Serine/threonine-protein kinase which is required for checkpoint-mediated cell cycle arrest and activation of DNA repair in response to the presence of DNA damage or unreplicated DNA. May also negatively regulate cell cycle progression during unperturbed cell cycles. This regulation is achieved by a number of mechanisms that together help to preserve the integrity of the genome. Recognizes the substrate consensus sequence [R-X-X-S/T]. Binds to and phosphorylates CDC25A, CDC25B and CDC25C. Phosphorylation of CDC25A at 'Ser-178' and 'Thr-507' and phosphorylation of CDC25C at 'Ser-216' creates binding sites for 14-3-3 proteins which inhibit CDC25A and CDC25C. Phosphorylation of CDC25A at 'Ser-76', 'Ser-124', 'Ser-178', 'Ser-279' and 'Ser-293' promotes proteolysis of CDC25A. Phosphorylation of CDC25A at 'Ser-76' primes the protein for subsequent phosphorylation at 'Ser-79', 'Ser-82' and 'Ser-88' by NEK11, which is required for polyubiquitination and degradation of CDCD25A. Inhibition of CDC25 leads to increased inhibitory tyrosine phosphorylation of CDK-cyclin complexes and blocks cell cycle progression. Also phosphorylates NEK6. Binds to and phosphorylates RAD51 at 'Thr-309', which promotes the release of RAD51 from BRCA2 and enhances the association of RAD51 with chromatin, thereby promoting DNA repair by homologous recombination. Phosphorylates multiple sites within the C-terminus of TP53, which promotes activation of TP53 by acetylation and promotes cell cycle arrest and suppression of cellular proliferation. Also promotes repair of DNA cross-links through phosphorylation of FANCE. Binds to and phosphorylates TLK1 at 'Ser-743', which prevents the TLK1-dependent phosphorylation of the chromatin assembly factor ASF1A. This may enhance chromatin assembly both in the presence or absence of DNA damage. May also play a role in replication fork maintenance through regulation of PCNA. May regulate the transcription of genes that regulate cell-cycle progression through the phosphorylation of histones. Phosphorylates histone H3.1 (to form H3T11ph), which leads to epigenetic inhibition of a subset of genes. May also phosphorylate RB1 to promote its interaction with the E2F family of transcription factors and subsequent cell cycle arrest.
All eukaryotes respond to DNA damage by modulation of diverse cellular processes to preserve genomic integrity and ensure survival. Here we identify mammalian Tousled like kinases (Tlks) as a novel target of the DNA damage checkpoint. During S-phase progression, when Tlks are maximally active, generation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) leads to rapid and transient inhibition of Tlk activity. Experiments with chemical inhibitors, genetic models and gene targeting through RNA interference demonstrate that this response to DSBs requires ATM and Chk1 function. Chk1 phosphorylates Tlk1 on serine 695 (S695) in vitro, and this UCN-01- and caffeine-sensitive site is phosphorylated in vivo in response to DNA damage. Substitution of S695 to alanine impaired efficient downregulation of Tlk1 after DNA damage. These findings identify an unprecedented functional co- operation between ATM and Chk1 in propagation of a checkpoint response during S phase and suggest that, through transient inhibition of Tlk kinases, the ATM-Chk1-Tlk pathway may regulate processes involved in chromatin assembly.
The human Cdc25A phosphatase plays a pivotal role at the G1/S transition by activating cyclin E and A/Cdk2 complexes through dephosphorylation. In response to ionizing radiation, Cdc25A is phosphorylated by both Chk1 and Chk2 on Ser-123. This in turn leads to ubiquitylation and rapid degradation of Cdc25A by the proteasome resulting in cell cycle arrest. We found that in response to UV irradiation, Cdc25A is phosphorylated at a different serine residue, Ser-75. Significantly, Cdc25A mutants carrying alanine instead of either Ser-75 or Ser-123 demonstrate that only Ser-75 mediates protein stabilization in response to UV-induced DNA damage. As a consequence, cyclin E/Cdk2 kinase activity was high. Furthermore, we find that Cdc25A was phosphorylated by Chk1 on Ser-75 in vitro and that the same site was also phosphorylated in vivo. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that phosphorylation of Cdc25A on Ser-75 by Chk1 and its subsequent degradation is required to delay cell cycle progression in response to UV-induced DNA lesions.
Evasion of DNA damage-induced cell death, via mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor or overexpression of prosurvival Bcl-2 family proteins, is a key step toward malignant transformation and therapeutic resistance. We report that depletion or acute inhibition of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is sufficient to restore gamma-radiation-induced apoptosis in p53 mutant zebrafish embryos. Surprisingly, caspase-3 is not activated prior to DNA fragmentation, in contrast to classical intrinsic or extrinsic apoptosis. Rather, an alternative apoptotic program is engaged that cell autonomously requires atm (ataxia telangiectasia mutated), atr (ATM and Rad3-related) and caspase-2, and is not affected by p53 loss or overexpression of bcl-2/xl. Similarly, Chk1 inhibitor-treated human tumor cells hyperactivate ATM, ATR, and caspase-2 after gamma-radiation and trigger a caspase-2-dependent apoptotic program that bypasses p53 deficiency and excess Bcl-2. The evolutionarily conserved "Chk1-suppressed" pathway defines a novel apoptotic process, whose responsiveness to Chk1 inhibitors and insensitivity to p53 and BCL2 alterations have important implications for cancer therapy.
In response to DNA damage, mammalian cells prevent cell cycle progression through the control of critical cell cycle regulators. A human gene was identified that encodes the protein Chk1, a homolog of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Chk1 protein kinase, which is required for the DNA damage checkpoint. Human Chk1 protein was modified in response to DNA damage. In vitro Chk1 bound to and phosphorylated the dual-specificity protein phosphatases Cdc25A, Cdc25B, and Cdc25C, which control cell cycle transitions by dephosphorylating cyclin-dependent kinases. Chk1 phosphorylates Cdc25C on serine-216. As shown in an accompanying paper by Peng et al. in this issue, serine-216 phosphorylation creates a binding site for 14-3-3 protein and inhibits function of the phosphatase. These results suggest a model whereby in response to DNA damage, Chk1 phosphorylates and inhibits Cdc25C, thus preventing activation of the Cdc2-cyclin B complex and mitotic entry.
The genetic syndrome Fanconi anemia (FA) is characterized by aplastic anemia, cancer predisposition and hypersensitivity to DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). FA proteins (FANCs) are thought to work in pathway(s) essential for dealing with crosslinked DNA. FANCs interact with other proteins involved in both DNA repair and S-phase checkpoint such as BRCA1, ATM and the RAD50/MRE11/NBS1 (RMN) complex. We deciphered the previously undefined pathway(s) leading to the ICLs-induced S-phase checkpoint and the role of FANCs in this process. We found that ICLs activate a branched pathway downstream of the ATR kinase: one branch depending on CHK1 activity and the other on the FANCs-RMN complex. The transient slow-down of DNA synthesis was abolished in cells lacking ATR, whereas CHK1-siRNA-treated cells, NBS1 or FA cells showed partial S-phase arrest. CHK1 RNAi in NBS1 or FA cells abolished the S-phase checkpoint, suggesting that CHK1 and FANCs/NBS1 proteins work on parallel pathways. Furthermore, we found that ICLs trigger ATR-dependent FANCD2 phosphorylation and FANCD2/ATR colocalization. This study demonstrates a novel relationship between the FA pathway(s) and the ATR kinase.
