Nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of G2/M regulators in yeast

The CWI Pathway: A Versatile Toolbox to Arrest Cell-Cycle Progression

Cell-signaling pathways are essential for cells to respond and adapt to changes in their environmental conditions. The cell-wall integrity (CWI) pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is activated by environmental stresses, compounds, and morphogenetic processes that compromise the cell wall, orchestrating the appropriate cellular response to cope with these adverse conditions. During cell-cycle progression, the CWI pathway is activated in periods of polarized growth, such as budding or cytokinesis, regulating cell-wall biosynthesis and the actin cytoskeleton. Importantly, accumulated evidence has indicated a reciprocal regulation of the cell-cycle regulatory system by the CWI pathway. In this paper, we describe how the CWI pathway regulates the main cell-cycle transitions in response to cell-surface perturbance to delay cell-cycle progression. In particular, it affects the Start transcriptional program and the initiation of DNA replication at the G1/S transition, and entry and progression through mitosis. We also describe the involvement of the CWI pathway in the response to genotoxic stress and its connection with the DNA integrity checkpoint, the mechanism that ensures the correct transmission of genetic material and cell survival. Thus, the CWI pathway emerges as a master brake that stops cell-cycle progression when cells are coping with distinct unfavorable conditions.

Interplay of septin amphipathic helices in sensing membrane-curvature and filament bundling

The curvature of the membrane defines cell shape. Septins are GTP-binding proteins that assemble into heteromeric complexes and polymerize into filaments at areas of micron-scale membrane curvature. An amphipathic helix (AH) domain within the septin complex is necessary and sufficient for septins to preferentially assemble onto micron-scale curvature. Here we report that the nonessential fungal septin, Shs1, also has an AH domain capable of recognizing membrane curvature. In a septin mutant strain lacking a fully functional Cdc12 AH domain (cdc12-6), the C-terminal extension of Shs1, containing an AH domain, becomes essential. Additionally, we find that the Cdc12 AH domain is important for regulating septin filament bundling, suggesting septin AH domains have multiple, distinct functions and that bundling and membrane binding may be coordinately controlled.

Ratiometric GPCR signaling enables directional sensing in yeast

Accurate detection of extracellular chemical gradients is essential for many cellular behaviors. Gradient sensing is challenging for small cells, which can experience little difference in ligand concentrations on the up-gradient and down-gradient sides of the cell. Nevertheless, the tiny cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae reliably decode gradients of extracellular pheromones to find their mates. By imaging the behavior of polarity factors and pheromone receptors, we quantified the accuracy of initial polarization during mating encounters. We found that cells bias the orientation of initial polarity up-gradient, even though they have unevenly distributed receptors. Uneven receptor density means that the gradient of ligand-bound receptors does not accurately reflect the external pheromone gradient. Nevertheless, yeast cells appear to avoid being misled by responding to the fraction of occupied receptors rather than simply the concentration of ligand-bound receptors. Such ratiometric sensing also serves to amplify the gradient of active G protein. However, this process is quite error-prone, and initial errors are corrected during a subsequent indecisive phase in which polarity clusters exhibit erratic mobile behavior.

Cells use surface receptors to decode spatial information from chemical gradients, but accurate decoding is hampered by small cell size and the presence of molecular noise. This study shows that yeast cells decode pheromone gradients by measuring the local ratio of bound to unbound receptors. This mechanism corrects for uneven receptor density at the surface and amplifies the gradient transmitted to downstream components.

Swe1 and Mih1 regulate mitotic spindle dynamics in budding yeast via Bik1

The mitotic spindle is a very dynamic structure that is built de novo and destroyed at each round of cell division. In order to perform its fundamental function during chromosome segregation, mitotic spindle dynamics must be tightly coordinated with other cell cycle events. These changes are driven by several protein kinases, phosphatases and microtubule-associated proteins. In budding yeast, the kinase Swe1 and the phosphatase Mih1 act in concert in controlling the phosphorylation state of Cdc28, the catalytic subunit of Cdk1, the major regulator of the cell cycle. In this study we show that Swe1 and Mih1 are also involved in the control of mitotic spindle dynamics. Our data indicate that Swe1 and the Polo-like kinase Cdc5 control the balance between phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of Mih1, which is, in turn, important for mitotic spindle elongation. Moreover, we show that the microtubule-associated protein Bik1 is a phosphoprotein, and that Swe1 and Mih1 are both involved in controlling phosphorylation of Bik1. These results uncover new players and provide insights into the complex regulation of mitotic spindle dynamics.

