 256 amino acids yielded a protein with higher ATPase activity in the absence of DNA and retained robust helicase activity. Interactions with the ORC proteins of A. pernix were examined, and it was found that both ORC homologues could inhibit the helicase activity of MCM. Further it was found that ORC2 could autophosphorylate in the presence of ATP and more remarkably could phosphorylate MCM in a species-specific manner.

Single particle EM studies of the Drosophila melanogaster origin recognition complex and evidence for DNA wrapping

Hyperphosphorylation of the Drosophila melanogaster origin recognition complex (DmORC) by cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) allows nucleotide binding but inhibits the ATPase activity of Orc1, and ablates the ATP-dependent interaction of ORC with DNA. Here we present single particle electron microscopy (EM) studies of ORC bound to nucleotide in both the dephosphorylated and hyper-phosphorylated states. 3D image reconstructions show that nucleotide binding gives rise to an analogous conformation independent of phosphorylation state. At the intermediate resolution achieved in our studies, ATP promotes changes along the toroidal core of the complex with negligible differences contributed by phosphorylation. Thus, hyperphosphorylation of DmORC does not induce meso-scale rearrangement of the ORC structure. To better understand ORC's role in origin remodeling, we performed atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies that show the contour length of a 688bp linear DNA fragment shortens by the equivalent of approximately 130bp upon ORC binding. This data, coupled with previous studies that showed a linking number change in circular DNA upon ORC binding, suggests that ORC may wrap the DNA in a manner akin to DnaA. Based on existing data and our structures, we propose a subunit arrangement for the AAA+ and winged helix domains, and in addition, speculate on a path of the 133bp of DNA around the ORC complex.

Interplay between S-cyclin-dependent kinase and Dbf4-dependent kinase in controlling DNA replication through phosphorylation of yeast Mcm4 N-terminal domain

Cyclin-dependent (CDK) and Dbf4-dependent (DDK) kinases trigger DNA replication in all eukaryotes, but how these kinases cooperate to regulate DNA synthesis is largely unknown. Here, we show that budding yeast Mcm4 is phosphorylated in vivo during S phase in a manner dependent on the presence of five CDK phosphoacceptor residues within the N-terminal domain of Mcm4. Mutation to alanine of these five sites (mcm4-5A) abolishes phosphorylation and decreases replication origin firing efficiency at 22 degrees C. Surprisingly, the loss of function mcm4-5A mutation confers cold and hydroxyurea sensitivity to DDK gain of function conditions (mcm5/bob1 mutation or DDK overexpression), implying that phosphorylation of Mcm4 by CDK somehow counteracts negative effects produced by ectopic DDK activation. Deletion of the S phase cyclins Clb5,6 is synthetic lethal with mcm4-5A and mimics its effects on DDK up mutants. Furthermore, we find that Clb5 expressed late in the cell cycle can still suppress the lethality of clb5,6Delta bob1 cells, whereas mitotic cyclins Clb2, 3, or 4 expressed early cannot. We propose that the N-terminal extension of eukaryotic Mcm4 integrates regulatory inputs from S-CDK and DDK, which may play an important role for the proper assembly or stabilization of replisome-progression complexes.

Strength in numbers: preventing rereplication via multiple mechanisms in eukaryotic cells

In eukaryotic cells, prereplication complexes (pre-RCs) are assembled on chromatin in the G1 phase, rendering origins of DNA replication competent to initiate DNA synthesis. When DNA replication commences in S phase, pre-RCs are disassembled, and multiple initiations from the same origin do not occur because new rounds of pre-RC assembly are inhibited. In most experimental organisms, multiple mechanisms that prevent pre-RC assembly have now been identified, and rereplication within the same cell cycle can be induced through defined perturbations of these mechanisms. This review summarizes the diverse array of inhibitory pathways used by different organisms to prevent pre-RC assembly, and focuses on the challenge of understanding how in any one cell type, various mechanisms cooperate to strictly enforce once per cell cycle regulation of DNA replication.

