Microtubule-entrained kinase activities associated with the cortical cytoskeleton during cytokinesis

1997 ◽  
Vol 110 (12) ◽  
pp. 1373-1386 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.R. Walker ◽  
C.B. Shuster ◽  
D.R. Burgess

Research over the past few years has demonstrated the central role of protein phosphorylation in regulating mitosis and the cell cycle. However, little is known about how the mechanisms regulating the entry into mitosis contribute to the positional and temporal regulation of the actomyosin-based contractile ring formed during cytokinesis. Recent studies implicate p34cdc2 as a negative regulator of myosin II activity, suggesting a link between the mitotic cycle and cytokinesis. In an effort to study the relationship between protein phosphorylation and cytokinesis, we examined the in vivo and in vitro phosphorylation of actin-associated cortical cytoskeletal (CSK) proteins in an isolated model of the sea urchin egg cortex. Examination of cortices derived from eggs or zygotes labeled with 32P-orthophosphate reveals a number of cortex-associated phosphorylated proteins, including polypeptides of 20, 43 and 66 kDa. These three major phosphoproteins are also detected when isolated cortices are incubated with [32P]ATP in vitro, suggesting that the kinases that phosphorylate these substrates are also specifically associated with the cortex. The kinase activities in vivo and in vitro are stimulated by fertilization and display cell cycle-dependent activities. Gel autophosphorylation assays, kinase assays and immunoblot analysis reveal the presence of p34cdc2 as well as members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, whose activities in the CSK peak at cell division. Nocodazole, which inhibits microtubule formation and thus blocks cytokinesis, significantly delays the time of peak cortical protein phosphorylation as well as the peak in whole-cell histone H1 kinase activity. These results suggest that a key element regulating cortical contraction during cytokinesis is the timing of protein kinase activities associated with the cortical cytoskeleton that is in turn regulated by the mitotic apparatus.

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janel Warmka ◽  
Jennifer Hanneman ◽  
Ji Lee ◽  
Dipesh Amin ◽  
Irene Ota

ABSTRACT The HOG (high-osmolarity glycerol) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway regulates the osmotic stress response in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three type 2C Ser/Thr phosphatases (PTCs), Ptc1, Ptc2, and Ptc3, have been isolated as negative regulators of this pathway. Previously, multicopy expression of PTC1 and PTC3 was shown to suppress lethality of the sln1Δ strain due to hyperactivation of the HOG pathway. In this work, we show thatPTC2 also suppresses sln1Δ lethality. Furthermore, the phosphatase activity of these PTCs was needed for suppression, as mutation of a conserved Asp residue, likely to coordinate a metal ion, inactivated PTCs. Further analysis of Ptc1 function in vivo showed that it inactivates the MAPK, Hog1, but not the MEK, Pbs2. In the wild type, Hog1 kinase activity increased transiently, ∼12-fold in response to osmotic stress, while overexpression of PTC1 limited activation to ∼3-fold. In contrast, overexpression of PTC1 did not inhibit phosphorylation of Hog1 Tyr in the phosphorylation lip, suggesting that Ptc1 does not act on Pbs2. Deletion of PTC1 also strongly affected Hog1, leading to high basal Hog1 activity and sustained Hog1 activity in response to osmotic stress, the latter being consistent with a role for Ptc1 in adaptation. In vitro, Ptc1 but not the metal binding site mutant, Ptc1D58N, inactivated Hog1 by dephosphorylating the phosphothreonine but not the phosphotyrosine residue in the phosphorylation lip. Consistent with its role as a negative regulator of Hog1, which accumulates in the nucleus upon activation, Ptc1 was found in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Thus, one function of Ptc1 is to inactivate Hog1.


2012 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting-Hsing Chao ◽  
Shih-Ya Tseng ◽  
Yi-Heng Li ◽  
Ping-Yen Liu ◽  
Chung-Lung Cho ◽  
...  

Cilostazol is an anti-platelet agent with vasodilatory activity that acts by increasing intracellular concentrations of cAMP. Recent reports have suggested that cilostazol may promote angiogenesis. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of cilostazol in promoting angiogenesis and vasculogenesis in a hindlimb ischaemia model and have also examined its potential mechanism of action in vitro and in vivo. We found that cilostazol treatment significantly increased colony formation by human early EPCs (endothelial progenitor cells) through a mechanism involving the activation of cAMP/PKA (protein kinase A), PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/Akt/eNOS (endothelial NO synthase) and ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase)/p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signalling pathways. Cilostazol also enhanced proliferation, chemotaxis, NO production and vascular tube formation in HUVECs (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) through activation of multiple signalling pathways downstream of PI3K/Akt/eNOS. Cilostazol up-regulated VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)-A165 expression and secretion of VEGF-A in HUVECs through activation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS pathway. In a mouse hindlimb ischaemia model, recovery of blood flow ratio (ipsilateral/contralateral) 14 days after surgery was significantly improved in cilostazol-treated mice (10 mg/kg of body weight) compared with vehicle-treated controls (0.63±0.07 and 0.43±0.05 respectively, P<0.05). Circulating CD34+ cells were also increased in cilostazol-treated mice (3614±670 compared with 2151±608 cells/ml, P<0.05). Expression of VEGF and phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt/eNOS and ERK/p38 MAPK in ischaemic muscles were significantly enhanced by cilostazol. Our data suggest that cilostazol produces a vasculo-angiogenic effect by up-regulating a broad signalling network that includes the ERK/p38 MAPK, VEGF-A165, PI3K/Akt/eNOS and cAMP/PKA pathways.


