Identification of mitosis-specific p65 dimer as a component of human M phase-promoting factor

Dependence of the structure and mechanics of metaphase chromosomes on oxidized cysteines

We have found that reagents that reduce oxidized cysteines lead to destabilization of metaphase chromosome folding, suggesting that chemically linked cysteine residues may play a structural role in mitotic chromosome organization, in accord with classical studies by Dounce et al. (J Theor Biol 42:275-285, 1973) and Sumner (J Cell Sci 70:177-188, 1984a). Human chromosomes isolated into buffer unfold when exposed to dithiothreitol (DTT) or tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP). In micromanipulation experiments which allow us to examine the mechanics of individual metaphase chromosomes, we have found that the gel-like elastic stiffness of native metaphase chromosomes is dramatically suppressed by DTT and TCEP, even before the chromosomes become appreciably unfolded. We also report protein labeling experiments on human metaphase chromosomes which allow us to tag oxidized and reduction-sensitive cysteine residues. PAGE analysis using fluorescent labels shows a small number of labeled bands. Mass spectrometry analysis of similarly labeled proteins provides a list of candidates for proteins with oxidized cysteines involved in chromosome organization, notably including components of condensin I, cohesin, the nucleosome-interacting proteins RCC1 and RCC2, as well as the RNA/DNA-binding protein NONO/p54NRB.

Comparative analysis of innate immune responses following infection of newborn calves with bovine rotavirus and bovine coronavirus

Bovine rotavirus (BRV) and bovine coronavirus (BCV) are important causes of diarrhoea and death in newborn calves. Although these viruses belong to distinct viral classes, they both infect intestinal epithelial cells and induce similar clinical symptoms. Rotavirus usually causes an acute infection, but coronavirus infection can persist and reoccur in adults. Differences in viral structure and clinical outcome prompted us to postulate that innate mucosal immune responses would be markedly different following rotavirus and coronavirus infections. To address this hypothesis, gene expression following BRV and BCV infection was analysed in surgically prepared intestinal loops from 1-day-old colostrum-deprived calves. Gene expression was profiled at 18 h post-infection using bovine cDNA microarrays; the majority of differentially expressed significant genes were associated with the cell cycle and innate immune responses. A select group of these genes was validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression of genes associated with interferons (IFNs), cytokines and Toll-like receptors, which were not present on the microarray, was analysed further by qRT-PCR. Strong activation of TLR3, IL-6 and p65 was observed in BRV-infected host tissues, but not in tissues infected with BCV. Both viruses also downregulated IFN- and pro-inflammatory cytokine-associated pathways. In vitro studies confirmed that IFN inhibited viral replication. All of these results together suggested either that very early events of host responses at 18 h post-infection were being observed, or that both viruses have unique effective strategies to evade host immune responses.

Suppression of apoptosis by dominant negative mutants of cyclin-dependent protein kinases

In many cell types, position in the cell cycle appears to play a role in determining susceptibility to apoptosis (programmed cell death), and expression of various cyclins and activation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) have been shown to correlate with the onset of apoptosis in a number of experimental systems. To assess the role of CDK-mediated cell cycle events in apoptosis, we have expressed CDK dominant negative mutants in human HeLa cells. Dominant negative mutants of CDC2, CDK2, and CDK3 each suppressed apoptosis induced by both staurosporine and tumor necrosis factor alpha, whereas a dominant negative mutant of CDK5 was without effect. Like CDC2 and CDK2, CDK3 was shown to form a complex with cyclin A in vivo. CDK5 did not bind cyclin A to any detectable extent. Overexpression of wild type CDC2, CDK2, CDK3, or cyclin A (but not cyclin B) markedly elevated the incidence of apoptosis in BCL-2+ cells, which otherwise fail to respond to these agents. These results help identify cell cycle events that are also important for efficient apoptosis.