Molecular Analysis of Maturation Processes by Protein and Phosphoprotein Profiling during In Vitro Maturation of Bovine Oocytes: A Proteomic Approach

Cellular maturation and differentiation processes are accompanied by the expression of specific proteins. Especially in oocytes, there is no reliable strict linear correlation between mRNA levels and the abundance of proteins. Furthermore, the activity of proteins is modulated by specific kinases and phosphatases which control cellular processes like cellular growth, differentiation, cell cycle and meiosis. During the meiotic maturation of oocytes, the activation of protein kinases, namely of the MPF and MAPK play a predominant role. Therefore, the present study was performed to analyze meiotic maturation at a molecular level, concerning alterations of the proteom and phosphoproteom during IVM. Using a proteomic approach by combining two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by selective protein and phosphoprotein staining and mass spectrometry, we identified proteins which were differentially expressed and/or phosphorylated during IVM. Furthermore, we used the MPF inhibitor butyrolactone I, to reveal new molecular effects which are potentially essential for successful maturation. The results show that approximately 550 protein spots could be visualized by the fluorescent dye Sypro ruby at any maturation stage (GV, M I, M II) investigated. From GV stage to M II, ProQ diamond staining indicate in GV 30%, in M I 50%, and in M II 45% of the spots were phosphorylated. The Identity of 40 spots could be established. These proteins belong to different families, for example, cytoskeleton, molecular chaperons, redox, energy and metabolism related proteins, nucleic acid binding proteins, cell cycle regulators, and protein kinases. Four of them were differentially expressed (alteration higher than factor 2) during IVM, namely tubulin beta-chain, cyclin E(2), protein disulfide isomerase and one of two different forms of peroxiredoxin 2. Seven proteins were differentially stained by ProQ diamond, indicating a differential phosphorylation. These are tubulin beta-chain, beta-actin, cyclin E(2), aldose reductase and UMP-synthase, protein disulfide isomerase 2, and peroxiredoxin 2. Furthermore, the results indicate that the phosphorylation of at least peroxiredoxin 2 respond to BL I treatment. This indicates that its phosphorylation is under the control of MPF or MAPK. In summary these results indicates that the reduction of cyclin Eexpression and the (partially) inactivation of peroxiredoxin 2 by phosphorylation, hence alterations in the peroxide levels which can mediate signal transduction are essential components for successful maturation.

Regulation of S phase

Regulation of DNA replication is critical for accurate and timely dissemination of genomic material to daughter cells. The cell uses a variety of mechanisms to control this aspect of the cell cycle. There are various determinants of origin identification, as well as a large number of proteins required to load replication complexes at these defined genomic regions. A pre-Replication Complex (pre-RC) associates with origins in the G1 phase. This complex includes the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC), which serves to recognize origins, the putative helicase MCM2-7, and other factors important for complex assembly. Following pre-RC loading, a pre-Initiation Complex (pre-IC) builds upon the helicase with factors required for eventual loading of replicative polymerases. The chromatin association of these two complexes is temporally distinct, with pre-RC being inhibited, and pre-IC being activated by cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). This regulation is the basis for replication licensing, which allows replication to occur at a specific time once, and only once, per cell cycle. By preventing extra rounds of replication within a cell cycle, or by ensuring the cell cycle cannot progress until the environmental and intracellular conditions are most optimal, cells are able to carry out a successful replication cycle with minimal mutations.

Site-specific phosphorylation of MCM4 during the cell cycle in mammalian cells

MCM4, a subunit of a putative replicative helicase, is phosphorylated during the cell cycle, at least in part by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK), which play a central role in the regulation of DNA replication. However, detailed characterization of the phosphorylation of MCM4 remains to be performed. We examined the phosphorylation of human MCM4 at Ser3, Thr7, Thr19, Ser32, Ser54, Ser88 and Thr110 using anti-phosphoMCM4 sera. Western blot analysis of HeLa cells indicated that phosphorylation of MCM4 at these seven sites can be classified into two groups: (a) phosphorylation that is greatly enhanced in the G2 and M phases (Thr7, Thr19, Ser32, Ser54, Ser88 and Thr110), and (b) phosphorylation that is firmly detected during interphase (Ser3). We present data indicating that phosphorylation at Thr7, Thr19, Ser32, Ser88 and Thr110 in the M phase requires CDK1, using a temperature-sensitive mutant of mouse CDK1, and phosphorylation at sites 3 and 32 during interphase requires CDK2, using a dominant-negative mutant of human CDK2. Based on these results and those from in vitro phosphorylation of MCM4 with CDK2/cyclin A, we discuss the kinases responsible for MCM4 phosphorylation. Phosphorylated MCM4 detected using anti-phospho sera exhibited different affinities for chromatin. Studies on the nuclear localization of chromatin-bound MCM4 phosphorylated at sites 3 and 32 suggested that they are not generally colocalized with replicating DNA. Unexpectedly, MCM4 phosphorylated at site 32 was enriched in the nucleolus through the cell cycle. These results suggest that phosphorylation of MCM4 has several distinct and site-specific roles in the function of MCM during the mammalian cell cycle.