Checkpoint kinase (Chk)1 is an evolutionarily conserved protein kinase that was first identified in fission yeast as an essential component of the DNA damage checkpoint. In mice, Chk1 provides an essential function in the absence of environmentally imposed genotoxic stress. Here we show that human cells lacking Chk1 exhibit defects in both the ionizing radiation (IR)-induced S and G(2) checkpoints. In addition, loss of Chk1 resulted in the accumulation of a hypophosphorylated form of the Cdc25A protein phosphatase, and Chk1-deficient cells failed to degrade Cdc25A after IR. The IR-induced S and G(2) checkpoints were partially restored in Chk1-deficient cells when Cdc25A accumulation was interfered with. Finally, Cdc25A was phosphorylated by Chk1 in vitro on similar sites phosphorylated in vivo, including serine-123. These findings indicate that Chk1 directly phosphorylates Cdc25A during an unperturbed cell cycle, and that phosphorylation of Cdc25A by Chk1 is required for cells to delay cell cycle progression in response to double-strand DNA breaks.
It has been shown that MDMX inhibits the activity of the tumor suppressor p53 by primarily cooperating with the p53 feedback regulator MDM2. Here, our study shows that this inhibition can be overcome by 14-3-3gamma and Chk1. 14-3-3gamma was identified as an MDMX-associated protein via an immuno-affinity purification-coupled mass spectrometry. Consistently, 14-3-3gamma directly interacted with MDMX in vitro, and this interaction was stimulated by MDMX phosphorylation in vitro and in cells. Interestingly, in response to UV irradiation, the wild-type, but not the kinase-dead mutant, Chk1 phosphorylated MDMX at serine 367, enhanced the 14-3-3gamma-MDMX binding and the cytoplasmic retaining of MDMX. The Chk1 specific inhibitor UCN-01 repressed all of these effects. Moreover, overexpression of 14-3-3gamma, but not its mutant K50E, which did not bind to MDMX, suppressed MDMX-enhanced p53 ubiquitination, leading to p53 stabilization and activation. Finally, ablation of 14-3-3gamma by siRNA reduced UV-induced p53 level and G1 arrest. Thus, these results demonstrate 14-3-3gamma and Chk1 as two novel regulators of MDMX in response to UV irradiation.
Mitotic catastrophe is the response of mammalian cells to mitotic DNA damage. It produces tetraploid cells with a range of different nuclear morphologies from binucleated to multimicronucleated. In response to DNA damage, checkpoints are activated to delay cell cycle progression and to coordinate repair. Cells in different cell cycle phases use different mechanisms to arrest their cell cycle progression. It has remained unclear whether the termination of mitosis in a mitotic catastrophe is regulated by DNA damage checkpoints. Here, we report the presence of a mitotic exit DNA damage checkpoint in mammalian cells. This checkpoint delays mitotic exit and prevents cytokinesis and, thereby, is responsible for mitotic catastrophe. The DNA damage-induced mitotic exit delay correlates with the inhibition of Cdh1 activation and the attenuated degradation of cyclin B1. We demonstrate that the checkpoint is Chk1-dependent.
Chk1 is a kinase crucial for genomic integrity and an effector of ATR (ATM and Rad3-related) in DNA damage response. Here, we show that Chk1 regulates the DNA damage-induced ubiquitination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which facilitates the continuous replication of damaged DNA. Surprisingly, this Chk1 function requires the DNA replication protein Claspin but not ATR. Claspin, which is stabilized by Chk1, regulates the binding of the ubiquitin ligase Rad18 to chromatin. Timeless, a Claspin-associating protein, is also required for efficient PCNA ubiquitination. Thus, Chk1 and the Claspin-Timeless module of replication forks not only participate in ATR signaling, but also protect stressed forks independently of ATR.
The eleven Fanconi anemia (FA) proteins cooperate in a novel pathway required for the repair of DNA cross-links. Eight of the FA proteins (A, B, C, E, F, G, L, and M) form a core enzyme complex, required for the monoubiquitination of FANCD2 and the assembly of FANCD2 nuclear foci. Here, we show that, in response to DNA damage, Chk1 directly phosphorylates the FANCE subunit of the FA core complex on two conserved sites (threonine 346 and serine 374). Phosphorylated FANCE assembles in nuclear foci and colocalizes with FANCD2. A nonphosphorylated mutant form of FANCE (FANCE-T346A/S374A), when expressed in a FANCE-deficient cell line, allows FANCD2 monoubiquitination, FANCD2 foci assembly, and normal S-phase progression. However, the mutant FANCE protein fails to complement the mitomycin C hypersensitivity of the transfected cells. Taken together, these results elucidate a novel role of Chk1 in the regulation of the FA/BRCA pathway and in DNA cross-link repair. Chk1-mediated phosphorylation of FANCE is required for a function independent of FANCD2 monoubiquitination.
The tumor suppressor protein p53 mediates stress-induced growth arrest or apoptosis and plays a major role in safeguarding genome integrity. In response to DNA damage, p53 can be modified at multiple sites by phosphorylation and acetylation. We report on the characterization of p53 C-terminal phosphorylation by CHK1 and CHK2, two serine/threonine (Ser/Thr) protein kinases, previously implicated in the phosphorylation of the p53 N terminus. Using tryptic phosphopeptide mapping, we have identified six additional CHK1 and CHK2 sites residing in the final 100 amino acids of p53. Phosphorylation of at least three of these sites, Ser366, Ser378, and Thr387, was induced by DNA damage, and the induction at Ser366 and Thr387 was abrogated by small interfering RNA targeting chk1 and chk2. Furthermore, mutation of these phosphorylation sites has a different impact on p53 C-terminal acetylation and on the activation of p53-targeted promoters. Our results demonstrate a possible interplay between p53 C-terminal phosphorylation and acetylation, and they provide an additional mechanism for the control of the activity of p53 by CHK1 and CHK2.
The DNA damage induced G(2)/M checkpoint is an important guardian of the genome that prevents cell division when DNA lesions are present. The checkpoint prevents cells from entering mitosis by degrading CDC25A, a key CDK activator. CDC25A proteolysis is controlled by direct phosphorylation events that lead to its recognition by the ubiquitin ligase beta-TrCP. Recently we have identified NEK11, a member of NIMA-related kinase family, as the critical kinase triggering CDC25A degradation. NEK11 controls degradation of CDC25A by directly phosphorylating CDC25A on residues whose phosphorylation is required for beta-TrCP mediated CDC25A polyubiquitylation and degradation. The activity of NEK11 is in turn controlled by CHK1 that activates NEK11 via phosphorylation on serine 273. Since inhibition of NEK11 activity forces checkpoint-arrested cells into mitosis and cell death, NEK11 is, like CHK1, a strong candidate target for the development of novel anticancer drugs. Here we further support this notion by showing results suggesting that NEK11 expression increases during colon cancer development.