Crystal structure of the cell cycle-regulatory protein suc1 reveals a beta-hinge conformational switch

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe cell cycle-regulatory protein suc1, named as the suppressor of cdc2 temperature-sensitive mutations, is essential for cell cycle progression. To understand suc1 structure-function relationships and to help resolve conflicting interpretations of suc1 function based on genetic studies of suc1 and its functional homologs in both lower and higher eukaryotes, we have determined the crystal structure of the beta-interchanged suc1 dimer. Each domain consists of three alpha-helices and a four-stranded beta-sheet, completed by the interchange of terminal beta-strands between the two subunits. This beta-interchanged suc1 dimer, when compared with the beta-hairpin single-domain folds of suc1, reveals a beta-hinge motif formed by the conserved amino acid sequence HVPEPH. This beta-hinge mediates the subunit conformation and assembly of suc1: closing produces the intrasubunit beta-hairpin and single-domain fold, whereas opening leads to the intersubunit beta-strand interchange and interlocked dimer assembly reported here. This conformational switch markedly changes the surface accessibility of sequence-conserved residues available for recognition of cyclin-dependent kinase, suggesting a structural mechanism for beta-hinge-mediated regulation of suc1 biological function. Thus, suc1 belongs to the family of domain-swapping proteins, consisting of intertwined and dimeric protein structures in which the dual assembly modes regulate their function.

A widely distributed putative mammalian transcriptional regulator containing multiple paired amphipathic helices, with similarity to yeast SIN3

The mammalian Sin3 gene (mSin3) encodes four paired amphipathic helix (PAH) motifs, three of which and an extended region beyond PAH3 share between 59 and 70% sequence similarity with the yeast transcriptional regulator, SIN3. However, mSin3/SIN3 fusion proteins were not able to substitute for the yeast molecule in complementation assays. Transcripts encoding this putative transcriptional regulator, which maps to human chromosome 15q24, were detected in multiple mouse tissues, with highest levels seen in testis, lung, and thymus. Its wide tissue distribution suggests that mSin3, like yeast SIN3, may regulate the transcription of multiple genes.

Activation of cyclin A-dependent protein kinases during apoptosis

Apoptosis was induced in S-phase-arrested HeLa cells by staurosporine, caffeine, 6-dimethylaminopurine, and okadaic acid, agents that activate M-phase-promoting factor and induce premature mitosis in similarly treated hamster cell lines. Addition of these agents to asynchronously growing HeLa cells or to cells arrested in early G1 phase with lovastatin had little or no effect. S-phase arrest also promoted tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced apoptosis, eliminating the normal requirement for simultaneous cycloheximide treatment. For all of the apoptosis-inducing agents tested, the appearance of condensed chromatin was accompanied by 2- to 7-fold increases in cyclin A-associated histone H1 kinase activity, levels approximating the mitotic value. Where examined, both Cdc2 and Cdk2, the catalytic subunits known to associate with cyclin A, were activated. Stable overexpression of bcl-2 suppressed the apoptosis-inducing activity of all agents tested and reduced the amount of Cdc2 and Cdk2 in the nucleus, suggesting a possible mechanism by which bcl-2 inhibits the chromatin condensation characteristic of apoptosis. These findings suggest that at least one of the biochemical steps required for mitosis, activation of cyclin A-dependent protein kinases, is also an important event during apoptosis.

Dithiothreitol prevents membrane fusion but not centrosome or microtubule organization during the first cell cycles in sea urchins

Dithiothreitol (DTT), a disulfide reducing agent, inhibits the fusion of male and female pronuclei within the activated cytoplasm of sea urchin eggs. The migrations of the pronuclei are not affected by DTT, indicating that microtubule function is not impaired. Centrosomal antigens are detected in the sperm aster and in all subsequent microtubule-based configurations. Nuclear membranes never fuse and the chromatin of male and female pronuclei never mix in the DTT-treated cells. During prophase, when nuclear envelopes break down to undergo mitosis, both sets of chromosomes undergo condensation cycles independent from each other. Both pronuclei initially stain for centrosomal material and surrounding microtubules. With time, the female's centrosomal material as well as the microtubules disappear while the male forms a bipolar spindle. Interestingly, one pole of the paternal mitotic apparatus communicates with the separate maternal chromatin, forming a half spindle which moves the egg-derived chromatin towards its pole. At the time for cell division, the individual karyomeres are not able to fuse their nuclear membranes to reconstitute the blastomere nuclei. When DTT is applied at prometaphase of the first cell cycle, the chromosome cycle continues until next metaphase. Centrosomes also continue their cycle and undergo somewhat atypical splitting during the time for second telophase. Division furrows are initiated but aborted. These results support the hypothesis that disulfide groups are required for membrane fusion of the pronuclei, for membrane fusion of the karyomeres, and for the completion of the division furrow to achieve successful cell division.