Cdk2 activity is dispensable for triggering replicon initiation after transient hypoxia in T24 cells

We examined whether the fast release of replicon initiation after sudden O2 recovery of hypoxically incubated mammalian cells depends on kinase activity of Cdk2. We used a system based on starved/refed T24 cells elaborated previously for such investigations [van Betteraey-Nikoleit M, Eisele KH, Stabenow D and Probst H (2003) Eur J Biochem270, 3880-3890]. Cells subjected to hypoxia concurrently with refeeding accumulate the G1 DNA content within 5-6 h. In this state they are ready to perform, within 1-2 min after O2 recovery, a burst of replicon initiations that marks the start of a synchronous S-phase. We found that Cdk2 binds to the chromatin fraction within 4-6 h after refeeding with fresh medium, irrespective of whether the cells were incubated normoxically or hypoxically. However, inhibition of Cdk2 by olomoucine, roscovitine or the Cdk2/cyclin inhibitory peptide II had no influence on the synchronous burst of replicon initiations. Cdc6 and pRb, possible targets of Cdk2 phosphorylation, behaved differentially. Inhibition did not affect phosphorylation of Cdc6 after reoxygenation, whilst chromatin bound pRb remained hypophosphorylated beyond the initiation burst. Thus, neither Cdk2 activity, though present at the end of the hypoxic period, nor pRb phosphorylation are necessary for releasing the burst of replicon initiations upon oxygen recovery. Consequentially, Cdk2 dependent phosphorylation(s) cannot be a critical trigger of replicon initiation in response to reoxygenation after several hours of hypoxia, at least in the T24 cells studied.

CDK phosphorylation inhibits the DNA-binding and ATP-hydrolysis activities of the Drosophila origin recognition complex

Faithful propagation of eukaryotic chromosomes usually requires that no DNA segment be replicated more than once during one cell cycle. Cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are critical for the re-replication controls that inhibit the activities of components of the pre-replication complexes (pre-RCs) following origin activation. The origin recognition complex (ORC) initiates the assembly of pre-RCs at origins of replication and Cdk phosphorylation of ORC is important for the prevention of re-initiation. Here we show that Drosophila melanogaster ORC (DmORC) is phosphorylated in vivo and is a substrate for Cdks in vitro. Cdk phosphorylation of DmORC subunits DmOrc1p and DmOrc2p inhibits the intrinsic ATPase activity of DmORC without affecting ATP binding to DmOrc1p. Moreover, Cdk phosphorylation inhibits the ATP-dependent DNA-binding activity of DmORC in vitro, thus identifying a novel determinant for DmORC-DNA interaction. DmORC is a substrate for both Cdk2 x cyclin E and Cdk1 x cyclin B in vitro. Such phosphorylation of DmORC by Cdk2 x cyclin E, but not by Cdk1 x cyclin B, requires an "RXL" motif in DmOrc1p. We also identify casein kinase 2 (CK2) as a kinase activity in embryonic extracts targeting DmORC for modification. CK2 phosphorylation does not affect ATP hydrolysis by DmORC but modulates the ATP-dependent DNA-binding activity of DmORC. These results suggest molecular mechanisms by which Cdks may inhibit ORC function as part of re-replication control and show that DmORC activity may be modulated in response to phosphorylation by multiple kinases.

