Docking interactions: cell-cycle regulation and beyond

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades-A yeast perspective

Discovery of the class of protein kinase now dubbed a mitogen (or messenger)-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is an illustrative example of how disparate lines of investigation can converge and reveal an enzyme family universally conserved among eukaryotes, from single-celled microbes to humans. Moreover, elucidation of the circuitry controlling MAPK function defined a now overarching principle in enzyme regulation-the concept of an activation cascade mediated by sequential phosphorylation events. Particularly ground-breaking for this field of exploration were the contributions of genetic approaches conducted using several model organisms, but especially the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Notably, examination of how haploid yeast cells respond to their secreted peptide mating pheromones was crucial in pinpointing genes encoding MAPKs and their upstream activators. Fully contemporaneous biochemical analysis of the activities elicited upon stimulation of mammalian cells by insulin and other growth- and differentiation-inducing factors lead eventually to the demonstration that components homologous to those in yeast were involved. Continued studies of these pathways in yeast were integral to other foundational discoveries in MAPK signaling, including the roles of tethering, scaffolding and docking interactions.

Multisite phosphorylation code of CDK

The quantitative model of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) function states that cyclins temporally order cell cycle events at different CDK activity levels, or thresholds. The model lacks a mechanistic explanation, as it is not understood how different thresholds are encoded into substrates. We show that a multisite phosphorylation code governs the phosphorylation of CDK targets and that phosphorylation clusters act as timing tags that trigger specific events at different CDK thresholds. Using phospho-degradable CDK threshold sensors with rationally encoded phosphorylation patterns, we were able to predictably program thresholds over the entire range of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle. We defined three levels of CDK multisite phosphorylation encoding: (i) Ser-Thr swapping in phosphorylation sites, (ii) patterning of phosphorylation sites, and (iii) cyclin-specific docking combined with modulation of CDK activity. Thus, CDK can signal via hundreds of differentially encoded targets at precise times to provide a temporally ordered phosphorylation pattern required for cell division.

Cyclin-Specific Docking Mechanisms Reveal the Complexity of M-CDK Function in the Cell Cycle

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) coordinate hundreds of molecular events during the cell cycle. Multiple cyclins are involved, but the global role of cyclin-specific phosphorylation has remained unsolved. We uncovered a cyclin docking motif, LxF, that mediates binding of replication factor Cdc6 to mitotic cyclin. This interaction leads to phospho-adaptor Cks1-mediated inhibition of M-CDK to facilitate Cdc6 accumulation and sequestration in mitosis. The LxF motif and Cks1 also mediate the mutual inhibition between M-CDK and the tyrosine kinase Swe1. Additionally, the LxF motif is critical for targeting M-CDK to phosphorylate several mitotic regulators; for example, Spo12 is targeted via LxF to release the phosphatase Cdc14. The results complete the full set of G1, S, and M-CDK docking mechanisms and outline the unified role of cyclin specificity and CDK activity thresholds. Cooperation of cyclin and Cks1 docking creates a variety of CDK thresholds and switching orders, including combinations of last in, first out (LIFO) and first in, first out (FIFO) ordering.

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Mitotic cyclin Clb2 binds a specific linear motif, LxF, in targets or inhibitors

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LxF interaction enhances mitotic CDK substrate phosphorylation

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Phospho-adaptor Cks1 and the LxF docking mediate CDK inhibition by Cdc6 and Swe1

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Cyclin-specific targeting enables finetuning of CDK function

Sinomenine, a COX-2 inhibitor, induces cell cycle arrest and inhibits growth of human colon carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo

Certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may possess anti-tumorigenic effects in certain cancer cell types. Sinomenine (SIN) is an alkaloid from Sinomenium acutum, a Chinese medicinal plant that inhibits inflammatory reactions and that has been used in the treatment of neuralgia and rheumatic diseases. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of SIN against colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo, as well as the underlying mechanisms. The effects of SIN on proliferation, cell cycle progression and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression were examined in human colorectal cancer-derived SW1116 cells. The in vivo effects of SIN were examined in a model of SW1116 tumor xenograft growth in athymic nude mice. Changes in COX-2 expression induced by the biological effects of SIN were analyzed by western blot analysis. The effects of SIN treatment on G1 phase cell cycle regulators in xenografts were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Our findings demonstrate that SIN inhibits the proliferation of SW1116 cells by promoting their accumulation in the G1 phase, with concomitant suppression of COX-2 expression. Time- and dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth and reduced toxicity were observed in nude mice administered daily intraperitoneal injections of SIN at doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg. SIN-treated tumors also exhibited reduced COX-2 expression, a marked increase in Cip1/p21 protein levels and a decrease in the levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin E. SIN may be an effective chemopreventive agent against colorectal cancer. The growth inhibitory properties of SIN against colorectal cancer may be mediated via a COX-2 inhibitory effect and cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase.