Presence Of Nocodazole Research Articles

Genetic disruption of aurora B uncovers an essential role for aurora C during early mammalian development

Mitosis is controlled by multiple kinases that drive cell cycle progression and prevent chromosome mis-segregation. Aurora kinase B interacts with survivin, borealin and incenp to form the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), which is involved in the regulation of microtubule-kinetochore attachments and cytokinesis. Whereas genetic ablation of survivin, borealin or incenp results in early lethality at the morula stage, we show here that aurora B is dispensable for CPC function during early cell divisions and aurora B-null embryos are normally implanted. This is due to a crucial function of aurora C during these early embryonic cycles. Expression of aurora C decreases during late blastocyst stages resulting in post-implantation defects in aurora B-null embryos. These defects correlate with abundant prometaphase figures and apoptotic cell death of the aurora B-deficient inner cell mass. Conditional deletion of aurora B in somatic cells that do not express aurora C results in chromosomal misalignment and lack of chromosome segregation. Re-expression of wild-type, but not kinase-dead, aurora C rescues this defect, suggesting functional overlap between these two kinases. Finally, aurora B-null cells partially arrest in the presence of nocodazole, suggesting that this kinase is not essential for the spindle assembly checkpoint.

Small-molecule inducer of cancer cell polyploidy promotes apoptosis or senescence: Implications for therapy

Polyploidy results from deregulated cell division and has been considered an undesirable event leading to increased mutation rate and cancer development. However, polyploidy may also render cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy. Here, we identify a small-molecule inducer of polyploidy, R1530, which interferes with tubulin polymerization and mitotic checkpoint function in cancer cells, leading to abortive mitosis, endoreduplication and polyploidy. In the presence of R1530, polyploid cancer cells underwent apoptosis or became senescent which translated into potent in vitro and in vivo efficacy. Normal proliferating cells were resistant to R1530-induced polyploidy thus supporting the rationale for cancer therapy by induced polyploidy. Mitotic checkpoint kinase BubR1 was found downregulated during R1530-induced exit from mitosis, a likely consequence of PLK4 inhibition. BubR1 knockdown in the presence of nocodazole induced an R1530-like phenotype, suggesting that BubR1 plays a key role in polyploidy induction by R1530 and could be exploited as a target for designing more specific polyploidy inducers.

The Roles of Cyclin A2, B1, and B2 in Early and Late Mitotic Events

Here we have used siRNAs and time-lapse epifluorescence microscopy to examine the roles of various candidate mitotic cyclins in chromatin condensation in HeLa cells. Knocking down cyclin A2 resulted in a substantial (∼7 h) delay in chromatin condensation and histone H3 phosphorylation, and expressing an siRNA-resistant form of cyclin A2 partially rescued chromatin condensation. There was no detectable delay in DNA replication in the cyclin A2 knockdowns, arguing that the delay in chromatin condensation is not secondary to a delay in S-phase completion. Cyclin A2 is required for the activation and nuclear accumulation of cyclin B1-Cdk1, raising the possibility that cyclin B1-Cdk1 mediates the effects of cyclin A2. Consistent with this possibility, we found that chromatin condensation was tightly associated temporally with the redistribution of cyclin B1 to the nucleus. Moreover, a constitutively nuclear cyclin B1 rescued chromatin condensation in cyclin A2 knockdown cells. On the other hand, knocking down cyclin B1 delayed chromatin condensation by only about one hour. Our working hypothesis is that active, nuclear cyclin B1-Cdk1 normally cooperates with cyclin A2 to bring about early mitotic events. Because cyclin A2 is present only during the early stages of mitosis, we asked whether cyclin B knockdown might have more dramatic defects on late mitotic events. Consistent with this possibility, we found that cyclin B1- and cyclin B1/B2-knockdown cells had difficulty in maintaining a mitotic arrest in the presence of nocodazole. Taken together, these data suggest that cyclin A2 helps initiate mitosis, in part through its effects on cyclin B1, and that cyclins B1 and B2 are particularly critical for the maintenance of the mitotic state.