Intrinsic nuclear import activity of geminin is essential to prevent re-initiation of DNA replication in Xenopus eggs

Prior to S phase, eukaryotic chromosomes are licensed for initiation of DNA replication, and re-licensing is prohibited after S phase has started until late mitosis, thus ensuring that genomic DNA is duplicated precisely once in each cell cycle. Here, we report that over-expression of Cdt1, an essential licensing protein, induced re-replication in Xenopus egg extracts. Geminin, a metazoan-specific inhibitor of Cdt1, was critical for preventing re-replication induced by Cdt1. Re-replication induced by the addition of recombinant Cdt1 and/or by the depletion of geminin from extracts was enhanced by a proteasome inhibitor, which suppressed the degradation of Cdt1 in the extracts. Furthermore, a nuclear localization sequence identified in Xenopus geminin had a significant role in the suppression of re-replication induced by Cdt1. These results suggest that nuclear accumulation of geminin plays a dominant role in the licensing system of Xenopus eggs.

Decreased origin usage and initiation of DNA replication in haploinsufficient HCT116 Ku80+/- cells

One of the functions of the abundant heterodimeric nuclear protein, Ku (Ku70/Ku80), is its involvement in the initiation of DNA replication through its ability to bind to chromosomal replication origins in a sequence-specific and cell cycle dependent manner. Here, using HCT116 Ku80+/- cells, the effect of Ku80 deficiency on cell cycle progression and origin activation was examined. Western blot analyses revealed a 75% and 36% decrease in the nuclear expression of Ku80 and Ku70, respectively. This was concomitant with a 33% and 40% decrease in chromatin binding of both proteins, respectively. Cell cycle analysis of asynchronous and late G1 synchronized Ku80+/- cells revealed a prolonged G1 phase. Furthermore, these Ku-deficient cells had a 4.5-, 3.4- and 4.3-fold decrease in nascent strand DNA abundance at the lamin B2, beta-globin and c-myc replication origins, respectively. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays showed that the association of Ku80 with the lamin B2, beta-globin and c-myc origins was decreased by 1.5-, 2.3- and 2.5-fold, respectively, whereas that of Ku70 was similarly decreased (by 2.1-, 1.5- and 1.7-fold, respectively) in Ku80+/- cells. The results indicate that a deficiency of Ku80 resulted in a prolonged G1 phase, as well as decreased Ku binding to and activation of origins of DNA replication.

DNA replication and progression through S phase

Initiation and completion of DNA replication defines the beginning and ending of S phase of the cell cycle. Successful progression through S phase requires that replication be properly regulated and monitored to ensure that the entire genome is duplicated exactly once, without errors, in a timely fashion. Given the immense size and complexity of eukaryotic genomes, this presents a significant challenge for the cell. As a result, DNA replication has evolved into a tightly regulated process involving the coordinated action of numerous factors that function in all phases of the cell cycle. We will review our current understanding of these processes from the formation of prereplicative complexes in preparation for S phase to the series of events that culminate in the loading of DNA polymerases during S phase. We will incorporate structural data from archaeal and bacterial replication proteins and discuss their implications for understanding the mechanism of action of their corresponding eukaryotic homologues. We will also describe the concept of replication licensing which protects against genomic instability by limiting initiation events to once per cell cycle. Lastly, we will review our knowledge of checkpoint pathways that maintain the integrity of stalled forks and relay defects in replication to the rest of the cell cycle.

Origin recognition and the chromosome cycle

Prior to the initiation of DNA replication, chromosomes must establish a biochemical mark that permits the recruitment in S phase of the DNA replication machinery that copies DNA. The process of chromosome replication in eukaryotes also must be coordinated with segregation of the duplicated chromosomes to daughter cells during mitosis. Protein complexes that utilize ATP coordinate events at origins of DNA replication and later they participate in the initiation of DNA replication. In eukaryotes, some of these proteins also play a part in later processes that ensure accurate inheritance of chromosomes in mitosis, including spindle attachment of chromosomes, accurate duplication of centrosomes and cytokinesis. A perspective of how ATP-dependent proteins accomplish this task in eukaryotes is discussed.

