Role of ubiquitylation of components of mitotic checkpoint complex in their dissociation from anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome

The Mitotic Checkpoint Complex controls the association of Cdc20 regulatory protein with the ubiquitin ligase APC/C in mitosis

The ubiquitin ligase Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) and its regulatory protein Cdc20 play important roles in the control of different stages of mitosis. APC/C associated with Cdc20 is active and promotes metaphase-anaphase transition by targeting for degradation inhibitors of anaphase initiation. Earlier in mitosis, premature action of APC/C is prevented by the mitotic checkpoint (or spindle assembly checkpoint) system, which ensures that anaphase is not initiated until all chromosomes are properly attached to the mitotic spindle. The active mitotic checkpoint system promotes the assembly of a Mitotic Checkpoint Complex (MCC), which binds to APC/C and inhibits its activity. The interaction of MCC with APC/C is strongly enhanced by Cdc20 bound to APC/C. While the association of Cdc20 with APC/C was known to be essential for both these stages of mitosis, it was not known how Cdc20 remains bound in spite of ongoing processes, phosphorylation and ubiquitylation, that stimulate its release from APC/C. We find that MCC strongly inhibits the release of Cdc20 from APC/C by the action of mitotic protein kinase Cdk1-cyclin B. This is not due to protection from phosphorylation of specific sites in Cdc20 that affect its interaction with APC/C. Rather, MCC stabilizes the binding to APC/C of partially phosphorylated forms of Cdc20. MCC also inhibits the autoubiquitylation of APC/C-bound Cdc20 and its ubiquitylation-promoted release from APC/C. We propose that these actions of MCC to maintain Cdc20 bound to APC/C in mitosis are essential for the control of mitosis during active mitotic checkpoint and in subsequent anaphase initiation.

Role of phosphorylation of Cdc20 in the regulation of the action of APC/C in mitosis

The ubiquitin ligase APC/C (anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome) is essential for the control of mitosis, and its activity is subject to tight regulation. In early mitosis, APC/C is inhibited by the mitotic checkpoint system, but subsequently it regains activity and promotes metaphase-anaphase transition by targeting cyclin B and securin for degradation. The phosphorylation of APC/C by the mitotic protein kinase Cdk1-cyclin B facilitates its interaction with its coactivator Cdc20, while the phosphorylation of Cdc20 inhibits its binding to APC/C. This raises the question of how Cdc20 binds to APC/C under conditions of high Cdk1 activity. It seemed possible that the opposing action of protein phosphatases produces a fraction of unphosphorylated Cdc20 that binds to APC/C. We found, however, that while inhibitors of protein phosphatases PP2A and PP1 increased the overall phosphorylation of Cdc20 in anaphase extracts from Xenopus eggs, they did not decrease the levels of Cdc20 bound to APC/C. Searching for alternative mechanisms, we found that following the binding of Cdc20 to APC/C, it became significantly protected against phosphorylation by Cdk1. Protection was mainly at threonine sites at the N-terminal region of Cdc20, known to affect its interaction with APC/C. A model is proposed according to which a pool of unphosphorylated Cdc20, originating from initial stages of mitosis or from phosphatase action, combines with phosphorylated APC/C and thus becomes stabilized against further phosphorylation, possibly by steric hindrance of Cdk1 action. This pool of APCCdc20 appears to be required for the regulation of APC/C activity at different stages of mitosis.

Role of ubiquitin-protein ligase UBR5 in the disassembly of mitotic checkpoint complexes

The mitotic checkpoint system is essential for the prevention of mistakes in the segregation of chromosomes in mitosis. As long as chromosomes are not attached correctly to the mitotic spindle, a mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC) is assembled and inhibits the action of ubiquitin ligase APC/C (anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome) to initiate anaphase. When the checkpoint is turned off, MCC is disassembled, allowing anaphase initiation. The mechanisms of MCC disassembly have been studied, but the regulation of this process remained obscure. We found that a second ubiquitin ligase, UBR5 (ubiquitin-protein ligase N-recognin 5), ubiquitylates MCC components and stimulates the disassembly of MCC from APC/C, as well as the dissociation of a subcomplex of MCC.