UV and ionizing radiation (IR) activate DNA damage checkpoints and induce Cdc25A degradation (Mailand, N., Falck, J., Lukas, C., Syljuasen, R. G., Welcker, M., Bartek, J., and Lukas, J. (2000) Science 288, 1425-1429; Falck, J., Mailand, N., Syljuasen, R. G., Bartek, J., and Lukas J. (2001) Nature 410, 842-847). The degradation of Cdc25A is abrogated by caffeine, which implicates Chk1 as the potential mediator (Mailand, N., Falck, J., Lukas, C., Syljuasen, R. G., Welcker, M., Bartek, J., and Lukas, J. (2000) Science 288, 1425-1429). However, the involvement of Chk1 is far from clear, because caffeine is a rather nonspecific inhibitor of the ATR/Chk1 signaling pathway. Additionally, it is not known whether DNA-damaging drugs commonly used in chemotherapy, which may activate different signal transduction pathways than UV or IR, also confer Cdc25A degradation. Herein, we show that camptothecin and doxorubicin, two widely used topoisomerase inhibitors conferring S and G2 arrest, respectively, cause the degradation of Cdc25A. Using a small interfering RNA that enables the specific elimination of Chk1 expression, we show that the observed proteolysis of Cdc25A is mediated through Chk1. Moreover, Cdc25A overexpression abrogates the Chk1-mediated degradation and overcomes the doxorubicin-induced G2 arrest through dephosphorylation and activation of Cdc2/Cdk1 in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that: (a) Cdc25A is involved in the G2/M transition in addition to its commonly accepted effect on G1/S progression, and (b) Chk1 mediates both S and G2 checkpoint and is thus a more ubiquitous cell cycle checkpoint mediator than previously thought.
DNA damage-induced cell-cycle checkpoints have a critical role in maintaining genomic stability. A key target of the checkpoints is the CDC25A (cell division cycle 25 homologue A) phosphatase, which is essential for the activation of cyclin-dependent kinases and cell-cycle progression. To identify new genes involved in the G2/M checkpoint we performed a large-scale short hairpin RNA (shRNA) library screen. We show that NIMA (never in mitosis gene A)-related kinase 11 (NEK11) is required for DNA damage-induced G2/M arrest. Depletion of NEK11 prevents proteasome-dependent degradation of CDC25A, both in unperturbed and DNA-damaged cells. We show that NEK11 directly phosphorylates CDC25A on residues whose phosphorylation is required for beta-TrCP (beta-transducin repeat-containing protein)-mediated polyubiquitylation and degradation of CDC25A. Furthermore, we demonstrate that CHK1 (checkpoint kinase 1) directly activates NEK11 by phosphorylating it on Ser 273, indicating that CHK1 and NEK11 operate in a single pathway that controls proteolysis of CDC25A. Taken together, these results demonstrate that NEK11 is an important component of the pathway enforcing the G2/M checkpoint, suggesting that genetic mutations in NEK11 may contribute to the development of human cancer.
Inhibition of replicon initiation is a stereotypic DNA damage response mediated through S checkpoint mechanisms not yet fully understood. Studies were undertaken to elucidate the function of checkpoint proteins in the inhibition of replicon initiation following irradiation with 254 nm UV light (UVC) of diploid human fibroblasts immortalized by the ectopic expression of telomerase. Velocity sedimentation analysis of nascent DNA molecules revealed a 50% inhibition of replicon initiation when normal human fibroblasts were treated with a low dose of UVC (1 J/m(2)). Ataxia telangiectasia (AT), Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS), and AT-like disorder fibroblasts, which lack an S checkpoint response when exposed to ionizing radiation, responded normally when exposed to UVC and inhibited replicon initiation. Pretreatment of normal and AT fibroblasts with caffeine or UCN-01, inhibitors of ATR (AT mutated and Rad3 related) and Chk1, respectively, abolished the S checkpoint response to UVC. Moreover, overexpression of kinase-inactive ATR in U2OS cells severely attenuated UVC-induced Chk1 phosphorylation and reversed the UVC-induced inhibition of replicon initiation, as did overexpression of kinase-inactive Chk1. Taken together, these data suggest that the UVC-induced S checkpoint response of inhibition of replicon initiation is mediated by ATR signaling through Chk-1 and is independent of ATM, Nbs1, and Mre11.
Eukaryotic cells respond to DNA damage and stalled replication forks by activating protein kinase-mediated signaling pathways that promote cell cycle arrest and DNA repair. A central target of the cell cycle arrest program is the Cdc25A protein phosphatase. Cdc25A is required for S-phase entry and dephosphorylates tyrosine-15 phosphorylated Cdk1 (Cdc2) and Cdk2, positive regulators of cell division. Cdc25A is unstable during S-phase and is degraded through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, but its turnover is enhanced in response to DNA damage. Although basal and DNA-damage-induced turnover depends on the ATM-Chk2 and ATR-Chk1 pathways, how these kinases engage the ubiquitin ligase machinery is unknown. Here, we demonstrate a requirement for SCFbeta-TRCP in Cdc25A turnover during an unperturbed cell cycle and in response to DNA damage. Depletion of beta-TRCP stabilizes Cdc25A, leading to hyperactive Cdk2 activity. SCFbeta-TRCP promotes Chk1-dependent Cdc25A ubiquitination in vitro, and this involves serine 76, a known Chk1 phosphorylation site. However, recognition of Cdc25A by beta-TRCP occurs via a noncanonical phosphodegron in Cdc25A containing phosphoserine 79 and phosphoserine 82, sites that are not targeted by Chk1. These data indicate that Cdc25A turnover is more complex than previously appreciated and suggest roles for an additional kinase(s) in Chk1-dependent Cdc25A turnover.
Upon DNA damage, the amino terminus of p53 is phosphorylated at a number of serine residues including S20, a site that is particularly important in regulating stability and function of the protein. Because no known kinase has been identified that can modify this site, HeLa nuclear extracts were fractionated and S20 phosphorylation was followed. We discovered that a S20 kinase activity copurifies with the human homolog of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe checkpoint kinase, Chk1 (hCHK1). We confirmed that recombinant hCHK1, but not a kinase-defective version of hCHK1, can phosphorylate p53 in vitro at S20. Additional inducible amino- and carboxy-terminal sites in p53 are also phosphorylated by hCHK1, indicating that this is an unusually versatile protein kinase. It is interesting that hCHK1 strongly prefers tetrameric to monomeric p53 in vitro, consistent with our observation that phosphorylation of amino-terminal sites in vivo requires that p53 be oligomeric. Regulation of the levels and activity of hCHK1 in transfected cells is directly correlated with the levels of p53; expression of either a kinase-defective hCHK1 or antisense hCHK1 leads to reduced levels of cotransfected p53, whereas overexpression of wild-type hCHK1 or the kinase domain of hCHK1 results in increased levels of expressed p53 protein. The human homolog of the second S. pombe checkpoint kinase, Cds1 (CHK2/hCds1), phosphorylates tetrameric p53 but not monomeric p53 in vitro at sites similar to those phosphorylated by hCHK1 kinase, suggesting that both checkpoint kinases can play roles in regulating p53 after DNA damage.
Checkpoints maintain order and fidelity in the cell cycle by blocking late-occurring events when earlier events are improperly executed. Here we describe evidence for the participation of Chk1 in an intra-S phase checkpoint in mammalian cells. We show that both Chk1 and Chk2 are phosphorylated and activated in a caffeine-sensitive signaling pathway during S phase, but only in response to replication blocks, not during normal S phase progression. Replication block-induced activation of Chk1 and Chk2 occurs normally in ataxia telangiectasia (AT) cells, which are deficient in the S phase response to ionizing radiation (IR). Resumption of synthesis after removal of replication blocks correlates with the inactivation of Chk1 but not Chk2. Using a selective small molecule inhibitor, cells lacking Chk1 function show a progressive change in the global pattern of replication origin firing in the absence of any DNA replication. Thus, Chk1 is apparently necessary for an intra-S phase checkpoint, ensuring that activation of late replication origins is blocked and arrested replication fork integrity is maintained when DNA synthesis is inhibited.
