scholarly journals The Toxoplasma centrocone houses cell cycle regulatory factors

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoli Naumov ◽  
Stella Kratzer ◽  
Li-Min Ting ◽  
Kami Kim ◽  
Elena S. Suvorova ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTOur knowledge of cell cycle regulatory mechanisms in apicomplexan parasites is very limited. In this study, we describe a novel Toxoplasma gondii factor, essential for chromosome replication 1 (ECR1), that has a vital role in chromosome replication and the regulation of cytoplasmic and nuclear mitotic structures. ECR1 was discovered by complementation of a temperature sensitive (ts) mutant that suffers lethal, uncontrolled chromosome replication at 40°C similar to a ts-mutant carrying a defect in topoisomerase. ECR1 is a 52kDa protein containing divergent RING and TRAF-Sina like zinc-binding domains that is dynamically expressed in the tachyzoite cell cycle. ECR1 first appears in the centrocone compartment of the nuclear envelope in early S phase and then in the nucleus in late S phase where it reaches maximum expression. Following nuclear division, but before daughters resolve from the mother, ECR1 is down regulated and is absent in new daughter parasites. The proteomics of ECR1 identified interactions with the ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation machinery and the minichromosome maintenance complex and the loss of ECR1 led to increased stability of a key member of this complex, MCM2. ECR1 also forms a stable complex with the CDK-related kinase, TgCrk5, which shares a similar cell cycle expression and localization during tachyzoite replication. Altogether, the results of this study suggest ECR1 may be a unique E3 ligase that regulates DNA licensing and other mitotic processes. Importantly, the localization of ECR1/TgCrk5 in the centrocone indicates this Apicomplexa-specific spindle compartment houses important regulatory factors that control the parasite cell cycle.IMPORTANCEParasites of the apicomplexan family are important causes of human disease including malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis. Parasite growth is the underlying cause of pathogenesis, yet despite this importance the molecular basis for parasite replication is poorly understood. Filling this knowledge gap cannot be accomplished by mining recent whole genome sequencing because apicomplexan cell cycles differ substantially and lack many of the key regulatory factors of well-studied yeast and mammalian cell division models. We have utilized forward genetics to discover essential factors that regulate cell division in these parasites using the Toxoplasma gondii model. An example of this approach is described here with the discovery of a putative E3 ligase/protein kinase mechanism involved in regulating chromosome replication and mitotic processes of asexual stage parasites.


mBio ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoli Naumov ◽  
Stella Kratzer ◽  
Li-Min Ting ◽  
Kami Kim ◽  
Elena S. Suvorova ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Our knowledge of cell cycle regulatory mechanisms in apicomplexan parasites is very limited. In this study, we describe a novel Toxoplasma gondii factor that has a vital role in chromosome replication and the regulation of cytoplasmic and nuclear mitotic structures, and we named this factor ECR1 for essential for chromosome replication 1. ECR1 was discovered by complementation of a temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant that suffers lethal, uncontrolled chromosome replication at 40°C similar to a ts mutant carrying a defect in topoisomerase. ECR1 is a 52-kDa protein containing divergent RING and TRAF-Sina-like zinc binding domains that are dynamically expressed in the tachyzoite cell cycle. ECR1 first appears in the unique spindle compartment of the Apicomplexa (centrocone) of the nuclear envelope in early S phase and then in the nucleus in late S phase where it reaches maximum expression. Following nuclear division, but before daughter parasites separate from the mother parasite, ECR1 is downregulated and is absent in new daughter parasites. The proteomics of ECR1 identified interactions with the ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation machinery and the minichromosome maintenance complex, and the loss of ECR1 led to increased stability of a key member of this complex, MCM2. ECR1 also forms a stable complex with the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-related kinase, T. gondii Crk5 (TgCrk5), which displays a similar cell cycle expression and localization during tachyzoite replication. Importantly, the localization of ECR1/TgCrk5 in the centrocone indicates that this Apicomplexa-specific spindle compartment houses important regulatory factors that control the parasite cell cycle. IMPORTANCE Parasites of the apicomplexan family are important causes of human disease, including malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis. Parasite growth is the underlying cause of pathogenesis, yet despite this importance, the molecular basis for parasite replication is poorly understood. Filling this knowledge gap cannot be accomplished by mining recent whole-genome sequencing data because apicomplexan cell cycles differ substantially and lack many of the key regulatory factors of well-studied yeast and mammalian cell division models. We have utilized forward genetics to discover essential factors that regulate cell division in these parasites using the Toxoplasma gondii model. An example of this approach is described here with the discovery of a putative E3 ligase/protein kinase mechanism involved in regulating chromosome replication and mitotic processes of asexual stage parasites. IMPORTANCE Parasites of the apicomplexan family are important causes of human disease, including malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis. Parasite growth is the underlying cause of pathogenesis, yet despite this importance, the molecular basis for parasite replication is poorly understood. Filling this knowledge gap cannot be accomplished by mining recent whole-genome sequencing data because apicomplexan cell cycles differ substantially and lack many of the key regulatory factors of well-studied yeast and mammalian cell division models. We have utilized forward genetics to discover essential factors that regulate cell division in these parasites using the Toxoplasma gondii model. An example of this approach is described here with the discovery of a putative E3 ligase/protein kinase mechanism involved in regulating chromosome replication and mitotic processes of asexual stage parasites.



2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5195
Author(s):  
Hui Zhang

In eukaryotic cells, DNA replication licensing is precisely regulated to ensure that the initiation of genomic DNA replication in S phase occurs once and only once for each mitotic cell division. A key regulatory mechanism by which DNA re-replication is suppressed is the S phase-dependent proteolysis of Cdt1, an essential replication protein for licensing DNA replication origins by loading the Mcm2-7 replication helicase for DNA duplication in S phase. Cdt1 degradation is mediated by CRL4Cdt2 ubiquitin E3 ligase, which further requires Cdt1 binding to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) through a PIP box domain in Cdt1 during DNA synthesis. Recent studies found that Cdt2, the specific subunit of CRL4Cdt2 ubiquitin E3 ligase that targets Cdt1 for degradation, also contains an evolutionarily conserved PIP box-like domain that mediates the interaction with PCNA. These findings suggest that the initiation and elongation of DNA replication or DNA damage-induced repair synthesis provide a novel mechanism by which Cdt1 and CRL4Cdt2 are both recruited onto the trimeric PCNA clamp encircling the replicating DNA strands to promote the interaction between Cdt1 and CRL4Cdt2. The proximity of PCNA-bound Cdt1 to CRL4Cdt2 facilitates the destruction of Cdt1 in response to DNA damage or after DNA replication initiation to prevent DNA re-replication in the cell cycle. CRL4Cdt2 ubiquitin E3 ligase may also regulate the degradation of other PIP box-containing proteins, such as CDK inhibitor p21 and histone methylase Set8, to regulate DNA replication licensing, cell cycle progression, DNA repair, and genome stability by directly interacting with PCNA during DNA replication and repair synthesis.



2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 353-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenbo Cui ◽  
Nuan Liu ◽  
Xuelian Zhang ◽  
Yanghai Zhang ◽  
Lei Qu ◽  
...  

Abstract. Cell division cycle 25A (CDC25A), a member of the CDC25 family of phosphatases, is required for progression from G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle. CDC25A provides an essential function during early embryonic development in mice, suggesting that it plays an important role in growth and development. In this study, we used mathematical expectation (ME) methods to identify a 20-bp insertion/deletion (indel) polymorphism of CDC25A gene in Shaanbei White Cashmere (SBWC) goats. We also investigated the association between this 20-bp indel and growth-related traits in SBWC goats. Association results showed that the indel was related to growth traits (height at hip cross, cannon circumference, and cannon circumference index) in SBWC goats. The height at hip cross of individuals with insertion/insertion (II) genotype was higher than those with insertion/deletion (ID) genotype (P=0.02); on the contrary, the cannon circumference and cannon circumference index of individuals with ID genotype were superior when compared with those with II genotype (P=0.017 and P=0.009). These findings suggest that the 20-bp indel in the CDC25A gene significantly affects growth-related traits, and could be utilized as a candidate marker for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in the cashmere goat industry.