The mitotic (or spindle assembly) checkpoint system ensures accurate chromosome segregation in mitosis by preventing the onset of anaphase until correct bipolar attachment of sister chromosomes to the mitotic spindle is attained. It acts by promoting the assembly of a mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC), composed of mitotic checkpoint proteins BubR1, Bub3, Mad2, and Cdc20. MCC binds to and inhibits the action of ubiquitin ligase APC/C (anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome), which targets for degradation regulators of anaphase initiation. When the checkpoint system is satisfied, MCCs are disassembled, allowing the recovery of APC/C activity and initiation of anaphase. Many of the pathways of the disassembly of the different MCCs have been elucidated, but the mode of their regulation remained unknown. We find that UBR5 (ubiquitin-protein ligase N-recognin 5) is associated with the APC/C*MCC complex immunopurified from extracts of nocodazole-arrested HeLa cells. UBR5 binds to mitotic checkpoint proteins BubR1, Bub3, and Cdc20 and promotes their polyubiquitylation in vitro. The dissociation of a Bub3*BubR1 subcomplex of MCC is stimulated by UBR5-dependent ubiquitylation, as suggested by observations that this process in mitotic extracts requires UBR5 and α−β bond hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate. Furthermore, a system reconstituted from purified recombinant components carries out UBR5- and ubiquitylation-dependent dissociation of Bub3*BubR1. Immunodepletion of UBR5 from mitotic extracts slows down the release of MCC components from APC/C and prolongs the lag period in the recovery of APC/C activity in the exit from mitotic checkpoint arrest. We suggest that UBR5 may be involved in the regulation of the inactivation of the mitotic checkpoint.

Inhibition of Hedgehog Delays Liver Regeneration through Disrupting the Cell Cycle

Liver regeneration is a complicated biological process orchestrated by various liver resident cells. Hepatic cell proliferation and reconstruction of the hepatic architecture involve multiple signaling pathways. It has been reported that the Hh signal is involved in liver regeneration. However, the signal transduction pathways and cell types involved are ill studied. This study aimed to investigate hedgehog signal response cell types and the specific molecular mechanism involved in the process of liver regeneration. Partial hepatectomy (PH) of 70% was performed on ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice to study the process of liver regeneration. We found that the hedgehog signal was activated significantly after PH, including hedgehog ligands, receptors and intracellular signaling molecules. Ligand signals were mainly expressed in bile duct cells and non-parenchymal hepatic cells, while receptors were expressed in hepatocytes and some non-parenchymal cells. Inhibition of the hedgehog signal treated with vismodegib reduced the liver regeneration rate after partial hepatectomy, including inhibition of hepatic cell proliferation by decreasing Cyclin D expression and disturbing the cell cycle through the accumulation of Cyclin B. The current study reveals the important role of the hedgehog signal and its participation in the regulation of hepatic cell proliferation and the cell cycle during liver regeneration. It provides new insight into the recovery of the liver after liver resection.

Cell cycle regulation by complex nanomachines

The cell cycle is the essential biological process where one cell replicates its genome and segregates the resulting two copies into the daughter cells during mitosis. Several aspects of this process have fascinated humans since the nineteenth century. Today, the cell cycle is exhaustively investigated because of its profound connections with human diseases and cancer. At the heart of the molecular network controlling the cell cycle, we find the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) acting as an oscillator to impose an orderly and highly regulated progression through the different cell cycle phases. This oscillator integrates both internal and external signals via a multitude of signalling pathways involving posttranslational modifications including phosphorylation, protein ubiquitination and mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. These tasks are specifically performed by multi-subunit complexes, which are intensively studied both biochemically and structurally with the aim to unveil mechanistic insights into their molecular function. The scope of this review is to summarise the structural biology of the cell cycle machinery, with specific focus on the core cell cycle machinery involving the CDK-cyclin oscillator. We highlight the contribution of cryo-electron microscopy, which has started to revolutionise our understanding of the molecular function and dynamics of the key players of the cell cycle.

Physiological relevance of post-translational regulation of the spindle assembly checkpoint protein BubR1

BubR1 is an essential component of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) during mitosis where it functions to prevent anaphase onset to ensure proper chromosome alignment and kinetochore-microtubule attachment. Loss or mutation of BubR1 results in aneuploidy that precedes various potential pathologies, including cancer and mosaic variegated aneuploidy (MVA). BubR1 is also progressively downregulated with age and has been shown to be directly involved in the aging process through suppression of cellular senescence. Post-translational modifications, including but not limited to phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination, play a critical role in the temporal and spatial regulation of BubR1 function. In this review, we discuss the currently characterized post-translational modifications to BubR1, the enzymes involved, and the biological consequences to BubR1 functionality and implications in diseases associated with BubR1. Understanding the molecular mechanisms promoting these modifications and their roles in regulating BubR1 is important for our current understanding and future studies of BubR1 in maintaining genomic integrity as well as in aging and cancer.