Septin-Associated Protein Kinases in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Septins are a family of eukaryotic GTP-binding proteins that associate into linear rods, which, in turn, polymerize end-on-end into filaments, and further assemble into other, more elaborate super-structures at discrete subcellular locations. Hence, septin-based ensembles are considered elements of the cytoskeleton. One function of these structures that has been well-documented in studies conducted in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is to serve as a scaffold that recruits regulatory proteins, which dictate the spatial and temporal control of certain aspects of the cell division cycle. In particular, septin-associated protein kinases couple cell cycle progression with cellular morphogenesis. Thus, septin-containing structures serve as signaling platforms that integrate a multitude of signals and coordinate key downstream networks required for cell cycle passage. This review summarizes what we currently understand about how the action of septin-associated protein kinases and their substrates control information flow to drive the cell cycle into and out of mitosis, to regulate bud growth, and especially to direct timely and efficient execution of cytokinesis and cell abscission. Thus, septin structures represent a regulatory node at the intersection of many signaling pathways. In addition, and importantly, the activities of certain septin-associated protein kinases also regulate the state of organization of the septins themselves, creating a complex feedback loop.

Coordinate action of distinct sequence elements localizes checkpoint kinase Hsl1 to the septin collar at the bud neck in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A long-standing conundrum is resolved about the underlying sequence determinants and molecular mechanism responsible for the recruitment of the protein kinase Hsl1 (an indispensable component of the so-called “morphogenesis checkpoint”) exclusively to the septin collar at the bud neck.

Passage through the eukaryotic cell cycle requires processes that are tightly regulated both spatially and temporally. Surveillance mechanisms (checkpoints) exert quality control and impose order on the timing and organization of downstream events by impeding cell cycle progression until the necessary components are available and undamaged and have acted in the proper sequence. In budding yeast, a checkpoint exists that does not allow timely execution of the G2/M transition unless and until a collar of septin filaments has properly assembled at the bud neck, which is the site where subsequent cytokinesis will occur. An essential component of this checkpoint is the large (1518-residue) protein kinase Hsl1, which localizes to the bud neck only if the septin collar has been correctly formed. Hsl1 reportedly interacts with particular septins; however, the precise molecular determinants in Hsl1 responsible for its recruitment to this cellular location during G2 have not been elucidated. We performed a comprehensive mutational dissection and accompanying image analysis to identify the sequence elements within Hsl1 responsible for its localization to the septins at the bud neck. Unexpectedly, we found that this targeting is multipartite. A segment of the central region of Hsl1 (residues 611–950), composed of two tandem, semiredundant but distinct septin-associating elements, is necessary and sufficient for binding to septin filaments both in vitro and in vivo. However, in addition to 611–950, efficient localization of Hsl1 to the septin collar in the cell obligatorily requires generalized targeting to the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane, a function normally provided by the C-terminal phosphatidylserine-binding KA1 domain (residues 1379–1518) in Hsl1 but that can be replaced by other, heterologous phosphatidylserine-binding sequences.

Sensing a bud in the yeast morphogenesis checkpoint: a role for Elm1

Yeast cells know whether or not they have a bud. The kinase Elm1 and the septin cytoskeleton are key transducers of cell shape information.

Bud formation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae must be coordinated with the nuclear cycle to enable successful proliferation. Many environmental stresses temporarily disrupt bud formation, and in such circumstances, the morphogenesis checkpoint halts nuclear division until bud formation can resume. Bud emergence is essential for degradation of the mitotic inhibitor, Swe1. Swe1 is localized to the septin cytoskeleton at the bud neck by the Swe1-binding protein Hsl7. Neck localization of Swe1 is required for Swe1 degradation. Although septins form a ring at the presumptive bud site before bud emergence, Hsl7 is not recruited to the septins until after bud emergence, suggesting that septins and/or Hsl7 respond to a “bud sensor.” Here we show that recruitment of Hsl7 to the septin ring depends on a combination of two septin-binding kinases: Hsl1 and Elm1. We elucidate which domains of these kinases are needed and show that artificial targeting of those domains suffices to recruit Hsl7 to septin rings even in unbudded cells. Moreover, recruitment of Elm1 is responsive to bud emergence. Our findings suggest that Elm1 plays a key role in sensing bud emergence.