2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 2597-2603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoon-Jae Song ◽  
Mark F. Stinski

ABSTRACT The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) IE86 protein induces the human fibroblast cell cycle from G0/G1 to G1/S, where cell cycle progression stops. Cells with a wild-type, mutated, or null p53 or cells with null p21 protein were transduced with replication-deficient adenoviruses expressing HCMV IE86 protein or cellular p53 or p21. Even though S-phase genes were activated in a p53 wild-type cell, IE86 protein also induced phospho-Ser15 p53 and p21 independent of p14ARF but dependent on ATM kinase. These cells did not enter the S phase. In human p53 mutant, p53 null, or p21 null cells, IE86 protein did not up-regulate p21, cellular DNA synthesis was not inhibited, but cell division was inhibited. Cells accumulated in the G2/M phase, and there was increased cyclin-dependent kinase 1/cyclin B1 activity. Although the HCMV IE86 protein increases cellular E2F activity, it also blocks cell division in both p53+/+ and p53−/− cells.



2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (20) ◽  
pp. 7613-7623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claus Storgaard Sørensen ◽  
Claudia Lukas ◽  
Edgar R. Kramer ◽  
Jan-Michael Peters ◽  
Jiri Bartek ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated destruction of rate-limiting proteins is required for timely progression through the main cell cycle transitions. The anaphase-promoting complex (APC), periodically activated by the Cdh1 subunit, represents one of the major cellular ubiquitin ligases which, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae andDrosophila spp., triggers exit from mitosis and during G1 prevents unscheduled DNA replication. In this study we investigated the importance of periodic oscillation of the APC-Cdh1 activity for the cell cycle progression in human cells. We show that conditional interference with the APC-Cdh1 dissociation at the G1/S transition resulted in an inability to accumulate a surprisingly broad range of critical mitotic regulators including cyclin B1, cyclin A, Plk1, Pds1, mitosin (CENP-F), Aim1, and Cdc20. Unexpectedly, although constitutively assembled APC-Cdh1 also delayed G1/S transition and lowered the rate of DNA synthesis during S phase, some of the activities essential for DNA replication became markedly amplified, mainly due to a progressive increase of E2F-dependent cyclin E transcription and a rapid turnover of the p27Kip1 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. Consequently, failure to inactivate APC-Cdh1 beyond the G1/S transition not only inhibited productive cell division but also supported slow but uninterrupted DNA replication, precluding S-phase exit and causing massive overreplication of the genome. Our data suggest that timely oscillation of the APC-Cdh1 ubiquitin ligase activity represents an essential step in coordinating DNA replication with cell division and that failure of mechanisms regulating association of APC with the Cdh1 activating subunit can undermine genomic stability in mammalian cells.



Placenta ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 785-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.B. Angeloni ◽  
N.M. Silva ◽  
A.S. Castro ◽  
A.O. Gomes ◽  
D.A.O. Silva ◽  
...  


2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cong-Jun Li ◽  
Melvin L. DePamphilis

ABSTRACT Previous studies have shown that changes in the affinity of the hamster Orc1 protein for chromatin during the M-to-G1 transition correlate with the activity of hamster origin recognition complexes (ORCs) and the appearance of prereplication complexes at specific sites. Here we show that Orc1 is selectively released from chromatin as cells enter S phase, converted into a mono- or diubiquitinated form, and then deubiquitinated and re-bound to chromatin during the M-to-G1 transition. Orc1 is degraded by the 26S proteasome only when released into the cytosol, and peptide additions to Orc1 make it hypersensitive to polyubiquitination. In contrast, Orc2 remains tightly bound to chromatin throughout the cell cycle and is not a substrate for ubiquitination. Since the concentration of Orc1 remains constant throughout the cell cycle, and its half-life in vivo is the same as that of Orc2, ubiquitination of non-chromatin-bound Orc1 presumably facilitates the inactivation of ORCs by sequestering Orc1 during S phase. Thus, in contrast to yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe), mammalian ORC activity appears to be regulated during each cell cycle through selective dissociation and reassociation of Orc1 from chromatin-bound ORCs.