The cellular response to the introduction of double strand DNA breaks involves complexes of protein interactions that govern cell cycle checkpoint arrest and repair of the DNA lesions. The checkpoint kinases Chk1 and Chk2 phosphorylate the carboxy-terminal domain of hBRCA2, a protein involved in recombination-mediated DNA repair (HRR) and replication fork maintenance. Cells deficient in hBRCA2 are hypersensitive to DNA damaging agents. Phosphorylation of the residue in hBRCA2 targeted by the Chk1 and Chk2 kinases regulates its interaction with Rad51. Furthermore, the cell line lex1/lex2, which lacks the carboxy-terminal domain containing the phosphorylated residue, does not support localization of Rad51 to nuclear foci after exposure to UV or treatment with ionizing radiation (IR). The data show that either phosphorylation of Rad51 by Chk1 or phosphorylation of the carboxy-terminal domain of hBRCA2 by Chk1 or Chk2 plays a critical role in the binding of Rad51 to hBRCA2 and the subsequent recruitment of Rad51 to sites of DNA damage. While depletion of Chk1 from cells leads to loss of Rad51 localization to nuclear foci in response to replication arrest, cells lacking Chk2 also show a defect in Rad51 localization, but only in presence of double strand DNA breaks, indicating that each of these kinases may contribute somewhat differently to the formation of Rad51 nucleoprotein filaments depending on the type of DNA damage incurred by the cells.
Chk1 kinase coordinates cell cycle progression and preserves genome integrity. Here, we show that chemical or genetic ablation of human Chk1 triggered supraphysiological accumulation of the S phase-promoting Cdc25A phosphatase, prevented ionizing radiation (IR)-induced degradation of Cdc25A, and caused radioresistant DNA synthesis (RDS). The basal turnover of Cdc25A operating in unperturbed S phase required Chk1-dependent phosphorylation of serines 123, 178, 278, and 292. IR-induced acceleration of Cdc25A proteolysis correlated with increased phosphate incorporation into these residues generated by a combined action of Chk1 and Chk2 kinases. Finally, phosphorylation of Chk1 by ATM was required to fully accelerate the IR-induced degradation of Cdc25A. Our results provide evidence that the mammalian S phase checkpoint functions via amplification of physiologically operating, Chk1-dependent mechanisms.
Claspin is a checkpoint protein involved in ATR (ataxia telangiectasia mutated- and Rad3-related)-dependent Chk1 activation in Xenopus and human cells. In Xenopus, Claspin interacts with Chk1 after DNA damage through a region containing two highly conserved repeats, which becomes phosphorylated during the checkpoint response. Because this region is also conserved in human Claspin, we investigated the regulation and function of these potential phosphorylation sites in human Claspin. We found that Claspin is phosphorylated in vivo at Thr-916 in response to replication stress and UV damage. Mutation of these phosphorylation sites on Claspin inhibited Claspin-Chk1 interaction in vivo, impaired Chk1 activation, and induced premature chromatin condensation in cells, indicating a defect in replication checkpoint. In addition, we found that Thr-916 on Claspin is phosphorylated by Chk1, suggesting that Chk1 regulates Claspin during checkpoint response. These results together indicate that phosphorylation of Claspin repeats in human Claspin is important for Claspin function and the regulation of Claspin-Chk1 interaction in human cells.
The order and fidelity of cell cycle events in mammals is intimately linked to the integrity of the Chk1 kinase-Cdc25A phosphatase pathway. Chk1 phosphorylation targets Cdc25A for destruction and, as shown here, inhibits interactions between Cdc25A and its mitotic substrate cyclin B1-Cdk1. Phosphorylation of Cdc25A on serine 178 and threonine 507 facilitates 14-3-3 binding, and Chk1 phosphorylates both residues in vitro. Mutation of T507 to alanine (T507A) enhanced the biological activity of Cdc25A. Cdc25A(T507A) was more efficient in binding to cyclin B1, activating cyclin B1-Cdk1, and promoting premature entry into mitosis. We propose that the Chk1/Cdc25A/14-3-3 pathway functions to prevent cells from entering into mitosis prior to replicating their genomes to ensure the fidelity of the cell division process.
Nek6 is a recently identified NIMA-related kinase that is required for mitotic cell cycle progression. In the present study, we examined the role of Nek6 in the DNA damage response. We found that Nek6 is phosphorylated upon IR and UV irradiation through the DNA damage checkpoint in vivo. Nek6 is also directly phosphorylated by the checkpoint kinases Chk1 and Chk2 in vitro. Notably, Nek6 activation during mitosis is completely abolished by IR and UV irradiation. Moreover, the ectopic expression of Nek6 overrides DNA damage-induced G(2)/M arrest. These results suggest that Nek6 is a novel target of the DNA damage checkpoint and that the inhibition of Nek6 activity is required for proper cell cycle arrest in the G(2)/M phase upon DNA damage.
The essential checkpoint kinase Chk1 is required for cell-cycle delays after DNA damage or blocked DNA replication. However, it is unclear whether Chk1 is involved in the repair of damaged DNA. Here we establish that Chk1 is a key regulator of genome maintenance by the homologous recombination repair (HRR) system. Abrogation of Chk1 function with small interfering RNA or chemical antagonists inhibits HRR, leading to persistent unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and cell death after replication inhibition with hydroxyurea or DNA-damage caused by camptothecin. After hydroxyurea treatment, the essential recombination repair protein RAD51 is recruited to DNA repair foci performing a vital role in correct HRR. We demonstrate that Chk1 interacts with RAD51, and that RAD51 is phosphorylated on Thr 309 in a Chk1-dependent manner. Consistent with a functional interplay between Chk1 and RAD51, Chk1-depleted cells failed to form RAD51 nuclear foci after exposure to hydroxyurea, and cells expressing a phosphorylation-deficient mutant RAD51(T309A) were hypersensitive to hydroxyurea. These results highlight a crucial role for the Chk1 signalling pathway in protecting cells against lethal DNA lesions through regulation of HRR.
Entry into mitosis occurs after activation of Cdk1, resulting in chromosome condensation in the nucleus and centrosome separation, as well as increased microtubule nucleation activity in the cytoplasm. The active cyclin-B1-Cdk1 complex first appears at the centrosome, suggesting that the centrosome may facilitate the activation of mitotic regulators required for the commitment of cells to mitosis. However, the signalling pathways involved in controlling the initial activation of Cdk1 at the centrosome remain largely unknown. Here, we show that human Chk1 kinase localizes to interphase, but not mitotic, centrosomes. Chemical inhibition of Chk1 resulted in premature centrosome separation and activation of centrosome-associated Cdk1. Forced immobilization of kinase-inactive Chk1 to centrosomes also resulted in premature Cdk1 activation. Conversely, under such conditions wild-type Chk1 impaired activation of centrosome-associated Cdk1, thereby resulting in DNA endoreplication and centrosome amplification. Activation of centrosomal Cdk1 in late prophase seemed to be mediated by cytoplasmic Cdc25B, whose activity is controlled by centrosome-associated Chk1. These results suggest that centrosome-associated Chk1 shields centrosomal Cdk1 from unscheduled activation by cytoplasmic Cdc25B, thereby contributing to proper timing of the initial steps of cell division, including mitotic spindle formation.