Molecular mechanisms of APC/C release from spindle assembly checkpoint inhibition by APC/C SUMOylation

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that controls cell cycle transitions. Its regulation by the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is coordinated with the attachment of sister chromatids to the mitotic spindle. APC/C SUMOylation on APC4 ensures timely anaphase onset and chromosome segregation. To understand the structural and functional consequences of APC/C SUMOylation, we reconstituted SUMOylated APC/C for electron cryo-microscopy and biochemical analyses. SUMOylation of the APC/C causes a substantial rearrangement of the WHB domain of APC/C's cullin subunit (APC2WHB). Although APC/CCdc20 SUMOylation results in a modest impact on normal APC/CCdc20 activity, repositioning APC2WHB reduces the affinity of APC/CCdc20 for the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC), the effector of the SAC. This attenuates MCC-mediated suppression of APC/CCdc20 activity, allowing for more efficient ubiquitination of APC/CCdc20 substrates in the presence of the MCC. Thus, SUMOylation stimulates the reactivation of APC/CCdc20 when the SAC is silenced, contributing to timely anaphase onset.

Polyanions provide selective control of APC/C interactions with the activator subunit

Transient interactions between the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) and its activator subunit Cdc20 or Cdh1 generate oscillations in ubiquitylation activity necessary to maintain the order of cell cycle events. Activator binds the APC/C with high affinity and exhibits negligible dissociation kinetics in vitro, and it is not clear how the rapid turnover of APC/C-activator complexes is achieved in vivo. Here, we describe a mechanism that controls APC/C-activator interactions based on the availability of substrates. We find that APC/C-activator dissociation is stimulated by abundant cellular polyanions such as nucleic acids and polyphosphate. Polyanions also interfere with substrate ubiquitylation. However, engagement with high-affinity substrate blocks the inhibitory effects of polyanions on activator binding and APC/C activity. We propose that this mechanism amplifies the effects of substrate affinity on APC/C function, stimulating processive ubiquitylation of high-affinity substrates and suppressing ubiquitylation of low-affinity substrates.

Role of Polo-like kinase 1 in the regulation of the action of p31comet in the disassembly of mitotic checkpoint complexes

The Mad2-binding protein p31comet has important roles in the inactivation of the mitotic checkpoint system, which delays anaphase until chromosomes attach correctly to the mitotic spindle. The activation of the checkpoint promotes the assembly of a Mitotic Checkpoint Complex (MCC), which inhibits the action of the ubiquitin ligase APC/C (Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome) to degrade inhibitors of anaphase initiation. The inactivation of the mitotic checkpoint requires the disassembly of MCC. p31comet promotes the disassembly of mitotic checkpoint complexes by liberating their Mad2 component in a joint action with the ATPase TRIP13. Here, we investigated the regulation of p31comet action. The release of Mad2 from checkpoint complexes in extracts from nocodazole-arrested HeLa cells was inhibited by Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), as suggested by the effects of selective inhibitors of Plk1. Purified Plk1 bound to p31comet and phosphorylated it, resulting in the suppression of its activity (with TRIP13) to disassemble checkpoint complexes. Plk1 phosphorylated p31comet on S102, as suggested by the prevention of the phosphorylation of this residue in checkpoint extracts by the selective Plk1 inhibitor BI-2536 and by the phosphorylation of S102 with purified Plk1. An S102A mutant of p31comet had a greatly decreased sensitivity to inhibition by Plk1 of its action to disassemble mitotic checkpoint complexes. We propose that the phosphorylation of p31comet by Plk1 prevents a futile cycle of MCC assembly and disassembly during the active mitotic checkpoint.

Mapping Mitotic Death: Functional Integration of Mitochondria, Spindle Assembly Checkpoint and Apoptosis

Targeting the mitotic pathways of rapidly proliferating tumor cells has been an effective strategy in traditional cancer therapy. Chemotherapeutics such as taxanes and vinca alkaloids, which disrupt microtubule function, have enjoyed clinical success; however, the accompanying side effects, toxicity and multi drug resistance remain as serious concerns. The emerging classes of inhibitors targeting mitotic kinases and proteasome face their own set of challenges. It is hoped that elucidation of the regulatory interface between mitotic checkpoints, mitochondria and mitotic death will aid the development of more efficacious anti-mitotic agents and improved treatment protocols. The links between the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) and mitochondrial dynamics that control the progression of anti-mitotic agent-induced apoptosis have been under investigation for several years and the functional integration of these various signaling networks is now beginning to emerge. In this review, we highlight current research on the regulation of SAC, the death pathway and mitochondria with particular focus on their regulatory interconnections.