Role for Cdk1 (Cdc2)/cyclin A in preventing the mammalian origin recognition complex's largest subunit (Orc1) from binding to chromatin during mitosis

The eukaryotic origin recognition complex (ORC) selects the genomic sites where prereplication complexes are assembled and DNA replication begins. In proliferating mammalian cells, ORC activity appears to be regulated by reducing the affinity of the Orc1 subunit for chromatin during S phase and then preventing reformation of a stable ORC-chromatin complex until mitosis is completed and a nuclear membrane is assembled. Here we show that part of the mechanism by which this is accomplished is the selective association of Orc1 with Cdk1 (Cdc2)/cyclin A during the G(2)/M phase of cell division. This association accounted for the appearance in M-phase cells of hyperphosphorylated Orc1 that was subsequently dephosphorylated during the M-to-G(1) transition. Moreover, inhibition of Cdk activity in metaphase cells resulted in rapid binding of Orc1 to chromatin. However, chromatin binding was not mediated through increased affinity of Orc1 for Orc2, suggesting that additional events are involved in the assembly of functional ORC-chromatin sites. These results reveal that the same cyclin-dependent protein kinase that initiates mitosis in mammalian cells also concomitantly inhibits assembly of functional ORC-chromatin sites.

Deregulation of cyclin E in human cells interferes with prereplication complex assembly

Deregulation of cyclin E expression has been associated with a broad spectrum of human malignancies. Analysis of DNA replication in cells constitutively expressing cyclin E at levels similar to those observed in a subset of tumor-derived cell lines indicates that initiation of replication and possibly fork movement are severely impaired. Such cells show a specific defect in loading of initiator proteins Mcm4, Mcm7, and to a lesser degree, Mcm2 onto chromatin during telophase and early G1 when Mcm2-7 are normally recruited to license origins of replication. Because minichromosome maintenance complex proteins are thought to function as a heterohexamer, loading of Mcm2-, Mcm4-, and Mcm7-depleted complexes is likely to underlie the S phase defects observed in cyclin E-deregulated cells, consistent with a role for minichromosome maintenance complex proteins in initiation of replication and fork movement. Cyclin E-mediated impairment of DNA replication provides a potential mechanism for chromosome instability observed as a consequence of cyclin E deregulation.

Eukaryotic MCM proteins: beyond replication initiation

The minichromosome maintenance (or MCM) protein family is composed of six related proteins that are conserved in all eukaryotes. They were first identified by genetic screens in yeast and subsequently analyzed in other experimental systems using molecular and biochemical methods. Early data led to the identification of MCMs as central players in the initiation of DNA replication. More recent studies have shown that MCM proteins also function in replication elongation, probably as a DNA helicase. This is consistent with structural analysis showing that the proteins interact together in a heterohexameric ring. However, MCMs are strikingly abundant and far exceed the stoichiometry of replication origins; they are widely distributed on unreplicated chromatin. Analysis of mcm mutant phenotypes and interactions with other factors have now implicated the MCM proteins in other chromosome transactions including damage response, transcription, and chromatin structure. These experiments indicate that the MCMs are central players in many aspects of genome stability.

Degradation of origin recognition complex large subunit by the anaphase-promoting complex in Drosophila

The initiation of DNA synthesis is thought to occur at sites bound by a heteromeric origin recognition complex (ORC). Previously, we have shown that in Drosophila, the level of the large subunit, ORC1, is modulated during cell cycle progression and that changes in ORC1 concentration alter origin utilization during development. Here, we investigate the mechanisms underlying cell cycle-dependent degradation of ORC1. We show that signals in the non-conserved N-terminal domain of ORC1 mediate its degradation upon exit from mitosis and in G1 phase by the anaphase-promoting complex (APC) in vivo. Degradation appears to be the result of direct action of the APC, as the N-terminal domain is ubiquitylated by purified APC in vitro. This regulated proteolysis is potent, sufficient to generate a normal temporal distribution of protein even when transcription of ORC1 is driven by strong constitutive promoters. These observations suggest that in Drosophila, ORC1 regulates origin utilization much as does Cdc6 in budding yeast.