The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (pRB) plays a critical role in the control of cell proliferation and in the DNA damage checkpoints. pRB inhibits cell cycle progression through interactions with the E2F family of transcription factors. Here, we report that DNA damage induced not only the dephosphorylation of pRB at Cdk phosphorylation sites and the binding of pRB to E2F-1, but also the phosphorylation of pRB at Ser612. Phosphorylation of pRB at Ser612 enhanced the formation of a complex between pRB and E2F-1. Substitution of Ser612 with Ala decreased pRB-E2F-1 binding and the transcriptional repression activity. Until now, Ser612 of pRB has been thought to be phosphorylated by Cdk2. However, the phosphorylation of pRB at Ser612 was conducted by Chk1/2 after DNA damage, and inhibition of ATM-Chk1/2 activity suppressed the phosphorylation of Ser612 and the binding of pRB to E2F-1. These results suggest that Ser612 is phosphorylated by Chk1/2 after DNA damage, leading to the formation of pRB-E2F-1. This is the first report that pRB is phosphorylated in vivo by a kinase other than Cdk.
DNA damage results in activation or suppression of transcription of a large number of genes. Transcriptional activation has been well characterized in the context of sequence-specific DNA-bound activators, whereas mechanisms of transcriptional suppression are largely unexplored. We show here that DNA damage rapidly reduces histone H3 Threonine 11 (T11) phosphorylation. This correlates with repression of genes, including cyclin B1 and cdk1. H3-T11 phosphorylation occurs throughout the cell cycle and is Chk1 dependent in vivo. Following DNA damage, Chk1 undergoes rapid chromatin dissociation, concomitant with reduced H3-T11 phosphorylation. Furthermore, we find that loss of H3-T11 phosphorylation correlates with reduced binding of the histone acetyltransferase GCN5 at cyclin B1 and cdk1 promoters and reduced H3-K9 acetylation. We propose a mechanism for Chk1 as a histone kinase, responsible for DNA-damage-induced transcriptional repression by loss of histone acetylation.
Interacting selectively and non-covalently with any protein or protein complex (a complex of two or more proteins that may include other nonprotein molecules).
Evidence
1:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
ATR and Chk1 are two key protein kinases in the replication checkpoint. Activation of ATR-Chk1 has been extensively investigated, but checkpoint termination and replication fork restart are less well understood. Here, we report that DNA damage not only activates Chk1, but also exposes a degron-like region at the carboxyl terminus of Chk1 to an Fbx6-containing SCF (Skp1-Cul1-F box) E3 ligase, which mediates the ubiquitination and degradation of Chk1 and, in turn, terminates the checkpoint. The protein levels of Chk1 and Fbx6 showed an inverse correlation in both cultured cancer cells and in human breast tumor tissues. Further, we show that low levels of Fbx6 and consequent impairment of replication stress-induced Chk1 degradation are associated with cancer cell resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent, camptothecin. We propose that Fbx6-dependent Chk1 degradation contributes to S phase checkpoint termination and that a defect in this mechanism might increase tumor cell resistance to certain anticancer drugs.
Evidence
2:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
Claspin is a checkpoint protein involved in ATR (ataxia telangiectasia mutated- and Rad3-related)-dependent Chk1 activation in Xenopus and human cells. In Xenopus, Claspin interacts with Chk1 after DNA damage through a region containing two highly conserved repeats, which becomes phosphorylated during the checkpoint response. Because this region is also conserved in human Claspin, we investigated the regulation and function of these potential phosphorylation sites in human Claspin. We found that Claspin is phosphorylated in vivo at Thr-916 in response to replication stress and UV damage. Mutation of these phosphorylation sites on Claspin inhibited Claspin-Chk1 interaction in vivo, impaired Chk1 activation, and induced premature chromatin condensation in cells, indicating a defect in replication checkpoint. In addition, we found that Thr-916 on Claspin is phosphorylated by Chk1, suggesting that Chk1 regulates Claspin during checkpoint response. These results together indicate that phosphorylation of Claspin repeats in human Claspin is important for Claspin function and the regulation of Claspin-Chk1 interaction in human cells.
Evidence
3:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
HSP90 is a molecular chaperone that associates with numerous substrate proteins called clients. It plays many important roles in human biology and medicine, but determinants of client recognition by HSP90 have remained frustratingly elusive. We systematically and quantitatively surveyed most human kinases, transcription factors, and E3 ligases for interaction with HSP90 and its cochaperone CDC37. Unexpectedly, many more kinases than transcription factors bound HSP90. CDC37 interacted with kinases, but not with transcription factors or E3 ligases. HSP90::kinase interactions varied continuously over a 100-fold range and provided a platform to study client protein recognition. In wild-type clients, HSP90 did not bind particular sequence motifs, but rather associated with intrinsically unstable kinases. Stabilization of the kinase in either its active or inactive conformation with diverse small molecules decreased HSP90 association. Our results establish HSP90 client recognition as a combinatorial process: CDC37 provides recognition of the kinase family, whereas thermodynamic parameters determine client binding within the family.
Evidence
4:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
The Timeless protein is essential for circadian rhythm in Drosophila. The Timeless orthologue in mice is essential for viability and appears to be required for the maintenance of a robust circadian rhythm as well. We have found that the human Timeless protein interacts with both the circadian clock protein cryptochrome 2 and with the cell cycle checkpoint proteins Chk1 and the ATR-ATRIP complex and plays an important role in the DNA damage checkpoint response. Down-regulation of Timeless in human cells seriously compromises replication and intra-S checkpoints, indicating an intimate connection between the circadian cycle and the DNA damage checkpoints that is in part mediated by the Timeless protein.
Evidence
5:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), a serine/threonine kinase that regulates DNA damage checkpoints, is destabilized when heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is inhibited, suggesting that Chk1 is an Hsp90 client. In the present work we examined the interplay between Chk1 and Hsp90 in intact cells, identified a source of unchaperoned Chk1, and report the in vitro chaperoning of Chk1 in reticulocyte lysates and with purified chaperones and co-chaperones. We find that bacterially expressed Chk1 is post-translationally chaperoned to an active kinase. This reaction minimally requires Hsp90, Hsp70, Hsp40, Cdc37, and the protein kinase CK2. The co-chaperone Hop, although not essential for the activation of Chk1 in vitro, enhanced the chaperoning process, whereas the co-chaperone p23 did not stimulate the chaperoning reaction. Additionally, we found that the C-terminal regulatory domain of Chk1 affects the association of Chk1 with Hsp90. Collectively these results provide new insights into Hsp90-dependent chaperoning of a client kinase and identify a novel, biochemically tractable model system that will be useful to further dissect the Hsp90-dependent chaperoning of this important and ubiquitous class of Hsp90 clients.
Evidence
6:
Inferred from Physical InteractionIntAct
The breast cancer tumor-suppressor gene, BRCA1, encodes a protein with a BRCT domain-a motif that is found in many proteins that are implicated in DNA damage response and in genome stability. Phosphorylation of BRCA1 by the DNA damage-response proteins ATM, ATR and hCds1/Chk2 changes in response to DNA damage and at replication-block checkpoints. Although cells that lack BRCA1 have an abnormal response to DNA damage, the exact role of BRCA1 in this process has remained unclear. Here we show that BRCA1 is essential for activating the Chk1 kinase that regulates DNA damage-induced G2/M arrest. Thus, BRCA1 controls the expression, phosphorylation and cellular localization of Cdc25C and Cdc2/cyclin B kinase-proteins that are crucial for the G2/M transition. We show that BRCA1 regulates the expression of both Wee1 kinase, an inhibitor of Cdc2/cyclin B kinase, and the 14-3-3 family of proteins that sequesters phosphorylated Cdc25C and Cdc2/cyclin B kinase in the cytoplasm. We conclude that BRCA1 regulates key effectors that control the G2/M checkpoint and is therefore involved in regulating the onset of mitosis.
