<p>MAST-like, or Greatwall (Gwl), an atypical protein kinase related to the evolutionarily conserved MAST kinase family, is crucial for cell cycle control during mitotic entry. Mechanistically, Greatwall is activated by Cyclin B-Cdk1 phosphorylation of a 550 amino acids-long insertion in its atypical activation segment. Subsequently, Gwl phosphorylates Endosulfine and Arpp19 to convert them into inhibitors of PP2A-B55 phosphatase, thereby preventing early dephosphorylation of M-phase targets of Cyclin B-Cdk1. Here, searching for an elusive Gwl-like activity in <i>C. elegans</i>, we show that the single worm MAST kinase, KIN-4, fulfills this function in worms and can functionally replace Greatwall in the heterologous <i>Xenopus</i> system. Compared to Greatwall, the short activation segment of KIN-4 lacks a phosphorylation site, and KIN-4 is active even when produced in <i>E. coli</i>. We also show that a balance between Cyclin B-Cdk1 and PP2A-B55 activity, regulated by KIN-4, is essential to ensure asynchronous cell divisions in the early worm embryo. These findings resolve a long-standing puzzle related to the supposed absence of a Greatwall pathway in <i>C. elegans</i>, and highlight a novel aspect of PP2A-B55 regulation by MAST kinases.</p>

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

The MAST kinase KIN-4 carries out mitotic entry functions of Greatwall in C. elegans

  • Ludivine Roumbo,
  • Batool Ossareh-Nazari,
  • Suzanne Vigneron,
  • Ioanna Stefani,
  • Lucie Van Hove,
  • Véronique Legros,
  • Guillaume Chevreux,
  • Benjamin Lacroix,
  • Anna Castro,
  • Nicolas Joly,
  • Thierry Lorca,
  • Lionel Pintard

摘要

MAST-like, or Greatwall (Gwl), an atypical protein kinase related to the evolutionarily conserved MAST kinase family, is crucial for cell cycle control during mitotic entry. Mechanistically, Greatwall is activated by Cyclin B-Cdk1 phosphorylation of a 550 amino acids-long insertion in its atypical activation segment. Subsequently, Gwl phosphorylates Endosulfine and Arpp19 to convert them into inhibitors of PP2A-B55 phosphatase, thereby preventing early dephosphorylation of M-phase targets of Cyclin B-Cdk1. Here, searching for an elusive Gwl-like activity in C. elegans, we show that the single worm MAST kinase, KIN-4, fulfills this function in worms and can functionally replace Greatwall in the heterologous Xenopus system. Compared to Greatwall, the short activation segment of KIN-4 lacks a phosphorylation site, and KIN-4 is active even when produced in E. coli. We also show that a balance between Cyclin B-Cdk1 and PP2A-B55 activity, regulated by KIN-4, is essential to ensure asynchronous cell divisions in the early worm embryo. These findings resolve a long-standing puzzle related to the supposed absence of a Greatwall pathway in C. elegans, and highlight a novel aspect of PP2A-B55 regulation by MAST kinases.