Polarity establishment requires localized activation of Cdc42

Positive feedback by localized activation of Cdc42 drives polarity establishment in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Establishment of cell polarity in animal and fungal cells involves localization of the conserved Rho-family guanosine triphosphatase, Cdc42, to the cortical region destined to become the “front” of the cell. The high local concentration of active Cdc42 promotes cytoskeletal polarization through various effectors. Cdc42 accumulation at the front is thought to involve positive feedback, and studies in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have suggested distinct positive feedback mechanisms. One class of mechanisms involves localized activation of Cdc42 at the front, whereas another class involves localized delivery of Cdc42 to the front. Here we show that Cdc42 activation must be localized for successful polarity establishment, supporting local activation rather than local delivery as the dominant mechanism in this system.

Role of competition between polarity sites in establishing a unique front

Polarity establishment in many cells is thought to occur via positive feedback that reinforces even tiny asymmetries in polarity protein distribution. Cdc42 and related GTPases are activated and accumulate in a patch of the cortex that defines the front of the cell. Positive feedback enables spontaneous polarization triggered by stochastic fluctuations, but as such fluctuations can occur at multiple locations, how do cells ensure that they make only one front? In polarizing cells of the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, positive feedback can trigger growth of several Cdc42 clusters at the same time, but this multi-cluster stage rapidly evolves to a single-cluster state, which then promotes bud emergence. By manipulating polarity protein dynamics, we show that resolution of multi-cluster intermediates occurs through a greedy competition between clusters to recruit and retain polarity proteins from a shared intracellular pool.

Top Down Proteomics Reveals Mature Proteoforms Expressed in Subcellular Fractions of the Echinococcus granulosus Preadult Stage

Echinococcus granulosus is the causative agent of cystic hydatid disease, a neglected zoonosis responsible for high morbidity and mortality. Several molecular mechanisms underlying parasite biology remain poorly understood. Here, E. granulosus subcellular fractions were analyzed by top down and bottom up proteomics for protein identification and characterization of co-translational and post-translational modifications (CTMs and PTMs, respectively). Nuclear and cytosolic extracts of E. granulosus protoscoleces were fractionated by 10% GELFrEE and proteins under 30 kDa were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. By top down analysis, 186 proteins and 207 proteoforms were identified, of which 122 and 52 proteoforms were exclusively detected in nuclear and cytosolic fractions, respectively. CTMs were evident as 71% of the proteoforms had methionine excised and 47% were N-terminal acetylated. In addition, in silico internal acetylation prediction coupled with top down MS allowed the characterization of 9 proteins differentially acetylated, including histones. Bottom up analysis increased the overall number of identified proteins in nuclear and cytosolic fractions to 154 and 112, respectively. Overall, our results provided the first description of the low mass proteome of E. granulosus subcellular fractions and highlighted proteoforms with CTMs and PTMS whose characterization may lead to another level of understanding about molecular mechanisms controlling parasitic flatworm biology.

A Wee1 checkpoint inhibits anaphase onset

The budding yeast Wee1 kinase Swe1 restrains the metaphase-to-anaphase transition by preventing the Cdk1-dependent phosphorylation and activation of APC^Cdc20.

Cdk1 drives both mitotic entry and the metaphase-to-anaphase transition. Past work has shown that Wee1 inhibition of Cdk1 blocks mitotic entry. Here we show that the budding yeast Wee1 kinase, Swe1, also restrains the metaphase-to-anaphase transition by preventing Cdk1 phosphorylation and activation of the mitotic form of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC^Cdc20). Deletion of SWE1 or its opposing phosphatase MIH1 (the budding yeast cdc25⁺) altered the timing of anaphase onset, and activation of the Swe1-dependent morphogenesis checkpoint or overexpression of Swe1 blocked cells in metaphase with reduced APC activity in vivo and in vitro. The morphogenesis checkpoint also depended on Cdc55, a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). cdc55Δ checkpoint defects were rescued by mutating 12 Cdk1 phosphorylation sites on the APC, demonstrating that the APC is a target of this checkpoint. These data suggest a model in which stepwise activation of Cdk1 and inhibition of PP2A^Cdc55 triggers anaphase onset.