Evidence
7:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
Human checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is an essential kinase required to preserve genome stability, and is activated by DNA replication blockage through the ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated-and-Rad3-related (ATR)/ATRIP-signaling pathway. In this report, we show that a novel CHK1-interacting protein, FEM1B (human homologue of the Caenorhabditis elegans sex determination fem1 protein), identified by a yeast two-hybrid screen, is involved in the activation of CHK1 by replication stress. Depletion of FEM1B by small interfering RNA in cancer cells impairs the activation of CHK1 kinase activity and attenuates the induction of CHK1 Ser345 phosphorylation upon replication interference. It is to be noted that, CHK2 Thr68 phosphorylation is not altered by FEM1B downregulation. By fractionation, we further demonstrated that FEM1B is able to associate with chromatin, and such association facilitates chromatin loading of the Rad9 protein. Consistently, ATR activity is poorly maintained in FEM1B knockdown cells; and FEM1B-ablated cells are as sensitive to replication block as CHK1-depleted cells. Our study has uncovered an adaptor protein FEM1B, which acts as a bridge linking CHK1 and Rad9, thus facilitating checkpoint signaling induced by replication stress.
Evidence
8:
Inferred from Physical InteractionUniProtKB
The essential checkpoint kinase Chk1 is required for cell-cycle delays after DNA damage or blocked DNA replication. However, it is unclear whether Chk1 is involved in the repair of damaged DNA. Here we establish that Chk1 is a key regulator of genome maintenance by the homologous recombination repair (HRR) system. Abrogation of Chk1 function with small interfering RNA or chemical antagonists inhibits HRR, leading to persistent unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and cell death after replication inhibition with hydroxyurea or DNA-damage caused by camptothecin. After hydroxyurea treatment, the essential recombination repair protein RAD51 is recruited to DNA repair foci performing a vital role in correct HRR. We demonstrate that Chk1 interacts with RAD51, and that RAD51 is phosphorylated on Thr 309 in a Chk1-dependent manner. Consistent with a functional interplay between Chk1 and RAD51, Chk1-depleted cells failed to form RAD51 nuclear foci after exposure to hydroxyurea, and cells expressing a phosphorylation-deficient mutant RAD51(T309A) were hypersensitive to hydroxyurea. These results highlight a crucial role for the Chk1 signalling pathway in protecting cells against lethal DNA lesions through regulation of HRR.
Claspin is a checkpoint protein involved in ATR (ataxia telangiectasia mutated- and Rad3-related)-dependent Chk1 activation in Xenopus and human cells. In Xenopus, Claspin interacts with Chk1 after DNA damage through a region containing two highly conserved repeats, which becomes phosphorylated during the checkpoint response. Because this region is also conserved in human Claspin, we investigated the regulation and function of these potential phosphorylation sites in human Claspin. We found that Claspin is phosphorylated in vivo at Thr-916 in response to replication stress and UV damage. Mutation of these phosphorylation sites on Claspin inhibited Claspin-Chk1 interaction in vivo, impaired Chk1 activation, and induced premature chromatin condensation in cells, indicating a defect in replication checkpoint. In addition, we found that Thr-916 on Claspin is phosphorylated by Chk1, suggesting that Chk1 regulates Claspin during checkpoint response. These results together indicate that phosphorylation of Claspin repeats in human Claspin is important for Claspin function and the regulation of Claspin-Chk1 interaction in human cells.
Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of a caffeine stimulus. Caffeine is an alkaloid found in numerous plant species, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding upon them.
Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of a mechanical stimulus.
Evidence
1:
Inferred from Expression PatternUniProtKB
BAD, a pro-apoptotic protein of the Bcl-2 family, has recently been identified as an integrator of several anti-apoptotic signaling pathways in prostate cancer cells. Thus, activation of EGFR, GPCRs or PI3K pathway leads to BAD phosphorylation and inhibition of apoptosis. Increased levels of BAD in prostate carcinomas have also been reported. It appears contradictory that instead of limiting expression of pro-apoptotic protein, prostate cancer cells choose to increase BAD levels while keeping it under tight phosphorylation control. Analysis of the effect of BAD on prostate cancer xenografts has shown that increased BAD expression enhances tumor growth, while knockdown of BAD expression by shRNA inhibits tumor growth. Tissue culture experiments demonstrated that increased BAD expression stimulates proliferation of prostate cancer cells. These results suggest that increased expression of BAD provides a proliferative advantage to prostate tumors, while BAD dephosphorylation increases sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to apoptosis. Combination of proliferative and apoptotic properties prompts prostate cancer cells to be "addicted" to increased levels of phosphorylated BAD. Thus, kinases that phosphorylate BAD are plausible therapeutic targets; while monitoring BAD phosphorylation could be used to predict tumor response to treatments.
Maintenance of transcription by remodelling of chromatin into an 'open configuration'. Once established, this regulation is mitotically stable and is maintained over many cell divisions. It is also heritable.
A cell cycle checkpoint that regulates progression through the cell cycle in response to DNA damage. A DNA damage checkpoint may blocks cell cycle progression (in G1, G2 or metaphase) or slow the rate at which S phase proceeds.
Claspin is a checkpoint protein involved in ATR (ataxia telangiectasia mutated- and Rad3-related)-dependent Chk1 activation in Xenopus and human cells. In Xenopus, Claspin interacts with Chk1 after DNA damage through a region containing two highly conserved repeats, which becomes phosphorylated during the checkpoint response. Because this region is also conserved in human Claspin, we investigated the regulation and function of these potential phosphorylation sites in human Claspin. We found that Claspin is phosphorylated in vivo at Thr-916 in response to replication stress and UV damage. Mutation of these phosphorylation sites on Claspin inhibited Claspin-Chk1 interaction in vivo, impaired Chk1 activation, and induced premature chromatin condensation in cells, indicating a defect in replication checkpoint. In addition, we found that Thr-916 on Claspin is phosphorylated by Chk1, suggesting that Chk1 regulates Claspin during checkpoint response. These results together indicate that phosphorylation of Claspin repeats in human Claspin is important for Claspin function and the regulation of Claspin-Chk1 interaction in human cells.
Evidence
2:
Inferred from Mutant PhenotypeUniProtKB
ATR and Chk1 are two key protein kinases in the replication checkpoint. Activation of ATR-Chk1 has been extensively investigated, but checkpoint termination and replication fork restart are less well understood. Here, we report that DNA damage not only activates Chk1, but also exposes a degron-like region at the carboxyl terminus of Chk1 to an Fbx6-containing SCF (Skp1-Cul1-F box) E3 ligase, which mediates the ubiquitination and degradation of Chk1 and, in turn, terminates the checkpoint. The protein levels of Chk1 and Fbx6 showed an inverse correlation in both cultured cancer cells and in human breast tumor tissues. Further, we show that low levels of Fbx6 and consequent impairment of replication stress-induced Chk1 degradation are associated with cancer cell resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent, camptothecin. We propose that Fbx6-dependent Chk1 degradation contributes to S phase checkpoint termination and that a defect in this mechanism might increase tumor cell resistance to certain anticancer drugs.