Isolation of mitotic p34cdc2 apoenzyme from human cells

A simple procedure was devised for isolating from homogenates of mitotic cells the human homolog to the fission yeast cdc2 gene product. The identity of the purified protein was established with anti-p34cdc2 antibodies and p13suc 1, both specific ligands for p34cdc2. Active-site labeling with oxidized [alpha 32P]ATP showed the purified molecule to be an ATP-binding protein. Its ability to phosphorylate casein but not histone, and its phosphorylation on tyrosine, detected by anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies, indicates the form of p34cdc2 purified is the inactive or apoenzyme form. Purified quantities of human p34cdc2 should be of considerable value in establishing the mechanism of its activation at mitosis by phosphatases.

Okadaic acid mimics a nuclear component required for cyclin B-cdc2 kinase microinjection to drive starfish oocytes into M phase

G2-arrested oocytes contain cdc2 kinase as an inactive cyclin B-cdc2 complex. When a small amount of highly purified and active cdc2 kinase, prepared from starfish oocytes at first meiotic metaphase, is microinjected into Xenopus oocytes, it induces activation of the inactive endogenous complex and, as a consequence, drives the recipient oocytes into M phase. In contrast, the microinjected kinase undergoes rapid inactivation in starfish oocytes, which remain arrested at G2. Endogenous cdc2 kinase becomes activated in both nucleated and enucleated starfish oocytes injected with cytoplasm taken from maturing oocytes at the time of nuclear envelope breakdown, but only cytoplasm taken from nucleated oocytes becomes able thereafter to release second recipient oocytes from G2 arrest, and thus contains M phase-promoting factor (MPF) activity. Both nucleated and enucleated starfish oocytes produce MPF activity when type 2A phosphatase is blocked by okadaic acid. If type 2A phosphatase is only partially inhibited, neither nucleated nor enucleated oocytes produce MPF activity, although both do so if purified cdc2 kinase is subsequently injected as a primer to activate the endogenous kinase. The nucleus of starfish oocytes contains an inhibitor of type 2A phosphatase, but neither active nor inactive cdc2 kinase. Microinjection of the content of a nucleus into the cytoplasm of G2-arrested starfish oocytes activates endogenous cdc2 kinase, produces MPF activity, and drives the recipient oocytes into M phase. Together, these results show that the MPF amplification loop is controlled, both positively and negatively, by cdc2 kinase and type 2A phosphatase, respectively. Activation of the MPF amplification loop in starfish requires a nuclear component to inhibit type 2A phosphatase in cytoplasm.

Chemically induced premature mitosis: differential response in rodent and human cells and the relationship to cyclin B synthesis and p34cdc2/cyclin B complex formation

Normal eukaryotic cells do not initiate mitosis until DNA replication has been completed. This requirement can be bypassed by exposing cells to certain chemicals. We report here that chemically induced premature mitosis is not readily achieved in all mammalian species. Although hamster cells underwent premature mitosis following treatment with caffeine, the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid, and the protein kinase inhibitors 2-aminopurine and 6-dimethyl-aminopurine, the mouse and human cells examined in this study displayed little or no response to any of these compounds. Differences in cell permeability or metabolism could not account for the species specificity of these drugs, because other biochemical and mitosis-promoting activities were apparent in human cells. Cell-type specificity can be explained, however, by the timing of cyclin B synthesis and p34cdc2/cyclin B complex formation during the cell cycle. Synthesis of cyclin B and formation of a p34cdc2/cyclin B complex, both of which are required for initiation of mitosis, were prevalent in hamster cells arrested in S phase but were absent or barely detectable in arrested human cells. In hamster cells, the hyperphosphorylated form of p34cdc2 was complexed with cyclin B and underwent tyrosine dephosphorylation during caffeine-induced premature mitosis. These findings indicate that the onset of mitosis is regulated somewhat differently among mammalian cell types and that these differences affect the vulnerability of cells to drug-induced mitotic aberrations and cytogenetic damage.