Cell cycle checkpoint regulators reach a zillion

Entry into mitosis is regulated by a checkpoint at the boundary between the G2 and M phases of the cell cycle (G2/M). In many organisms, this checkpoint surveys DNA damage and cell size and is controlled by both the activation of mitotic cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) and the inhibition of an opposing phosphatase, protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Misregulation of mitotic entry can often lead to oncogenesis or cell death. Recent research has focused on discovering the signaling pathways that feed into the core checkpoint control mechanisms dependent on Cdk and PP2A. Herein, we review the conserved mechanisms of the G2/M transition, including recently discovered upstream signaling pathways that link cell growth and DNA replication to cell cycle progression. Critical consideration of the human, frog and yeast models of mitotic entry frame unresolved and emerging questions in this field, providing a prediction of signaling molecules and pathways yet to be discovered.

Feedback control of Swe1p degradation in the yeast morphogenesis checkpoint

The morphogenesis checkpoint stabilizes the mitotic inhibitor Swe1p and prevents mitosis following stresses that affect bud formation. It is shown that, following some stresses, Swe1p stabilization is an indirect effect of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells exposed to a variety of physiological stresses transiently delay bud emergence or bud growth. To maintain coordination between bud formation and the cell cycle in such circumstances, the morphogenesis checkpoint delays nuclear division via the mitosis-inhibitory Wee1-family kinase, Swe1p. Swe1p is degraded during G2 in unstressed cells but is stabilized and accumulates following stress. Degradation of Swe1p is preceded by its recruitment to the septin scaffold at the mother-bud neck, mediated by the Swe1p-binding protein Hsl7p. Following osmotic shock or actin depolymerization, Swe1p is stabilized, and previous studies suggested that this was because Hsl7p was no longer recruited to the septin scaffold following stress. However, we now show that Hsl7p is in fact recruited to the septin scaffold in stressed cells. Using a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) mutant that is immune to checkpoint-mediated inhibition, we show that Swe1p stabilization following stress is an indirect effect of CDK inhibition. These findings demonstrate the physiological importance of a positive-feedback loop in which Swe1p activity inhibits the CDK, which then ceases to target Swe1p for degradation. They also highlight the difficulty in disentangling direct checkpoint pathways from the effects of positive-feedback loops active at the G2/M transition.

Roles of Hsl1p and Hsl7p in Swe1p degradation: beyond septin tethering

The morphogenesis checkpoint in Saccharomyces cerevisiae couples bud formation to the cell division cycle by delaying nuclear division until cells have successfully constructed a bud. The cell cycle delay is due to the mitosis-inhibitory kinase Swe1p, which phosphorylates the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28p. In unperturbed cells, Swe1p is degraded via a mechanism thought to involve its tethering to a cortical scaffold of septin proteins at the mother-bud neck. In cells that experience stresses that delay bud formation, Swe1p is stabilized, accumulates, and promotes a G(2) delay. The tethering of Swe1p to the neck requires two regulators, called Hsl1p and Hsl7p. Hsl1p interacts with septins, and Hsl7p interacts with Swe1p; tethering occurs when Hsl1p interacts with Hsl7p. Here we created a version of Swe1p that is artificially tethered to the neck by fusion to a septin so that Swe1p no longer requires Hsl1p or Hsl7p for its localization to the neck. We show that the interaction between Hsl1p and Hsl7p, required for normal Swe1p degradation, is no longer needed for septin-Swe1p degradation, supporting the idea that the Hsl1p-Hsl7p interaction serves mainly to tether Swe1p to the neck. However, both Hsl1p and Hsl7p are still required for Swe1p degradation, implying that these proteins play additional roles beyond localizing Swe1p to the neck.

Cdc42p regulation of the yeast formin Bni1p mediated by the effector Gic2p

Regulation of the formin Bni1p by Cdc42p in yeast does not require direct interaction between Bni1p and Cdc42p. The Cdc42p effector Gic2p can bind both Bni1p and GTP-Cdc42p, providing a novel regulatory input.