Localization of proteins bound to a replication origin of human DNA along the cell cycle

The proteins bound in vivo at the human lamin B2 DNA replication origin and their precise sites of binding were investigated along the cell cycle utilizing two novel procedures based on immunoprecipitation following UV irradiation with a pulsed laser light source. In G(1), the pre-replicative complex contains CDC6, MCM3, ORC1 and ORC2 proteins; of these, the post-replicative complex in S phase contains only ORC2; in M phase none of them are bound. The precise nucleotide of binding was identified for the two ORC and the CDC6 proteins near the start sites for leading-strand synthesis; the transition from the pre- to the post-replicative complex is accompanied by a 17 bp displacement of the ORC2 protein towards the start site.

A p53-dependent checkpoint pathway prevents rereplication

Eukaryotic cells control the initiation of DNA replication so that origins that have fired once in S phase do not fire a second time within the same cell cycle. Failure to exert this control leads to genetic instability. Here we investigate how rereplication is prevented in normal mammalian cells and how these mechanisms might be overcome during tumor progression. Overexpression of the replication initiation factors Cdt1 and Cdc6 along with cyclin A-cdk2 promotes rereplication in human cancer cells with inactive p53 but not in cells with functional p53. A subset of origins distributed throughout the genome refire within 2-4 hr of the first cycle of replication. Induction of rereplication activates p53 through the ATM/ATR/Chk2 DNA damage checkpoint pathways. p53 inhibits rereplication through the induction of the cdk2 inhibitor p21. Therefore, a p53-dependent checkpoint pathway is activated to suppress rereplication and promote genetic stability.

Drosophila MCM10 interacts with members of the prereplication complex and is required for proper chromosome condensation

Mcm10 is required for the initiation of DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have cloned MCM10 from Drosophila melanogaster and show that it complements a ScMCM10 null mutant. Moreover, Mcm10 interacts with key members of the prereplication complex: Mcm2, Dup (Cdt1), and Orc2. Interactions were also detected between Mcm10 and itself, Cdc45, and Hp1. RNAi depletion of Orc2 and Mcm10 in KC cells results in loss of DNA content. Furthermore, depletion of Mcm10, Cdc45, Mcm2, Mcm5, and Orc2, respectively, results in aberrant chromosome condensation. The condensation defects observed resemble previously published reports for Orc2, Orc5, and Mcm4 mutants. Our results strengthen and extend the argument that the processes of chromatin condensation and DNA replication are linked.

The 'ORC cycle': a novel pathway for regulating eukaryotic DNA replication

The function of the 'origin recognition complex' (ORC) in eukaryotic cells is to select genomic sites where pre-replication complexes (pre-RCs) can be assembled. Subsequent activation of these pre-RCs results in bi-directional DNA replication that originates at or close to the ORC DNA binding sites. Recent results have revealed that one or more of the six ORC subunits is modified during the G1 to S-phase transition in such a way that ORC activity is inhibited until mitosis is complete and a nuclear membrane is assembled. In yeast, Cdk1/Clb phosphorylates ORC. In frog eggs, pre-RC assembly destabilizes ORC/chromatin sites, and ORC is eventually hyperphosphorylated and released. In mammals, the affinity of Orc1 for chromatin is selectively reduced during S-phase and restored during early G1-phase. Unbound Orc1 is ubiquitinated during S-phase and in some cases degraded. Thus, most, perhaps all, eukaryotes exhibit some manifestation of an 'ORC cycle' that restricts the ability of ORC to initiate pre-RC assembly to the early G1-phase of the cell cycle, making the 'ORC cycle' the premier step in determining when replication begins.

A role for Ran-GTP and Crm1 in blocking re-replication

All eukaryotic cells have regulatory mechanisms that limit genomic replication to a single round each cell cycle. These systems function by blocking formation of prereplication complexes. The regulatory mechanisms in the yeast S. cerevisiae have been identified, but these do not appear to be conserved in metazoans. Using Xenopus egg extracts, we have identified a metazoan-specific regulatory system that limits replication to a single round. We show that during S phase, soluble MCM helicase, an essential initiation factor, is inactivated when it associates with exportin-1/Crm1. Formation of this complex is dependent on both high Ran-GTP and cdk2 kinase activity. Lowering Ran-GTP within nuclei or nuclear extracts allows MCM to reassociate with chromatin during S phase and induces re-replication. Importantly, prevention of re-replication requires MCM-Crm1 complex formation, but it does not require export of MCM from the nucleus. Therefore, in metazoans, Crm1 functions in both nuclear export and blocking of re-replication.

Human cytomegalovirus infection leads to accumulation of geminin and inhibition of the licensing of cellular DNA replication

Previous studies have shown that infection of G(0)-synchronized human fibroblasts by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) results in a block to cellular DNA synthesis. In this study, we have examined the effect of viral infection on the formation of the host cell DNA prereplication complex (pre-RC). We found that the Cdc6 protein level was significantly upregulated in the virus-infected cells and that there was a delay in the expression of the Mcm family of proteins. The loading of the Mcm proteins onto the DNA pre-RC complex also appeared to be defective in the virus-infected cells. This inhibition of DNA replication licensing was associated with the accumulation of geminin, a replication inhibitor. Cdt1, which participates in the loading of the Mcm proteins, was also downregulated and modified differentially in the infected cells. Early viral gene expression was sufficient for the virus-induced alteration of the pre-RC, and the immediate-early protein IE1 was not required. These studies show that the inhibition of replication licensing in HCMV-infected cells is one of the multiple pathways by which the virus dysregulates the host cell cycle.

CDK- and Cdc45-dependent priming of the MCM complex on chromatin during S-phase in Xenopus egg extracts: possible activation of MCM helicase by association with Cdc45

BACKGROUND

MCM and Cdc45 are required for the initiation and elongation stages of eukaryotic DNA replication. Recent studies show that a purified Mcm4/6/7 complex has DNA helicase activity. However, the biochemical function of the MCM complex and Cdc45 bound to chromatin has not been elucidated.

RESULTS

We have examined the biochemical properties of MCM proteins bound to chromatin fractions using Xenopus egg extracts. Immunoprecipitation of MCM proteins extracted under denaturing conditions reveals that all six subunits of MCM and Cdc45 form a tight complex following the initiation of DNA replication, and that both CDK activity and Cdc45 are essential for the complex formation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation of MCM proteins and Cdc45 shows that a complex containing MCM and Cdc45 has a DNA helicase activity which is dependent on CDK activity and Cdc45 in the extracts. Furthermore, both the complex and the helicase activity are resistant to treatment with phosphatase and high salt.

CONCLUSIONS

Following the initiation of DNA replication, a tight MCM-Cdc45 complex is formed on chromatin and its formation is closely correlated with the DNA helicase activity of chromatin immunoprecipitates containing MCM and Cdc45. We propose that the tight MCM-Cdc45 complex functions as a replicative DNA helicase in vivo.

DNA replication in eukaryotic cells

The maintenance of the eukaryotic genome requires precisely coordinated replication of the entire genome each time a cell divides. To achieve this coordination, eukaryotic cells use an ordered series of steps to form several key protein assemblies at origins of replication. Recent studies have identified many of the protein components of these complexes and the time during the cell cycle they assemble at the origin. Interestingly, despite distinct differences in origin structure, the identity and order of assembly of eukaryotic replication factors is highly conserved across all species. This review describes our current understanding of these events and how they are coordinated with cell cycle progression. We focus on bringing together the results from different organisms to provide a coherent model of the events of initiation. We emphasize recent progress in determining the function of the different replication factors once they have been assembled at the origin.

Regulation of CDC6, geminin, and CDT1 in human cells that undergo polyploidization

Endomitosis is the process by which mammalian megakaryocytes become polyploid during terminal differentiation. As in other endoreplicating cells, cyclin-cdk complexes are distinctly regulated, probably to overcome the strict mechanisms that prevent rereplication in most somatic cells. We have asked whether key factors involved in the assembly and licensing of replication origins are equally regulated during endomitosis. Cdc6, cdt1, and geminin expression was analyzed during differentiation of two human megakaryoblastic cell lines, HEL and K562, which respectively do and do not establish endoreplication cycles. Geminin was downregulated, whereas cdt1 levels were maintained upon differentiation of both cell lines, independently of whether cells entered extra S-phases. In contrast, cdc6 was present and remained nuclear only in differentiated endoreplicating cells. Interestingly, cdc6 protein expression was reestablished in K562 cells that underwent endomitosis after transient or stable cyclin E overexpression. The high levels of cyclin E reached in these cells appeared to influence the stabilization of cdc6 protein rather than its RNA transcription rate. Finally, cdc6 overexpression drove HEL cells into endoreplication cycles in the absence of differentiation stimuli. Our results show that both cdt1 and cdc6 are differentially regulated during megakaryocytic differentiation and suggest an active role of cdc6 in endomitosis.