Claspin is a checkpoint protein involved in ATR (ataxia telangiectasia mutated- and Rad3-related)-dependent Chk1 activation in Xenopus and human cells. In Xenopus, Claspin interacts with Chk1 after DNA damage through a region containing two highly conserved repeats, which becomes phosphorylated during the checkpoint response. Because this region is also conserved in human Claspin, we investigated the regulation and function of these potential phosphorylation sites in human Claspin. We found that Claspin is phosphorylated in vivo at Thr-916 in response to replication stress and UV damage. Mutation of these phosphorylation sites on Claspin inhibited Claspin-Chk1 interaction in vivo, impaired Chk1 activation, and induced premature chromatin condensation in cells, indicating a defect in replication checkpoint. In addition, we found that Thr-916 on Claspin is phosphorylated by Chk1, suggesting that Chk1 regulates Claspin during checkpoint response. These results together indicate that phosphorylation of Claspin repeats in human Claspin is important for Claspin function and the regulation of Claspin-Chk1 interaction in human cells.
The process of restoring DNA after damage. Genomes are subject to damage by chemical and physical agents in the environment (e.g. UV and ionizing radiations, chemical mutagens, fungal and bacterial toxins, etc.) and by free radicals or alkylating agents endogenously generated in metabolism. DNA is also damaged because of errors during its replication. A variety of different DNA repair pathways have been reported that include direct reversal, base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair, photoreactivation, bypass, double-strand break repair pathway, and mismatch repair pathway.
Evidence
1:
Inferred from Mutant PhenotypeUniProtKB
ATR and Chk1 are two key protein kinases in the replication checkpoint. Activation of ATR-Chk1 has been extensively investigated, but checkpoint termination and replication fork restart are less well understood. Here, we report that DNA damage not only activates Chk1, but also exposes a degron-like region at the carboxyl terminus of Chk1 to an Fbx6-containing SCF (Skp1-Cul1-F box) E3 ligase, which mediates the ubiquitination and degradation of Chk1 and, in turn, terminates the checkpoint. The protein levels of Chk1 and Fbx6 showed an inverse correlation in both cultured cancer cells and in human breast tumor tissues. Further, we show that low levels of Fbx6 and consequent impairment of replication stress-induced Chk1 degradation are associated with cancer cell resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent, camptothecin. We propose that Fbx6-dependent Chk1 degradation contributes to S phase checkpoint termination and that a defect in this mechanism might increase tumor cell resistance to certain anticancer drugs.
Following genotoxic stress, cells activate a complex kinase-based signaling network to arrest the cell cycle and initiate DNA repair. p53-defective tumor cells rewire their checkpoint response and become dependent on the p38/MK2 pathway for survival after DNA damage, despite a functional ATR-Chk1 pathway. We used functional genetics to dissect the contributions of Chk1 and MK2 to checkpoint control. We show that nuclear Chk1 activity is essential to establish a G(2)/M checkpoint, while cytoplasmic MK2 activity is critical for prolonged checkpoint maintenance through a process of posttranscriptional mRNA stabilization. Following DNA damage, the p38/MK2 complex relocalizes from nucleus to cytoplasm where MK2 phosphorylates hnRNPA0, to stabilize Gadd45α mRNA, while p38 phosphorylates and releases the translational inhibitor TIAR. In addition, MK2 phosphorylates PARN, blocking Gadd45α mRNA degradation. Gadd45α functions within a positive feedback loop, sustaining the MK2-dependent cytoplasmic sequestration of Cdc25B/C to block mitotic entry in the presence of unrepaired DNA damage. Our findings demonstrate a critical role for the MK2 pathway in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression as part of the DNA damage response in cancer cells.
Progression from G2 phase to M phase of the mitotic cell cycle. The molecular event responsible for this transition is the activation of the major cell cycle cyclin-dependent kinase (e.g. Cdc2 in S. pombe, CDC28 in S. cerevisiae, Cdk1 in human).
DNA damage results in activation or suppression of transcription of a large number of genes. Transcriptional activation has been well characterized in the context of sequence-specific DNA-bound activators, whereas mechanisms of transcriptional suppression are largely unexplored. We show here that DNA damage rapidly reduces histone H3 Threonine 11 (T11) phosphorylation. This correlates with repression of genes, including cyclin B1 and cdk1. H3-T11 phosphorylation occurs throughout the cell cycle and is Chk1 dependent in vivo. Following DNA damage, Chk1 undergoes rapid chromatin dissociation, concomitant with reduced H3-T11 phosphorylation. Furthermore, we find that loss of H3-T11 phosphorylation correlates with reduced binding of the histone acetyltransferase GCN5 at cyclin B1 and cdk1 promoters and reduced H3-K9 acetylation. We propose a mechanism for Chk1 as a histone kinase, responsible for DNA-damage-induced transcriptional repression by loss of histone acetylation.
Any process that stops, prevents or reduces the rate or extent of mitosis. Mitosis is the division of the eukaryotic cell nucleus to produce two daughter nuclei that, usually, contain the identical chromosome complement to their mother.
Entry into mitosis occurs after activation of Cdk1, resulting in chromosome condensation in the nucleus and centrosome separation, as well as increased microtubule nucleation activity in the cytoplasm. The active cyclin-B1-Cdk1 complex first appears at the centrosome, suggesting that the centrosome may facilitate the activation of mitotic regulators required for the commitment of cells to mitosis. However, the signalling pathways involved in controlling the initial activation of Cdk1 at the centrosome remain largely unknown. Here, we show that human Chk1 kinase localizes to interphase, but not mitotic, centrosomes. Chemical inhibition of Chk1 resulted in premature centrosome separation and activation of centrosome-associated Cdk1. Forced immobilization of kinase-inactive Chk1 to centrosomes also resulted in premature Cdk1 activation. Conversely, under such conditions wild-type Chk1 impaired activation of centrosome-associated Cdk1, thereby resulting in DNA endoreplication and centrosome amplification. Activation of centrosomal Cdk1 in late prophase seemed to be mediated by cytoplasmic Cdc25B, whose activity is controlled by centrosome-associated Chk1. These results suggest that centrosome-associated Chk1 shields centrosomal Cdk1 from unscheduled activation by cytoplasmic Cdc25B, thereby contributing to proper timing of the initial steps of cell division, including mitotic spindle formation.
The essential checkpoint kinase Chk1 is required for cell-cycle delays after DNA damage or blocked DNA replication. However, it is unclear whether Chk1 is involved in the repair of damaged DNA. Here we establish that Chk1 is a key regulator of genome maintenance by the homologous recombination repair (HRR) system. Abrogation of Chk1 function with small interfering RNA or chemical antagonists inhibits HRR, leading to persistent unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and cell death after replication inhibition with hydroxyurea or DNA-damage caused by camptothecin. After hydroxyurea treatment, the essential recombination repair protein RAD51 is recruited to DNA repair foci performing a vital role in correct HRR. We demonstrate that Chk1 interacts with RAD51, and that RAD51 is phosphorylated on Thr 309 in a Chk1-dependent manner. Consistent with a functional interplay between Chk1 and RAD51, Chk1-depleted cells failed to form RAD51 nuclear foci after exposure to hydroxyurea, and cells expressing a phosphorylation-deficient mutant RAD51(T309A) were hypersensitive to hydroxyurea. These results highlight a crucial role for the Chk1 signalling pathway in protecting cells against lethal DNA lesions through regulation of HRR.