Actin filaments are dynamically reorganized to accommodate ever-changing cellular needs for intracellular transport, morphogenesis, and migration. Formins, a major family of actin nucleators, are believed to function as direct effectors of Rho GTPases, such as the polarity regulator Cdc42p. However, the presence of extensive redundancy has made it difficult to assess the in vivo significance of the low-affinity Rho GTPase–formin interaction and specifically whether Cdc42p polarizes the actin cytoskeleton via direct formin binding. Here we exploit a synthetically rewired budding yeast strain to eliminate the redundancy, making regulation of the formin Bni1p by Cdc42p essential for viability. Surprisingly, we find that direct Cdc42p–Bni1p interaction is dispensable for Bni1p regulation. Alternative paths linking Cdc42p and Bni1p via “polarisome” components Spa2p and Bud6p are also collectively dispensable. We identify a novel regulatory input to Bni1p acting through the Cdc42p effector, Gic2p. This pathway is sufficient to localize Bni1p to the sites of Cdc42p action and promotes a polarized actin organization in both rewired and wild-type contexts. We suggest that an indirect mechanism linking Rho GTPases and formins via Rho effectors may provide finer spatiotemporal control for the formin-nucleated actin cytoskeleton.

Negative feedback enhances robustness in the yeast polarity establishment circuit

Many cells undergo symmetry-breaking polarization toward a randomly oriented "front" in the absence of spatial cues. In budding yeast, such polarization involves a positive feedback loop that enables amplification of stochastically arising clusters of polarity factors. Previous mathematical modeling suggested that, if more than one cluster were amplified, the clusters would compete for limiting resources and the largest would "win," explaining why yeast cells always make one and only one bud. Here, using imaging with improved spatiotemporal resolution, we show the transient coexistence of multiple clusters during polarity establishment, as predicted by the model. Unexpectedly, we also find that initial polarity factor clustering is oscillatory, revealing the presence of a negative feedback loop that disperses the factors. Mathematical modeling predicts that negative feedback would confer robustness to the polarity circuit and make the kinetics of competition between polarity factor clusters relatively insensitive to polarity factor concentration. These predictions are confirmed experimentally.

Morphogenesis and the cell cycle

Studies of the processes leading to the construction of a bud and its separation from the mother cell in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have provided foundational paradigms for the mechanisms of polarity establishment, cytoskeletal organization, and cytokinesis. Here we review our current understanding of how these morphogenetic events occur and how they are controlled by the cell-cycle-regulatory cyclin-CDK system. In addition, defects in morphogenesis provide signals that feed back on the cyclin-CDK system, and we review what is known regarding regulation of cell-cycle progression in response to such defects, primarily acting through the kinase Swe1p. The bidirectional communication between morphogenesis and the cell cycle is crucial for successful proliferation, and its study has illuminated many elegant and often unexpected regulatory mechanisms. Despite considerable progress, however, many of the most puzzling mysteries in this field remain to be resolved.

A phosphatase threshold sets the level of Cdk1 activity in early mitosis in budding yeast

Entry into mitosis is initiated by synthesis of cyclins, which bind and activate cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1). Cyclin synthesis is gradual, yet activation of Cdk1 occurs in a stepwise manner: a low level of Cdk1 activity is initially generated that triggers early mitotic events, which is followed by full activation of Cdk1. Little is known about how stepwise activation of Cdk1 is achieved. A key regulator of Cdk1 is the Wee1 kinase, which phosphorylates and inhibits Cdk1. Wee1 and Cdk1 show mutual regulation: Cdk1 phosphorylates Wee1, which activates Wee1 to inhibit Cdk1. Further phosphorylation events inactivate Wee1. We discovered that a specific form of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A(Cdc55)) opposes the initial phosphorylation of Wee1 by Cdk1. In vivo analysis, in vitro reconstitution, and mathematical modeling suggest that PP2A(Cdc55) sets a threshold that limits activation of Wee1, thereby allowing a low constant level of Cdk1 activity to escape Wee1 inhibition in early mitosis. These results define a new role for PP2A(Cdc55) and reveal a systems-level mechanism by which dynamically opposed kinase and phosphatase activities can modulate signal strength.