Cdc6 synthesis regulates replication competence in Xenopus oocytes

The early division cycles of an embryo rely on the oocyte's ability to replicate DNA. During meiosis, oocytes temporarily lose this ability. After a single round of pre-meiotic S-phase, oocytes enter meiosis and rapidly arrest at prophase of meiosis I (G2). Upon hormonal stimulation, arrested oocytes resume meiosis, re-establish DNA replication competence in meiosis I shortly after germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), but repress replication until fertilization. How oocytes lose and regain replication competence during meiosis are important questions underlying the production of functional gametes. Here we show that the inability of immature Xenopus oocytes to replicate is linked to the absence of the Cdc6 protein and the cytoplasmic localization of other initiation proteins. Injection of Cdc6 protein into immature oocytes does not induce DNA replication. However, injection of Cdc6 into oocytes undergoing GVBD is sufficient to induce DNA replication in the absence of protein synthesis. Our results show that GVBD and Cdc6 synthesis are the only events that limit the establishment of the oocyte's replication competence during meiosis.

Identification of a G(2) arrest domain in the E1 wedge E4 protein of human papillomavirus type 16

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) is the most common cause of cervical carcinoma. Cervical cancer develops from low-grade lesions that support the productive stages of the virus life cycle. The 16E1 wedge E4 protein is abundantly expressed in such lesions and can be detected in cells supporting vegetative viral genome amplification. Using an inducible mammalian expression system, we have shown that 16E1 wedge E4 arrests HeLa cervical epithelial cells in G(2). 16E1 wedge E4 also caused a G(2) arrest in SiHa, Saos-2 and Saccharomyces pombe cells and, as with HeLa cells, was found in the cytoplasm. However, whereas 16E1 wedge E4 is found on the keratin networks in HeLa and SiHa cells, in Saos-2 and S. pombe cells that lack keratins, 16E1 wedge E4 had a punctate distribution. Mutagenesis studies revealed a proline-rich region between amino acids 17 and 45 of 16E1 wedge E4 to be important for arrest. This region, which we have termed the "arrest domain," contains a putative nuclear localization signal, a cyclin-binding motif, and a single cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) phosphorylation site. A single point mutation in the putative Cdk phosphorylation site (T23A) abolished 16E1 wedge E4-mediated G(2) arrest. Arrest did not involve proteins regulating the phosphorylation state of Cdc2 and does not appear to involve the activation of the DNA damage or incomplete replication checkpoint. G(2) arrest was also mediated by the E1 wedge E4 protein of HPV11, a low-risk mucosal HPV type that also causes cervical lesions. The E1 wedge E4 protein of HPV1, which is more distantly related to that of HPV16, did not cause G(2) arrest. We conclude that, like other papillomavirus proteins, 16E1 wedge E4 affects cell cycle progression and that it targets a conserved component of the cell cycle machinery.

The APC regulator CDH1 is essential for the progression of embryonic cell cycles in Xenopus

The orderly progression of cell cycle depends on timely destruction of key regulators through ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. The anaphase-promoting complex (APC) is a major component of this degradation machinery and its activation is regulated by CDC20 and CDH1. We demonstrate here that CDH1 mRNA is ubiquitously expressed in Xenopus embryos of all developmental stages. Loss of CDH1 function during early embryonic cell cycles leads to an immediate and prolonged arrest with low cyclin-dependent kinase activity. In contrast, ectopic overexpression of CDH1 induces cell cycle arrest during the first G(1) phase at the midblastula transition. CDH1-dependent degradation of cyclin A is likely involved in this G(1) arrest. Our findings establish the essential roles of CDH1 in embryonic cell cycles.