Phosphorylation of Mixed Lineage Leukemia 5 by Cdc2 Affects Its Cellular Distribution and Is Required for Mitotic Entry

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

Low Molecular Weight Cyclin E Overexpression Shortens Mitosis, Leading to Chromosome Missegregation and Centrosome Amplification

Overexpression of the low molecular weight isoforms (LMW-E) of cyclin E induces chromosome instability; however, the degree to which these tumor-specific forms cause genomic instability differs from that of full-length cyclin E (EL), and the underlying mechanism(s) has yet to be elucidated. Here, we show that EL and LMW-E overexpression impairs the G(2)-M transition differently and leads to different degrees of chromosome instability in a breast cancer model system. First, the most significant difference is that EL overexpression prolongs cell cycle arrest in prometaphase, whereas LMW-E overexpression reduces the length of mitosis and accelerates mitotic exit. Second, LMW-E-overexpressing cells are binucleated or multinucleated with amplified centrosomes, whereas EL-overexpressing cells have the normal complement of centrosomes. Third, LMW-E overexpression causes mitotic defects, chromosome missegregation during metaphase, and anaphase bridges during anaphase, most of which are not detected on EL induction. LMW-E induces additional mitotic defects in cooperation with p53 loss in both normal and tumor cells. Fourth, LMW-E-overexpressing cells fail to arrest in the presence of nocodazole. Collectively, the mitotic defects mediated by LMW-E induction led to failed cytokinesis and polyploidy, suggesting that LMW-E expression primes cells to accrue chromosomal instability by shortening the length of mitosis. Lastly, LMW-E expression in human breast cancer tissues correlates with centrosome amplification and higher nuclear grade. These results suggest that LMW-E overexpression leads to higher centrosome numbers in breast cancer, which is a prerequisite for genomic instability.

Bub2 regulation of cytokinesis and septation in budding yeast

BackgroundThe mitotic exit network (MEN) is required for events at the end of mitosis such as degradation of mitotic cyclins and cytokinesis. Bub2 and its binding partner Bfa1 act as a GTPase activating protein (GAP) to negatively regulate the MEN GTPase Tem1. The Bub2/Bfa1 checkpoint pathway is required to delay the cell cycle in response to mispositioned spindles. In addition to its role in mitotic exit, Tem1 is required for actomyosin ring contraction.ResultsTo test the hypothesis that the Bub2 pathway prevents premature actin ring assembly, we compared the timing of actin ring formation in wild type, bub2Δ, mad2Δ, and bub2Δmad2Δ cells both with and without microtubules. There was no difference in the timing of actin ring formation between wild type and mutant cells in a synchronized cell cycle. In the presence of nocodazole, both bub2Δ and mad2Δ cells formed rings after a delay of the same duration. Double mutant bub2Δmad2Δ and bfa1Δmad2Δ cells formed rings at the same time with and without nocodazole. To determine if Bub2 has an effect on actomyosin ring contraction through its regulation of Tem1, we used live cell imaging of Myo1-GFP in a bub2Δ strain. We found a significant decrease in the total time of contraction and an increase in rate of contraction compared to wild type cells. We also examined myosin contraction using Myo1-GFP in cells overexpressing an epitope tagged Bub2. Surprisingly, overexpression of Bub2 also led to a significant increase in the rate of contraction, as well as morphological defects. The chained cell phenotype caused by Bub2 overexpression could be rescued by co-overexpression of Tem1, and was not rescued by deletion of BFA1.ConclusionOur data indicate that the Bub2 checkpoint pathway does not have a specific role in delaying actin ring formation. The observed increase in the rate of myosin contraction in the bub2Δ strain provides evidence that the MEN regulates actomyosin ring contraction. Our data suggest that the overexpression of the Bub2 fusion protein acts as a dominant negative, leading to septation defects by a mechanism that is Tem1-dependent.

SIRT2 downregulation confers resistance to microtubule inhibitors by prolonging chronic mitotic arrest

We previously identified SIRT2, a deacetylase for tubulin and histone H4, as a protein down-regulated in gliomas, and reported that exogenously-expressed SIRT2 arrests the cell cycle prior to entry into mitosis to prevent chromosomal instability in response to microtubule inhibitors (MTIs) such as nocodazole, characteristics previously reported for the CHFR protein. We herein investigated the effects of SIRT2 downregulation on sensitivity to MTIs using HCT116 cells, a mitotic checkpoint-proficient near-diploid cancer cell line used for studying checkpoints. We found that SIRT2 downregulation confers resistance to MTIs as well as that of BubR1, a well-characterized mitotic checkpoint protein, though by a different mechanism. While BubR1 suppression abolished spindle checkpoint functions, which is a requirement for cell death after release from the spindle checkpoint, SIRT2 downregulation prolonged chronic mitotic arrest from sustained activation of the mitotic checkpoint and consequently prevented a shift to secondary outcomes, including cell death, after release from chronic mitotic arrest. Consistent with this notion, BubR1 downregulation was dominant over SIRT2 knockdown in regard to mitotic regulation in the presence of nocodazole. These results suggest that SIRT2 functions to release chronic mitotic arrest in cells treated with MTIs, leading to other outcomes. We also found that SIRT2 downregulation caused centrosome fragmentation in response to nocodazole prior to the alteration in spindle checkpoint function, implying not only a novel function of SIRT2 for centrosome maintenance upon exposure to mitotic stress caused by MTIs, but also the existence of a centrosome-mediated signaling pathway to sustain the spindle checkpoint. Therefore, this study highlights a novel pathway leading to resistance to MTIs, in which SIRT2 downregulation participates.

