Cyclin-Dependent Kinases and CTD Phosphatases in Cell Cycle Transcriptional Control: Conservation across Eukaryotic Kingdoms and Uniqueness to Plants

Cell cycle control is vital for cell proliferation in all eukaryotic organisms. The entire cell cycle can be conceptually separated into four distinct phases, Gap 1 (G1), DNA synthesis (S), G2, and mitosis (M), which progress sequentially. The precise control of transcription, in particular, at the G1 to S and G2 to M transitions, is crucial for the synthesis of many phase-specific proteins, to ensure orderly progression throughout the cell cycle. This mini-review highlights highly conserved transcriptional regulators that are shared in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Arabidopsis thaliana model plant, and humans, which have been separated for more than a billion years of evolution. These include structurally and/or functionally conserved regulators cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain (CTD) phosphatases, and the classical versus shortcut models of Pol II transcriptional control. A few of CDKs and CTD phosphatases counteract to control the Pol II CTD Ser phosphorylation codes and are considered critical regulators of Pol II transcriptional process from initiation to elongation and termination. The functions of plant-unique CDKs and CTD phosphatases in relation to cell division are also briefly summarized. Future studies towards testing a cooperative transcriptional mechanism, which is proposed here and involves sequence-specific transcription factors and the shortcut model of Pol II CTD code modulation, across the three eukaryotic kingdoms will reveal how individual organisms achieve the most productive, large-scale transcription of phase-specific genes required for orderly progression throughout the entire cell cycle.

CDK4 and CDK6 kinases: From basic science to cancer therapy

Targeting cyclin-dependent kinases Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), in complex with their cyclin partners, modulate the transition through phases of the cell division cycle. Cyclin D–CDK complexes are important in cancer progression, especially for certain types of breast cancer. Fassl et al . discuss advances in understanding the biology of cyclin D–CDK complexes that have led to new concepts about how drugs that target these complexes induce cancer cell cytostasis and suggest possible combinations to widen the types of cancer that can be treated. They also discuss progress in overcoming resistance to cyclin D–CDK inhibitors and their possible application to diseases beyond cancer. —GKA

ALKBH5-mediated N6-methyladenosine modification of TRERNA1 promotes DLBCL proliferation via p21 downregulation

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have crucial functions in the tumorigenesis and metastasis of cancers. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of RNA is an important epigenetic regulatory mechanism in various malignancies. Nevertheless, the mechanism of m6A-modified lncRNA in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has remained poorly defined. In the present study, we showed that lncRNA TRERNA1 was associated with the poor prognosis of DLBCL patients. TRERNA1 with internal m6A modification was highly correlated with the demethylase ALKBH5 expression. We further demonstrated that TRERNA1 was a potential downstream target of ALKBH5-mediated m6A modification by m6A-RNA sequencing and m6A-RIP assays. Decreased m6A methylation of TRERNA1 regulated by ALKBH5 was shown to regulate cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. The results of mechanism analyses revealed that TRERNA1 recruited EZH2 to epigenetically silence the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinases inhibitor p21 by H3K27me3 modification of its promoter region. In addition, ALKBH5 further inhibited p21 expression. Taken together, our results elucidate the functional roles and epigenetic alterations of TRERNA1 through m6A modification in DLBCL. TRERNA1, the expression of which is upregulated by ALKBH5, acts as a scaffold that decreases p21 expression. The results of the present study provide novel targets for the diagnosis and treatment of DLBCL.

The Renaissance of Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitors

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) regulate cell cycle progression. During tumor development, altered expression and availability of CDKs strongly contribute to impaired cell proliferation, a hallmark of cancer. In recent years, targeted inhibition of CDKs has shown considerable therapeutic benefit in a variety of tumor entities. Their success is reflected in clinical approvals of specific CDK4/6 inhibitors for breast cancer. This review provides a detailed insight into the molecular mechanisms of CDKs as well as a general overview of CDK inhibition. It also summarizes the latest research approaches and current advances in the treatment of head and neck cancer with CDK inhibitors. Instead of monotherapies, combination therapies with CDK inhibitors may especially provide promising results in tumor therapy. Indeed, recent studies have shown a synergistic effect of CDK inhibition together with chemo- and radio- and immunotherapy in cancer treatment to overcome tumor evasion, which may lead to a renaissance of CDK inhibitors.