Any process that modulates the frequency, rate or extent of cell proliferation.
IEAOrtholog Compara
Regulation of double-strand break repair via homologous recombinationdefinition[GO:0010569]
Any process that modulates the frequency, rate or extent of the error-free repair of a double-strand break in DNA in which the broken DNA molecule is repaired using homologous sequences.
The essential checkpoint kinase Chk1 is required for cell-cycle delays after DNA damage or blocked DNA replication. However, it is unclear whether Chk1 is involved in the repair of damaged DNA. Here we establish that Chk1 is a key regulator of genome maintenance by the homologous recombination repair (HRR) system. Abrogation of Chk1 function with small interfering RNA or chemical antagonists inhibits HRR, leading to persistent unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and cell death after replication inhibition with hydroxyurea or DNA-damage caused by camptothecin. After hydroxyurea treatment, the essential recombination repair protein RAD51 is recruited to DNA repair foci performing a vital role in correct HRR. We demonstrate that Chk1 interacts with RAD51, and that RAD51 is phosphorylated on Thr 309 in a Chk1-dependent manner. Consistent with a functional interplay between Chk1 and RAD51, Chk1-depleted cells failed to form RAD51 nuclear foci after exposure to hydroxyurea, and cells expressing a phosphorylation-deficient mutant RAD51(T309A) were hypersensitive to hydroxyurea. These results highlight a crucial role for the Chk1 signalling pathway in protecting cells against lethal DNA lesions through regulation of HRR.
Entry into mitosis occurs after activation of Cdk1, resulting in chromosome condensation in the nucleus and centrosome separation, as well as increased microtubule nucleation activity in the cytoplasm. The active cyclin-B1-Cdk1 complex first appears at the centrosome, suggesting that the centrosome may facilitate the activation of mitotic regulators required for the commitment of cells to mitosis. However, the signalling pathways involved in controlling the initial activation of Cdk1 at the centrosome remain largely unknown. Here, we show that human Chk1 kinase localizes to interphase, but not mitotic, centrosomes. Chemical inhibition of Chk1 resulted in premature centrosome separation and activation of centrosome-associated Cdk1. Forced immobilization of kinase-inactive Chk1 to centrosomes also resulted in premature Cdk1 activation. Conversely, under such conditions wild-type Chk1 impaired activation of centrosome-associated Cdk1, thereby resulting in DNA endoreplication and centrosome amplification. Activation of centrosomal Cdk1 in late prophase seemed to be mediated by cytoplasmic Cdc25B, whose activity is controlled by centrosome-associated Chk1. These results suggest that centrosome-associated Chk1 shields centrosomal Cdk1 from unscheduled activation by cytoplasmic Cdc25B, thereby contributing to proper timing of the initial steps of cell division, including mitotic spindle formation.
Cellular senescence can be triggered by telomere shortening as well as a variety of stresses and signaling imbalances. We used multiparameter single-cell detection methods to investigate upstream signaling pathways and ensuing cell cycle checkpoint responses in human fibroblasts. Telomeric foci containing multiple DNA damage response factors were assembled in a subset of senescent cells and signaled through ATM to p53, upregulating p21 and causing G1 phase arrest. Inhibition of ATM expression or activity resulted in cell cycle reentry, indicating that stable arrest requires continuous signaling. ATR kinase appears to play a minor role in normal cells but in the absence of ATM elicited a delayed G2 phase arrest. These pathways do not affect expression of p16, which was upregulated in a telomere- and DNA damage-independent manner in a subset of cells. Distinct senescence programs can thus progress in parallel, resulting in mosaic cultures as well as individual cells responding to multiple signals.
Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of a stimulus indicating damage to its DNA from environmental insults or errors during metabolism.
Evidence
1:
Inferred from Mutant PhenotypeUniProtKB
Following genotoxic stress, cells activate a complex kinase-based signaling network to arrest the cell cycle and initiate DNA repair. p53-defective tumor cells rewire their checkpoint response and become dependent on the p38/MK2 pathway for survival after DNA damage, despite a functional ATR-Chk1 pathway. We used functional genetics to dissect the contributions of Chk1 and MK2 to checkpoint control. We show that nuclear Chk1 activity is essential to establish a G(2)/M checkpoint, while cytoplasmic MK2 activity is critical for prolonged checkpoint maintenance through a process of posttranscriptional mRNA stabilization. Following DNA damage, the p38/MK2 complex relocalizes from nucleus to cytoplasm where MK2 phosphorylates hnRNPA0, to stabilize Gadd45α mRNA, while p38 phosphorylates and releases the translational inhibitor TIAR. In addition, MK2 phosphorylates PARN, blocking Gadd45α mRNA degradation. Gadd45α functions within a positive feedback loop, sustaining the MK2-dependent cytoplasmic sequestration of Cdc25B/C to block mitotic entry in the presence of unrepaired DNA damage. Our findings demonstrate a critical role for the MK2 pathway in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression as part of the DNA damage response in cancer cells.
This protein acts as an enzyme. It is known to catalyze the following reaction
EC 2.7.11.1: ATP + a protein ⇄ ADP + a phosphoprotein.
CuratedUniProtKB
It is regulated in the following manner
Activated through phosphorylation predominantly by ATR but also by ATM in response to DNA damage or inhibition of DNA replication. Activation is modulated by several mediators including CLSPN, BRCA1 and FEM1B.
Protein involved in the complex series of events by which the cell duplicates its contents and divides into two. The eukaryotic cell cycle can be divided in four phases termed G1 (first gap period), S (synthesis, phase during which the DNA is replicated), G2 (second gap period) and M (mitosis). The prokaryotic cell cycle typically involves a period of growth followed by DNA replication, partition of chromosomes, formation of septum and division into two similar or identical daughter cells.
Protein induced by DNA damage or protein involved in the response to DNA damage. Drug- or radiation-induced injuries in DNA introduce deviations from its normal double-helical conformation. These changes include structural distortions which interfere with replication and transcription, as well as point mutations which disrupt base pairs and exert damaging effects on future generations through changes in DNA sequence. Response to DNA damage results in either repair or tolerance.
Protein involved in the repair of DNA, the various biochemical processes by which damaged DNA can be restored. DNA repair embraces, for instance, not only the direct reversal of some types of damage (such as the enzymatic photoreactivation of thymine dimers), but also multiple distinct mechanisms for excising damaged base; termed nucleotide excision repair (NER), base excision repair (BER) and mismatch repair (MMR); or mechanisms for repairing double-strand breaks.
Protein which catalyzes the phosphorylation of serine or threonine residues on target proteins by using ATP as phosphate donor. Such phosphorylation may cause changes in the function of the target protein. Protein kinases share a conserved catalytic core common to both serine/ threonine and tyrosine protein kinases.
A reference proteome is a set of protein sequences derived from a complete proteome which constitutes a defined standard for a particular user community. Reference proteomes are manually defined according to a number of criteria. They cover the proteomes of well- studied model organisms and other proteomes of interest for biomedical and biotechnological research. Reference proteomes have been selected to provide broad coverage of the tree of life, and constitute a representative cross-section of the taxonomic diversity to be found within UniProtKB.
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