2008 ◽  
Vol 412 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Ekerot ◽  
Marios P. Stavridis ◽  
Laurent Delavaine ◽  
Michael P. Mitchell ◽  
Christopher Staples ◽  
...  

DUSP6 (dual-specificity phosphatase 6), also known as MKP-3 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) phosphatase-3] specifically inactivates ERK1/2 (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2) in vitro and in vivo. DUSP6/MKP-3 is inducible by FGF (fibroblast growth factor) signalling and acts as a negative regulator of ERK activity in key and discrete signalling centres that direct outgrowth and patterning in early vertebrate embryos. However, the molecular mechanism by which FGFs induce DUSP6/MKP-3 expression and hence help to set ERK1/2 signalling levels is unknown. In the present study, we demonstrate, using pharmacological inhibitors and analysis of the murine DUSP6/MKP-3 gene promoter, that the ERK pathway is critical for FGF-induced DUSP6/MKP-3 transcription. Furthermore, we show that this response is mediated by a conserved binding site for the Ets (E twenty-six) family of transcriptional regulators and that the Ets2 protein, a known target of ERK signalling, binds to the endogenous DUSP6/MKP-3 promoter. Finally, the murine DUSP6/MKP-3 promoter coupled to EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) recapitulates the specific pattern of endogenous DUSP6/MKP-3 mRNA expression in the chicken neural plate, where its activity depends on FGFR (FGF receptor) and MAPK signalling and an intact Ets-binding site. These findings identify a conserved Ets-factor-dependent mechanism by which ERK signalling activates DUSP6/MKP-3 transcription to deliver ERK1/2-specific negative-feedback control of FGF signalling.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Yanfei Du ◽  
Jun Ma ◽  
Yu Fan ◽  
Xinyu Wang ◽  
Shuzhan Zheng ◽  
...  

Fibrosis is the final common pathology of most chronic diseases as seen in the heart, liver, lung, kidney, and skin and contributes to nearly half of death in the developed countries. Fibrosis, or scarring, is mainly characterized by the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) secreted by myofibroblasts. Despite immense efforts made in the field of organ fibrosis over the past decades and considerable understanding of the occurrence and development of fibrosis gained, there is still lack of an effective treatment for fibrotic diseases. Therefore, identifying a new therapeutic strategy against organ fibrosis is an unmet clinical need. Naringenin, a flavonoid that occurs naturally in citrus fruits, has been found to confer a wide range of pharmacological effects including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer benefits and thus potentially exerting preventive and curative effects on numerous diseases. In addition, emerging evidence has revealed that naringenin can prevent the pathogenesis of fibrosis in vivo and in vitro via the regulation of various pathways that involved signaling molecules such as transforming growth factor-β1/small mother against decapentaplegic protein 3 (TGF-β1/Smad3), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), sirtuin1 (SIRT1), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), or reactive oxygen species (ROS). Targeting these profibrotic pathways by naringenin could potentially become a novel therapeutic approach for the management of fibrotic disorders. In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the antifibrotic roles of naringenin in vivo and in vitro and their underlying mechanisms of action. As a food derived compound, naringenin may serve as a promising drug candidate for the treatment of fibrotic disorders.


2000 ◽  
Vol 151 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark R. Frey ◽  
Jennifer A. Clark ◽  
Olga Leontieva ◽  
Joshua M. Uronis ◽  
Adrian R. Black ◽  
...  

Members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family of signal transduction molecules have been widely implicated in regulation of cell growth and differentiation, although the underlying molecular mechanisms involved remain poorly defined. Using combined in vitro and in vivo intestinal epithelial model systems, we demonstrate that PKC signaling can trigger a coordinated program of molecular events leading to cell cycle withdrawal into G0. PKC activation in the IEC-18 intestinal crypt cell line resulted in rapid downregulation of D-type cyclins and differential induction of p21waf1/cip1 and p27kip1, thus targeting all of the major G1/S cyclin-dependent kinase complexes. These events were associated with coordinated alterations in expression and phosphorylation of the pocket proteins p107, pRb, and p130 that drive cells to exit the cell cycle into G0 as indicated by concomitant downregulation of the DNA licensing factor cdc6. Manipulation of PKC isozyme levels in IEC-18 cells demonstrated that PKCα alone can trigger hallmark events of cell cycle withdrawal in intestinal epithelial cells. Notably, analysis of the developmental control of cell cycle regulatory molecules along the crypt–villus axis revealed that PKCα activation is appropriately positioned within intestinal crypts to trigger this program of cell cycle exit–specific events in situ. Together, these data point to PKCα as a key regulator of cell cycle withdrawal in the intestinal epithelium.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinpeng Lv ◽  
Songzhou Jiang ◽  
Ying Yang ◽  
Ximei Zhang ◽  
Rongyin Gao ◽  
...  