The oscillation of mitotic kinase governs cell cycle latches

SummaryIn order to transmit a eukaryotic cell’s genome accurately from mother cell to daughter cells, it is essential that the basic events of the cell division cycle (DNA synthesis and mitosis) occur once and only once per cycle, i.e., that a cell progresses irreversibly from G1 to S to G2 to M and back to G1. Irreversible progression through the cell cycle is assured by a sequence of ‘latching’ molecular switches, based on molecular interactions among cyclin-dependent kinases and their auxiliary partners. Positive feedback loops (++ or −−) create bistable switches with latching properties, and negative feedback loops drive progression from one stage to the next. In budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) these events are coordinated by double-negative feedback loops between Clb-dependent kinases (Clb1-6) and their antagonists (APC:Cdh1 and Sic1). If the coordinating signal is compromised, either by deletion of Clb1-5 proteins or expression of non-degradable Clb2, then irreversibility is lost and yeast cells exhibit multiple rounds of DNA replication or mitotic exit events (Cdc14 endocycles). Using mathematical modelling of a stripped-down control network, we show how endocycles arise because the switches fail to latch, and the gates swing back and forth by the action of the negative feedback loops.

Structural conservation of WEE1 and its role in cell cycle regulation in plants

The WEE1 kinase is ubiquitous in plant development and negatively regulates the cell cycle through phosphorylations. However, analogies with the control of the human cell cycle by tyrosine- (Tyr-) phosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are sometimes questioned. In this in silico study, we assessed the structural conservation of the WEE1 protein in the plant kingdom with a particular focus on agronomically valuable plants, the legume crops. We analyzed the phylogenetic distribution of amino-acid sequences among a large number of plants by Bayesian analysis that highlighted the general conservation of WEE1 proteins. A detailed sequence analysis confirmed the catalytic potential of WEE1 proteins in plants. However, some substitutions of an arginine and a glutamate at the entrance of the catalytic pocket, illustrated by 3D structure predictions, challenged the specificity of this protein toward the substrate and Tyr-phosphorylation compared to the human WEE1. The structural differences, which could be responsible for the loss of specificity between human and plants, are highlighted and suggest the involvement of plant WEE1 in more cell regulation processes.

Adamantane-Substituted Purines and Their β-Cyclodextrin Complexes: Synthesis and Biological Activity

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play an important role in the cell-division cycle. Synthetic inhibitors of CDKs are based on 2,6,9-trisubstituted purines and are developed as potential anticancer drugs; however, they have low solubility in water. In this study, we proved that the pharmaco-chemical properties of purine-based inhibitors can be improved by appropriate substitution with the adamantane moiety. We prepared ten new purine derivatives with adamantane skeletons that were linked at position 6 using phenylene spacers of variable geometry and polarity. We demonstrated that the adamantane skeleton does not compromise the biological activity, and some of the new purines displayed even higher inhibition activity towards CDK2/cyclin E than the parental compounds. These findings were supported by a docking study, which showed an adamantane scaffold inside the binding pocket participating in the complex stabilisation with non-polar interactions. In addition, we demonstrated that β-cyclodextrin (CD) increases the drug’s solubility in water, although this is at the cost of reducing the biochemical and cellular effect. Most likely, the drug concentration, which is necessary for target engagement, was decreased by competitive drug binding within the complex with β-CD.

Conserved Mitotic Phosphorylation of a Proteasome Subunit Regulates Cell Proliferation

Reversible phosphorylation has emerged as an important mechanism for regulating proteasome function in various physiological processes. Essentially all proteasome phosphorylations characterized thus far occur on proteasome holoenzyme or subcomplexes to regulate substrate degradation. Here, we report a highly conserved phosphorylation that only exists on the unassembled α5 subunit of the proteasome. The modified residue, α5-Ser16, is within a SP motif typically recognized by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs). Using a phospho-specific antibody generated against this site, we found that α5-S16 phosphorylation is mitosis-specific in both yeast and mammalian cells. Blocking this site with a S16A mutation caused growth defect and G2/M arrest of the cell cycle. α5-S16 phosphorylation depends on CDK1 activity and is highly abundant in some but not all mitotic cells. Immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry (IP-MS) studies identified numerous proteins that could interact with phosphorylated α5, including PLK1, a key regulator of mitosis. α5–PLK1 interaction increased upon mitosis and could be facilitated by S16 phosphorylation. CDK1 activation downstream of PLK1 activity was delayed in S16A mutant cells, suggesting an important role of α5-S16 phosphorylation in regulating PLK1 and mitosis. These data have revealed an unappreciated function of “exo-proteasome” phosphorylation of a proteasome subunit and may bring new insights to our understanding of cell cycle control.