Differential regulation of homologous recombination at DNA breaks and replication forks by the Mrc1 branch of the S-phase checkpoint

The Rad52 pathway has a central function in the recombinational repair of chromosome breaks and in the recovery from replication stress. Tolerance to replication stress also depends on the Mec1 kinase, which activates the DNA replication checkpoint in an Mrc1-dependent manner in response to fork arrest. Although the Mec1 and Rad52 pathways are initiated by the same single-strand DNA (ssDNA) intermediate, their interplay at stalled forks remains largely unexplored. Here, we show that the replication checkpoint suppresses the formation of Rad52 foci in an Mrc1-dependent manner and prevents homologous recombination (HR) at chromosome breaks induced by the HO endonuclease. This repression operates at least in part by impeding resection of DNA ends, which is essential to generate 3' ssDNA tails, the primary substrate of HR. Interestingly, we also observed that the Mec1 pathway does not prevent recombination at stalled forks, presumably because they already contain ssDNA. Taken together, these data indicate that the DNA replication checkpoint suppresses genomic instability in S phase by blocking recombination at chromosome breaks and permitting helpful recombination at stalled forks.

Microtubule-dependent association of AKAP350A and CCAR1 with RNA stress granules

Recent investigations have highlighted the importance of subcellular localization of mRNAs to cell function. While AKAP350A, a multifunctional scaffolding protein, localizes to the Golgi apparatus and centrosomes, we have now identified a cytosolic pool of AKAP350A. Analysis of AKAP350A scaffolded complexes revealed two novel interacting proteins, CCAR1 and caprin-1. CCAR1, caprin-1 and AKAP350A along with G3BP, a stress granule marker, relocate to RNA stress granules after arsenite treatment. Stress also caused loss of AKAP350 from the Golgi and fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus. Disruption of microtubules with nocodazole altered stress granule formation and changed their morphology by preventing fusion of stress granules. In the presence of nocodazole, arsenite induced smaller granules with the vast majority of AKAP350A and CCAR1 separated from G3BP-containing granules. Similar to nocodazole treatment, reduction of AKAP350A or CCAR1 expression also altered the size and number of G3BP-containing stress granules induced by arsenite treatment. A limited set of 69 mRNA transcripts was immunoisolated with AKAP350A even in the absence of stress, suggesting the association of AKAP350A with mRNA transcripts. These results provide the first evidence for the microtubule dependent association of AKAP350A and CCAR1 with RNA stress granules.

Plk1 Phosphorylation of TRF1 Is Essential for Its Binding to Telomeres

In a search for Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) interaction proteins, we have identified TRF1 (telomeric repeat binding factor 1) as a potential Plk1 target. In this communication we report further characterization of the interaction. We show that Plk1 associates with TRF1, and Plk1 phosphorylates TRF1 at Ser-435 in vivo. Moreover, Cdk1, serving as a priming kinase, phosphorylates TRF1 to generate a docking site for Plk1 toward TRF1. In the presence of nocodazole, ectopic expression of wild type TRF1 but not TRF1 with alanine mutation in the Plk1 phosphorylation site induces apoptosis in cells containing short telomeres but not in cells containing long telomeres. Unexpectedly, down-regulation of TRF1 by RNA interference affects cell proliferation and results in obvious apoptosis in cells with short telomeres but not in cells with long telomeres. Importantly, we observe that telomeric DNA binding ability of TRF1 is cell cycle-regulated and reaches a peak during mitosis. Upon phosphorylation by Plk1 in vivo and in vitro, the ability of TRF1 to bind telomeric DNA is dramatically increased. These results demonstrate that Plk1 interacts with and phosphorylates TRF1 and suggest that Plk1-mediated phosphorylation is involved in both TRF1 overexpression-induced apoptosis and its telomeric DNA binding ability.

