Localization of spindle checkpoint proteins in cells undergoing mitosis with unreplicated genomes

CHO cells can be arrested with hydoxyurea at the beginning of the DNA synthesis phase of the cell cycle. Subsequent treatment with the xanthine, caffeine, induces cells to bypass the S-phase checkpoint and enter unscheduled mitosis [Schlegel and Pardee,1986, Science 232:1264-1266]. These treated cells build a normal spindle and distribute kinetochores, unattached to chromosomes, to their daughter cells [Brinkley et al.,1988, Nature 336:251-254; Zinkowski et al.,1991, J Cell Biol 113:1091-1110; Wise and Brinkley,1997, Cell Motil Cytoskeleton 36:291-302; Balczon et al.,2003, Chromosoma 112:96-102]. To investigate how these cells distribute kinetochores to daughter cells, we analyzed the spindle checkpoint components, Mad2, CENP-E, and the 3F3 phosphoepitope, using immunofluorescence and digital microscopy. Even though the kinetochores were unpaired and DNA was fragmented, the tension, alignment, and motor components of the checkpoint were found to be present and localized as predicted in prometaphase and metaphase. This unusual mitosis proves that a cell can successfully localize checkpoint proteins and divide even when kinetochores are unpaired and fragmented.     

The spindle assembly checkpoint: preventing chromosome mis-segregation during mitosis and meiosis

Aneuploidy is a common feature of many cancers, suggesting that genomic stability is essential to prevent tumorigenesis. Also, during meiosis, chromosome non-disjunction produces gamete imbalance and when fertilized result in developmental arrest or severe birth defects. The spindle assembly checkpoint prevents chromosome mis-segregation during both mitosis and meiosis. In mitosis, this control system monitors kinetochore-microtubule attachment while in meiosis its role is still unclear. Interestingly, recent data suggest that defects in the spindle assembly checkpoint are unlikely to cause cancer development but might facilitate tumour progression. However, in meiosis a weakened checkpoint could contribute to age-related aneuploidy found in humans.     

Releasing the spindle assembly checkpoint without tension

Proteins of the Bcl-2 family are critical regulators of apoptosis, but how its BH3-only members activate the essential effectors Bax and Bak remains controversial. The indirect activation model suggests that they simply must neutralize all of the prosurvival Bcl-2 family members, whereas the direct activation model proposes that Bim and Bid must activate Bax and Bak directly. As numerous in vitro studies have not resolved this issue, we have investigated Bim''s activity in vivo by a genetic approach. Because the BH3 domain determines binding specificity for Bcl-2 relatives, we generated mice having the Bim BH3 domain replaced by that of Bad, Noxa, or Puma. The mutants bound the expected subsets of prosurvival relatives but lost interaction with Bax. Analysis of the mice showed that Bim''s proapoptotic activity is not solely caused by its ability to engage its prosurvival relatives or solely to its binding to Bax. Thus, initiation of apoptosis in vivo appears to require features of both models.     

AKAP95 interacts with nucleoporin TPR in mitosis and is important for the spindle assembly checkpoint

Faithful chromosome segregation during mitosis relies on a proofreading mechanism that monitors proper kinetochore-microtubule attachments. The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is based on the concerted action of numerous components that maintain a repressive signal inhibiting transition into anaphase until all chromosomes are attached. Here we show that A-Kinase Anchoring Protein 95 (AKAP95) is necessary for proper SAC function. AKAP95-depleted HeLa cells show micronuclei formed from lagging chromosomes at mitosis. Using a BioID proximity-based proteomic screen, we identify the nuclear pore complex protein TPR as a novel AKAP95 binding partner. We show interaction between AKAP95 and TPR in mitosis, and an AKAP95-dependent enrichment of TPR in the spindle microtubule area in metaphase, then later in the spindle midzone area. AKAP95-depleted cells display faster prometaphase to anaphase transition, escape from nocodazole-induced mitotic arrest and show a partial delocalization from kinetochores of the SAC component MAD1. Our results demonstrate an involvement of AKAP95 in proper SAC function likely through its interaction with TPR.     