Spatial regulation of Cdc55-PP2A by Zds1/Zds2 controls mitotic entry and mitotic exit in budding yeast

Zds1/2 regulate mitotic progression by directing the nucleocytoplasmic distribution of Cdc55–PP2A.

Budding yeast CDC55 encodes a regulatory B subunit of the PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A), which plays important roles in mitotic entry and mitotic exit. The spatial and temporal regulation of PP2A is poorly understood, although recent studies demonstrated that the conserved proteins Zds1 and Zds2 stoichiometrically bind to Cdc55–PP2A and regulate it in a complex manner. Zds1/Zds2 promote Cdc55–PP2A function for mitotic entry, whereas Zds1/Zds2 inhibit Cdc55–PP2A function during mitotic exit. In this paper, we propose that Zds1/Zds2 primarily control Cdc55 localization. Cortical and cytoplasmic localization of Cdc55 requires Zds1/Zds2, and Cdc55 accumulates in the nucleus in the absence of Zds1/Zds2. By genetically manipulating the nucleocytoplasmic distribution of Cdc55, we showed that Cdc55 promotes mitotic entry when in the cytoplasm. On the other hand, nuclear Cdc55 prevents mitotic exit. Our analysis defines the long-sought molecular function for the zillion different screens family proteins and reveals the importance of the regulation of PP2A localization for proper mitotic progression.

Heterokaryon technique for analysis of cell type-specific localization

A significant number of proteins are regulated by subcellular trafficking or nucleocytolasmic shuttling. These proteins display a diverse array of cellular functions including nuclear import/export of RNA and protein, transcriptional regulation, and apoptosis. Interestingly, major cellular reorganizations including cell division, differentiation and transformation, often involve such activities. The detailed study of these proteins and their respective regulatory mechanisms can be challenging as the stimulation for these localization changes can be elusive, and the movements themselves can be quite dynamic and difficult to track. Studies involving cellular oncogenesis, for example, continue to benefit from understanding pathways and protein activities that differ between normal primary cells and transformed cells. As many proteins show altered localization during transformation or as a result of transformation, methods to efficiently characterize these proteins and the pathways in which they participate stand to improve the understanding of oncogenesis and open new areas for drug targeting. Here we present a method for the analysis of protein trafficking and shuttling activity between primary and transformed mammalian cells. This method combines the generation of heterokaryon fusions with fluorescence microscopy to provide a flexible protocol that can be used to detect steady-state or dynamic protein localizations. As shown in Figure 1, two separate cell types are transiently transfected with plasmid constructs bearing a fluoroprotein gene attached to the gene of interest. After expression, the cells are fused using polyethylene glycol, and protein localizations may then be imaged using a variety of methods. The protocol presented here is a fundamental approach to which specialized techniques may be added.

Zds2p regulates Swe1p-dependent polarized cell growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae via a novel Cdc55p interaction domain

Deletion of the paralogs ZDS1 and ZDS2 in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae causes a mis-regulation of polarized cell growth. Here we show a function for these genes as regulators of the Swe1p (Wee1p) kinase-dependent G2/M checkpoint. We identified a conserved domain in the C-terminus of Zds2p consisting of amino acids 813-912 (hereafter referred to as ZH4 for Zds homology 4) that is required for regulation of Swe1p-dependent polarized bud growth. ZH4 is shown by protein affinity assays to be necessary and sufficient for interaction with Cdc55p, a regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). We hypothesized that the Zds proteins are in a pathway that negatively regulates the Swe1p-dependent G2/M checkpoint via Cdc55p. Supporting this model, deletion of CDC55 rescues the aberrant bud morphology of a zds1Δzds2Δ strain. We also show that expression of ZDS1 or ZDS2 from a strong galactose-inducible promoter can induce mitosis even when the Swe1p-dependent G2/M checkpoint is activated by mis-organization of the actin cytoskeleton. This negative regulation requires the CDC55 gene. Together these data indicate that the Cdc55p/Zds2p module has a function in the regulation of the Swe1p-dependent G2/M checkpoint.

Wee1B, Myt1, and Cdc25 function in distinct compartments of the mouse oocyte to control meiotic resumption

Keeping Wee1B in the nucleus is important to maintain meiotic arrest, but its timely export is also required for meiosis to resume.