ZFPL1, a novel ring finger protein required for cis-Golgi integrity and efficient ER-to-Golgi transport

The Golgi apparatus occupies a central position within the secretory pathway, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for its assembly and organization remain poorly understood. We report here the identification of zinc finger protein-like 1 (ZFPL1) as a novel structural component of the Golgi apparatus. ZFPL1 is a conserved and widely expressed integral membrane protein with two predicted zinc fingers at the N-terminus, the second of which is a likely ring domain. ZFPL1 directly interacts with the cis-Golgi matrix protein GM130. Depletion of ZFPL1 results in the accumulation of cis-Golgi matrix proteins in the intermediate compartment (IC) and the tubulation of cis-Golgi and IC membranes. Loss of ZFPL1 function also impairs cis-Golgi assembly following brefeldin A washout and slows the rate of cargo trafficking into the Golgi apparatus. Effects upon Golgi matrix protein localization and cis-Golgi structure can be rescued by wild-type ZFPL1 but not mutants defective in GM130 binding. Together, these data suggest that ZFPL1 has an important function in maintaining the integrity of the cis-Golgi and that it does so through interactions with GM130.

NAP, A Neuroprotective Drug Candidate in Clinical Trials, Stimulates Microtubule Assembly in the Living Cell

NAP (NAPVSIPQ), derived from activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) provides neuroprotection in vitro and in vivo against a wide variety of neurotoxic substances. To further understand the mechanism by which NAP provides broad neuroprotection it was essential to find NAP's binding partners. Previous results, using affinity chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, identified tubulin, the subunit protein of microtubules, as the major NAP binding protein in neurons and glial cells. Here, following microtubule depolymerization in the presence of nocodazole, NAP treatment enhanced rapid microtubule assembly and stimulated neurite outgrowth. Nocodazole is an established inhibitor of axoplasmic transport and cell division that exerts its effect by depolymerizing microtubules. NAP shows selectivity in interacting with brain tubulin and does not affect dividing cells. This data demonstrates that NAP functions as a neuroprotectant, at least in part, through its interaction with tubulin with a resulting increase in microtubule assembly.

Attenuation of actinomyosinII contractile activity in growth cones accelerates filopodia-guided and microtubule-based neurite elongation

The myosinII-specific inhibitor blebbistatin was used to attenuate actinomyosinII contractility in E7-chicken retina explant, medulla and spinal cord neuronal cell cultures. Addition of 20–100 μM blebbistatin, a concentration range that reversibly disrupts actin stress fibers, led to a reduction of growth cone lamellipodial areas and to an elongation of filopodia within 5 to 10 min. These morphological changes were completely reversed after removing the inhibitor. In the continued presence of blebbistatin for several hours, a dose-dependent acceleration (up to 6-fold) of neurite outgrowth was observed. The rapidly elongating neuritic processes displayed narrowed growth cones with one to three long filopodia at the leading edge. At the same time, thin neuritic branches emerged in a “push”-like fashion guided by filopodial extensions. Immunocytochemical characterization of these thin sprouts revealed that they contained actin filaments, myosinIIA, phosphorylated neurofilament/tau epitopes, MAP2, NCAM-PSA, and microtubules, demonstrating that these processes presented neurites and not filopodia. The crucial involvement of microtubules in blebbistatin-induced accelerated neurite extension was confirmed by its inhibition in the presence of nocodazole or taxol. The promotion by blebbistatin of neurite outgrowth occurred on polylysine, laminin, as well as on fibronectin as substrate. The presence of the Rho/ROCK-inhibitor Y-27632 also caused a dose-dependent promotion of neurite growth which was, however, 3-fold less pronounced as compared to blebbistatin. In contrast to blebbistatin, Y-27632 led to the enlargement of growth cone lamellipodial extensions. Our data demonstrate that neurite outgrowth and branching are inversely correlated with the degree of actinomyosinII contractility which determines the speed of retrograde flow and turnover of actin filaments and, by this, microtubule extension.