1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (18) ◽  
pp. 5669-5675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Hjort ◽  
Rolf Bernander

ABSTRACT Stationary-phase cultures of different hyperthermophilic species of the archaeal genus Sulfolobus were diluted into fresh growth medium and analyzed by flow cytometry and phase-fluorescence microscopy. After dilution, cellular growth started rapidly but no nucleoid partition, cell division, or chromosome replication took place until the cells had been increasing in size for several hours. Initiation of chromosome replication required that the cells first go through partition and cell division, revealing a strong interdependence between these key cell cycle events. The time points at which nucleoid partition, division, and replication occurred after the dilution were used to estimate the relative lengths of the cell cycle periods. When exponentially growing cultures were diluted into fresh growth medium, there was an unexpected transient inhibition of growth and cell division, showing that the cultures did not maintain balanced growth. Furthermore, when cultures growing at 79°C were shifted to room temperature or to ice-water baths, the cells were found to “freeze” in mid-growth. After a shift back to 79°C, growth, replication, and division rapidly resumed and the mode and kinetics of the resumption differed depending upon the nature and length of the shifts. Dilution of stationary-phase cultures provides a simple protocol for the generation of partially synchronized populations that may be used to study cell cycle-specific events.



2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (26) ◽  
pp. 2871-2873
Author(s):  
Paul Nurse

Cell cycle mutants in the budding and fission yeasts have played critical roles in working out how the eukaryotic cell cycle operates and is controlled. The starting point was Lee Hartwell’s 1970s landmark papers describing the first cell division cycle (CDC) mutants in budding yeast. These mutants were blocked at different cell cycle stages and so were unable to complete the cell cycle, thus defining genes necessary for successful cell division. Inspired by Hartwell’s work, I isolated CDC mutants in the very distantly related fission yeast. This started a program of searches for mutants in fission yeast that revealed a range of phenotypes informative about eukaryotic cell cycle control. These included mutants defining genes that were rate-limiting for the onset of mitosis and of the S-phase, that were responsible for there being only one S-phase in each cell cycle, and that ensured that mitosis only took place when S-phase was properly completed. This is a brief account of the discovery of these mutants and how they led to the identification of cyclin-dependent kinases as core to these cell cycle controls.



1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 6482-6490
Author(s):  
F R Cross

Null mutations in three genes encoding cyclin-like proteins (CLN1, CLN2, and CLN3) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cause cell cycle arrest in G1 (cln arrest). In cln1 cln2 cln3 strains bearing plasmids containing the CLN3 (also called WHI1 or DAF1) coding sequence under the transcriptional control of a galactose-regulated promoter, shift from galactose to glucose medium (shutting off synthesis of CLN3 mRNA) allowed completion of cell cycles in progress but caused arrest in the ensuing unbudded G1 phase. Cell growth was not inhibited in arrested cells. Cell division occurred in glucose medium even if cells were arrested in S phase during the initial 2 h of glucose treatment, suggesting that CLN function may not be required in the cell cycle after S phase. However, when the coding sequence of the hyperactive C-terminal truncation allele CLN3-2 (formerly DAF1-1) was placed under GAL control, cells went through multiple cycles before arresting after a shift from galactose to glucose. These results suggest that the C terminus of the wild-type protein confers functional instability. cln-arrested cells are mating competent. However, cln arrest is distinct from constitutive activation of the mating-factor signalling pathway because cln-arrested cells were dependent on the addition of pheromone both for mating and for induction of an alpha-factor-induced transcript, FUS1, and because MATa/MAT alpha (pheromone-nonresponsive) strains were capable of cln arrest in G1 (although a residual capacity for cell division before arrest was observed in MATa/MAT alpha strains). These results are consistent with a specific CLN requirement for START transit.



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