After a long period of quiescence at dictyate prophase I, termed the germinal vesicle (GV) stage, mammalian oocytes reenter meiosis by activating the Cdc2–cyclin B complex (maturation-promoting factor [MPF]). The activity of MPF is regulated by Wee1/Myt1 kinases and Cdc25 phosphatases. In this study, we demonstrate that the sequestration of components that regulate MPF activity in distinct subcellular compartments is essential for their function during meiosis. Down-regulation of either Wee1B or Myt1 causes partial meiotic resumption, and oocytes reenter the cell cycle only when both proteins are down-regulated. Shortly before GV breakdown (GVBD), Cdc25B is translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, whereas Wee1B is exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. These movements are regulated by PKA inactivation and MPF activation, respectively. Mislocalized Wee1B or Myt1 is not able to maintain meiotic arrest. Thus, cooperation of Wee1B, Myt1, and Cdc25 is required to maintain meiotic arrest and relocation of these components before GVBD is necessary for meiotic reentry.

Singularity in polarization: rewiring yeast cells to make two buds

For budding yeast to ensure formation of only one bud, cells must polarize toward one, and only one, site. Polarity establishment involves the Rho family GTPase Cdc42, which concentrates at polarization sites via a positive feedback loop. To assess whether singularity is linked to the specific Cdc42 feedback loop, we disabled the yeast cell's endogenous amplification mechanism and synthetically rewired the cells to employ a different positive feedback loop. Rewired cells violated singularity, occasionally making two buds. Even cells that made only one bud sometimes initiated two clusters of Cdc42, but then one cluster became dominant. Mathematical modeling indicated that, given sufficient time, competition between clusters would promote singularity. In rewired cells, competition occurred slowly and sometimes failed to develop a single "winning" cluster before budding. Slowing competition in normal cells also allowed occasional formation of two buds, suggesting that singularity is enforced by rapid competition between Cdc42 clusters.

Molecular dissection of the checkpoint kinase Hsl1p

Cell shape can influence cell behavior. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, bud emergence can influence cell cycle progression via the morphogenesis checkpoint. This surveillance pathway ensures that mitosis always follows bud formation by linking degradation of the mitosis-inhibitory kinase Swe1p (Wee1) to successful bud emergence. A crucial component of this pathway is the checkpoint kinase Hsl1p, which is activated upon bud emergence and promotes Swe1p degradation. We have dissected the large nonkinase domain of Hsl1p by using evolutionary conservation as a guide, identifying regions important for Hsl1p localization, function, and regulation. An autoinhibitory motif restrains Hsl1p activity when it is not properly localized to the mother-bud neck. Hsl1p lacking this motif is active as a kinase regardless of the assembly state of cytoskeletal septin filaments. However, the active but delocalized Hsl1p cannot promote Swe1p down-regulation, indicating that localization is required for Hsl1p function as well as Hsl1p activation. We also show that the septin-mediated Hsl1p regulation via the novel motif operates in parallel to a previously identified Hsl1p activation pathway involving phosphorylation of the Hsl1p kinase domain. We suggest that Hsl1p responds to alterations in septin organization, which themselves occur in response to the local geometry of the cell cortex.

The checkpoint kinase Hsl1p is activated by Elm1p-dependent phosphorylation

Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells growing in the outdoor environment must adapt to sudden changes in temperature and other variables. Many such changes trigger stress responses that delay bud emergence until the cells can adapt. In such circumstances, the morphogenesis checkpoint delays mitosis until a bud has been formed. Mitotic delay is due to the Wee1 family mitotic inhibitor Swe1p, whose degradation is linked to bud emergence by the checkpoint kinase Hsl1p. Hsl1p is concentrated at the mother-bud neck through association with septin filaments, and it was reported that Hsl1p activation involved relief of autoinhibition in response to septin interaction. Here we challenge the previous identification of an autoinhibitory domain and show instead that Hsl1p activation involves the phosphorylation of threonine 273, promoted by the septin-associated kinase Elm1p. We identified elm1 mutants in a screen for defects in Swe1p degradation and show that a phosphomimic T273E mutation in HSL1 bypasses the need for Elm1p in this pathway.