Actomyosin contractility and microtubules drive apical constriction in Xenopus bottle cells

Cell shape changes are critical for morphogenetic events such as gastrulation, neurulation, and organogenesis. However, the cell biology driving cell shape changes is poorly understood, especially in vertebrates. The beginning of Xenopus laevis gastrulation is marked by the apical constriction of bottle cells in the dorsal marginal zone, which bends the tissue and creates a crevice at the blastopore lip. We found that bottle cells contribute significantly to gastrulation, as their shape change can generate the force required for initial blastopore formation. As actin and myosin are often implicated in contraction, we examined their localization and function in bottle cells. F-actin and activated myosin accumulate apically in bottle cells, and actin and myosin inhibitors either prevent or severely perturb bottle cell formation, showing that actomyosin contractility is required for apical constriction. Microtubules were localized in apicobasally directed arrays in bottle cells, emanating from the apical surface. Surprisingly, apical constriction was inhibited in the presence of nocodazole but not taxol, suggesting that intact, but not dynamic, microtubules are required for apical constriction. Our results indicate that actomyosin contractility is required for bottle cell morphogenesis and further suggest a novel and unpredicted role for microtubules during apical constriction.

RB Loss Promotes Aberrant Ploidy by Deregulating Levels and Activity of DNA Replication Factors

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (RB) is functionally inactivated in many human cancers. Classically, RB functions to repress E2F-mediated transcription and inhibit cell cycle progression. Consequently, RB ablation leads to loss of cell cycle control and aberrant expression of E2F target genes. Emerging evidence indicates a role for RB in maintenance of genomic stability. Here, mouse adult fibroblasts were utilized to demonstrate that aberrant DNA content in RB-deficient cells occurs concomitantly with an increase in levels and chromatin association of DNA replication factors. Furthermore, following exposure to nocodazole, RB-proficient cells arrest with 4 n DNA content, whereas RB-deficient cells bypass the mitotic block, continue DNA synthesis, and accumulate cells with higher ploidy and micronuclei. Under this condition, RB-deficient cells also retain high levels of tethered replication factors, MCM7 and PCNA, indicating that DNA replication occurs in these cells under nonpermissive conditions. Exogenous expression of replication factors Cdc6 or Cdt1 in RB-proficient cells does not recapitulate the RB-deficient cell phenotype. However, ectopic E2F expression in RB-proficient cells elevated ploidy and bypassed the response to nocodazole-induced cessation of DNA replication in a manner analogous to RB loss. Collectively, these results demonstrate that deregulated S phase control is a key mechanism by which RB-deficient cells acquire elevated ploidy.

Response of human osteoblast-like cells to fluid flow shear: A potential role for the microtubule network and primary ciliums

Introduction: A limited understanding of the cellular mechanisms governing bone mechanotransduction has inhibited the development of clinical treatments for a variety of bone disorders, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and microgravity-associated bone atrophy. The cytoskeleton is thought to play a role in cellular mechanotransduction, however the exact mechanism in bone cells has not yet been clearly elucidated. Studies involving cytoskeletal inhibitors have not generally considered secondary effects on cellular organelles such as the primary cilia. These cellular projections could account for the disparity between shear stresses predicted to occur in vivo and the minimum threshold of membrane deformation required to elicit a cellular response in vitro.
 Methods: MG-63 (human osteoblast-like) cells were cultured in vitro. Cultures were exposed to intermittent cyclic fluid flow shear stress (1 Pa amplitude), for 8 or 12 hrs. Some cultures were loaded in the presence of nocodazole (a microtubule inhibitor) or cytochalasin D (an actin filament inhibitor). The cellular response was analyzed through RT-PCR assessment of messenger RNA levels for specific molecules related to matrix metabolism. The effects of drug treatments on cytoskeletal disorganization and the primary cilia were assessed with immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy.
 Results: In untreated cultures, shear stress was associated with significant increases in mRNA levels for collagen I and matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 3, for both time points assessed. These increases were maintained in cultures loaded in the presence of cytochalasin D, but were almost completely abrogated in nocodazole-treated cultures. Cytoskeletal inhibitors exerted some dose-dependent effects on length and structure of primary cilia in MG-63 cells.
 Conclusions: The microtubule network appears to be necessary for some shear-induced responses of osteoblast-like cells. MG-63 cells possess primary cilia, organelles that could amplify fluid flow shear, accounting for some apparent contradictions between studies related to osteoblast mechanosensitivity. Since these structures are composed of microtubules, the observation that microtubule disruptors inhibit the shear response of osteoblast-like cells suggests the primary cilium may have a role in osteoblast mechanotransduction. The effects of cytoskeletal inhibitors on cilium structure may explain the conflicting results of earlier mechanotransduction studies.