FGIN-1-27 is a synthetic mitochondrial diazepam binding inhibitor receptor (MDR) agonist that has demonstrated pro-apoptotic, anti-anxiety, and steroidogenic activity in various studies. Here we report, for the first time, the anti-melanogenic efficacy of FGIN-1-27 in vitro and in vivo. FGIN-1-27 significantly inhibited basal and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-, 1-Oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG)- and Endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced melanogenesis without cellular toxicity. Mushroom tyrosinase activity assay showed that FGIN-1-27 did not directly inhibit tyrosinase activity, which suggested that FGIN-1-27 was not a direct inhibitor of tyrosinase. Although it was not capable of modulating the catalytic activity of mushroom tyrosinase in vitro, FGIN-1-27 downregulated the expression levels of key proteins that function in melanogenesis. FGIN-1-27 played these functions mainly by suppressing the PKA/CREB, PKC-β, and MAPK pathways. Once inactivated, it decreased the expression of MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2, and inhibited the tyrosinase activity, finally inhibiting melanogenesis. During in vivo experiments, FGIN-1-27 inhibited the body pigmentation of zebrafish and reduced UVB-induced hyperpigmentation in guinea pig skin, but not a reduction of numbers of melanocytes. Our findings indicated that FGIN-1-27 exhibited no cytotoxicity and inhibited melanogenesis in both in vitro and in vivo models. It may prove quite useful as a safer skin-whitening agent.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna J. Sjölander ◽  
Agata Tarczykowska ◽  
Cecilia Picazo ◽  
Itziar Cossio ◽  
Itedale Namro Redwan ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Oxidation of a highly conserved cysteine (Cys) residue located in the kinase activation loop of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MAPKK) inactivates mammalian MKK6. This residue is conserved in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe MAPKK Wis1, which belongs to the H2O2-responsive MAPK Sty1 pathway. Here, we show that H2O2 reversibly inactivates Wis1 through this residue (C458) in vitro. We found that C458 is oxidized in vivo and that serine replacement of this residue significantly enhances Wis1 activation upon addition of H2O2. The allosteric MAPKK inhibitor INR119, which binds in a pocket next to the activation loop and C458, prevented the inhibition of Wis1 by H2O2 in vitro and significantly increased Wis1 activation by low levels of H2O2 in vivo. We propose that oxidation of C458 inhibits Wis1 and that INR119 cancels out this inhibitory effect by binding close to this residue. Kinase inhibition through the oxidation of a conserved Cys residue in MKK6 (C196) is thus conserved in the S. pombe MAPKK Wis1.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2899-2908 ◽  
Author(s):  
A L Jackson ◽  
P M Pahl ◽  
K Harrison ◽  
J Rosamond ◽  
R A Sclafani

Yeast Cdc7 protein kinase and Dbf4 protein are both required for the initiation of DNA replication at the G1/S phase boundary of the mitotic cell cycle. Cdc7 kinase function is stage-specific in the cell cycle, but total Cdc7 protein levels remained unchanged. Therefore, regulation of Cdc7 function appears to be the result of posttranslational modification. In this study, we have attempted to elucidate the mechanism responsible for achieving this specific execution point of Cdc7. Cdc7 kinase activity was shown to be maximal at the G1/S boundary by using either cultures synchronized with alpha factor or Cdc- mutants or with inhibitors of DNA synthesis or mitosis. Therefore, Cdc7 kinase is regulated by a posttranslational mechanism that ensures maximal Cdc7 activity at the G1/S boundary, which is consistent with Cdc7 function in the cell cycle. This cell cycle-dependent regulation could be the result of association with the Dbf4 protein. In this study, the Dbf4 protein was shown to be required for Cdc7 kinase activity in that Cdc7 kinase activity is thermolabile in vitro when extracts prepared from a temperature-sensitive dbf4 mutant grown under permissive conditions are used. In vitro reconstitution assays, in addition to employment of the two-hybrid system for protein-protein interactions, have demonstrated that the Cdc7 and Dbf4 proteins interact both in vitro and in vivo. A suppressor mutation, bob1-1, which can bypass deletion mutations in both cdc7 and dbf4 was isolated. However, the bob1-1 mutation cannot bypass all events in G1 phase because it fails to suppress temperature-sensitive cdc4 or cdc28 mutations. This indicates that the Cdc7 and Dbf4 proteins act at a common point in the cell cycle. Therefore, because of the common point of function for the two proteins and the fact that the Dbf4 protein is essential for Cdc7 function, we propose that Dbf4 may represent a cyclin-like molecule specific for the activation of Cdc7 kinase.


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