Cytoskeletal involvement in the cellular trafficking of plasmid/PEI derivative complexes

We have studied the cytoskeletal involvement in the cellular trafficking of complexes made with plasmid/PEI or plasmid/lactosylated PEI in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells (ΣCFTE29o- cells). Complexes were incubated in the presence of cytoskeletal inhibitors, and the number of transfected cells was determined by flow cytometry. Complexes were also generated with fluorescein-labeled PEI derivatives and the cell fluorescence intensity was determined by flow cytometry. In the presence of cytochalasin D to depolymerize actin filaments or nocodazole to disrupt microtubules, gene transfer efficiency with both PEI derivatives was decreased by 90%. The uptake of fluoresceinylated complexes studied by flow cytometry was decreased by 50% in the presence of cytochalasin D for both types of complexes ( p < 0.005) and unchanged in the presence of nocodazole. When cytoskeletal inhibitors were added to the cell culture after the complex uptake had occurred, gene transfer efficiency was decreased by 75% and 50% in the presence of nocodazole and cytochalasin D, respectively. Upon nocodazole-microtubule network disruption, the lysosomal localization of complexes was reduced, as assessed by confocal microscopy. Our results show a major cytoskeletal involvement in the cellular trafficking of complexes made with both PEI derivatives: actin filaments mainly in complex uptake, and microtubules in the trafficking of complexes towards the nucleus, probably through guided transport of complex-containing endosomal vesicles.

The human synMuv-like protein LIN-9 is required for transcription of G2/M genes and for entry into mitosis

Regulated gene expression is critical for the proper timing of cell cycle transitions. Here we report that human LIN-9 has an important function in transcriptional regulation of G2/M genes. Depletion of LIN-9 by RNAi in human fibroblasts strongly impairs proliferation and delays progression from G2 to M. We identify a cluster of G2/M genes as direct targets of LIN-9. Activation of these genes is linked to an association between LIN-9 and B-MYB. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed binding of both LIN-9 and B-MYB to the promoters of G2/M regulated genes. Depletion of B-MYB recapitulated the biological outcome of LIN-9 knockdown, including impaired proliferation and reduced expression of G2/M genes. These data suggest a critical role for human LIN-9, together with B-MYB, in the activation of genes that are essential for progression into mitosis.

Pds1/Esp1-dependent and -independent sister chromatid separation in mutants defective for protein phosphatase 2A.

Spindle disruption or DNA damage prevents sister chromatid separation through the activation of checkpoint pathways that inhibit anaphase entry by stabilizing the anaphase inhibitor Pds1. Mutation of CDC55, which encodes a B regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), results in precocious sister chromatid separation when spindle is disrupted. Here we report that decreased Pds1 levels in Deltacdc55 mutants contribute to sister chromatid separation in the presence of nocodazole, a microtubule-depolymerizing drug. However, in the presence of DNA damage, Deltacdc55 mutant cells separate sister chromatids without noticeable decrease of Pds1 or cohesin Mcd1/Scc1 levels. Further analysis demonstrates that Deltacdc55 mutants lose cohesion along the entire chromosomes when the spindle is disrupted. In contrast, separation of sister chromatids is limited to the centromeric regions in Deltacdc55 cells after DNA damage. Moreover, mutation of TPD3, which encodes the A regulatory subunit of PP2A, also results in sister chromatid separation in DNA- or spindle-damage-arrested cells. These data suggest that PP2A regulates sister chromatid cohesion in Pds1-dependent and -independent manners.

Mitotic Checkpoint Slippage in Humans Occurs via Cyclin B Destruction in the Presence of an Active Checkpoint

In the presence of unattached/weakly attached kinetochores, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) delays exit from mitosis by preventing the anaphase-promoting complex (APC)-mediated proteolysis of cyclin B, a regulatory subunit of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1). Like all checkpoints, the SAC does not arrest cells permanently, and escape from mitosis in the presence of an unsatisfied SAC requires that cyclin B/Cdk1 activity be inhibited. In yeast , and likely Drosophila, this occurs through an "adaptation" process involving an inhibitory phosphorylation on Cdk1 and/or activation of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (Cdki). The mechanism that allows vertebrate cells to escape mitosis when the SAC cannot be satisfied is unknown. To explore this issue, we conducted fluorescence microscopy studies on rat kangaroo (PtK) and human (RPE1) cells dividing in the presence of nocodazole. We find that in the absence of microtubules (MTs), escape from mitosis occurs in the presence of an active SAC and requires cyclin B destruction. We also find that cyclin B is progressively destroyed during the block by a proteasome-dependent mechanism. Thus, vertebrate cells do not adapt to the SAC. Rather, our data suggest that in normal cells, the SAC cannot prevent a slow but continuous degradation of cyclin B that ultimately drives the cell out of mitosis.