Microtubules do not promote mitotic slippage when the spindle assembly checkpoint cannot be satisfied

When the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) cannot be satisfied, cells exit mitosis via mitotic slippage. In microtubule (MT) poisons, slippage requires cyclin B proteolysis, and it appears to be accelerated in drug concentrations that allow some MT assembly. To determine if MTs accelerate slippage, we followed mitosis in human RPE-1 cells exposed to various spindle poisons. At 37°C, the duration of mitosis in nocodazole, colcemid, or vinblastine concentrations that inhibit MT assembly varied from 20 to 30 h, revealing that different MT poisons differentially depress the cyclin B destruction rate during slippage. The duration of mitosis in Eg5 inhibitors, which induce monopolar spindles without disrupting MT dynamics, was the same as in cells lacking MTs. Thus, in the presence of numerous unattached kinetochores, MTs do not accelerate slippage. Finally, compared with cells lacking MTs, exit from mitosis is accelerated over a range of spindle poison concentrations that allow MT assembly because the SAC becomes satisfied on abnormal spindles and not because slippage is accelerated.     

A spindle checkpoint functions during mitosis in the early Caenorhabditis elegans embryo

During mitosis, chromosome segregation is regulated by a spindle checkpoint mechanism. This checkpoint delays anaphase until all kinetochores are captured by microtubules from both spindle poles, chromosomes congress to the metaphase plate, and the tension between kinetochores and their attached microtubules is properly sensed. Although the spindle checkpoint can be activated in many different cell types, the role of this regulatory mechanism in rapidly dividing embryonic animal cells has remained controversial. Here, using time-lapse imaging of live embryonic cells, we show that chemical or mutational disruption of the mitotic spindle in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos delays progression through mitosis. By reducing the function of conserved checkpoint genes in mutant embryos with defective mitotic spindles, we show that these delays require the spindle checkpoint. In the absence of a functional checkpoint, more severe defects in chromosome segregation are observed in mutants with abnormal mitotic spindles. We also show that the conserved kinesin CeMCAK, the CENP-F-related proteins HCP-1 and HCP-2, and the core kinetochore protein CeCENP-C all are required for this checkpoint. Our analysis indicates that spindle checkpoint mechanisms are functional in the rapidly dividing cells of an early animal embryo and that this checkpoint can prevent chromosome segregation defects during mitosis.     

Cdh1 is an antagonist of the spindle assembly checkpoint

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) monitors unsatisfied connections of microtubules to kinetochores and prevents anaphase onset by inhibition of the ubiquitin ligase E3 anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C) in association with the activator Cdc20. Another APC/C activator, Cdh1, exists permanently throughout the cell cycle but it becomes active from telophase to G1. Here, we show that Cdh1 is partially active and mediates securin degradation even in SAC-active metaphase cells. Additionally, Cdh1 mediates Cdc20 degradation in metaphase, promoting formation of the APC/C-Cdh1. These results indicate that Cdh1 opposes the SAC and promotes anaphase transition.     

The spindle checkpoint: tension versus attachment

The spindle checkpoint ensures the fidelity of chromosome segregation by preventing cell-cycle progression until all the chromosomes make proper bipolar attachments to the mitotic spindle and come under tension. Despite significant advances in our understanding of spindle checkpoint function, the primary signal that activates the spindle checkpoint remains unclear. Whereas some experiments indicate that the checkpoint recognizes the lack of microtubule attachment to the kinetochore, others indicate that the checkpoint senses the absence of tension generated on the kinetochore by microtubules. The interdependence between tension and microtubule attachment make it difficult to determine whether these signals are separable. In this article (which is part of the Chromosome Segregation and Aneuploidy series), we consider recent evidence that supports and opposes the hypothesis that defects in tension act as the primary checkpoint signal.     

BRCA1 is required for meiotic spindle assembly and spindle assembly checkpoint activation in mouse oocytes

BRCA1 as a tumor suppressor has been widely investigated in mitosis, but its functions in meiosis are unclear. In the present study, we examined the expression, localization, and function of BRCA1 during mouse oocyte meiotic maturation. We found that expression level of BRCA1 was increased progressively from germinal vesicle to metaphase I stage, and then remained stable until metaphase II stage. Immunofluorescent analysis showed that BRCA1 was localized to the spindle poles at metaphase I and metaphase II stages, colocalizing with centrosomal protein gamma-tubulin. Taxol treatment resulted in the presence of BRCA1 onto the spindle microtubule fibers, whereas nocodazole treatment induced the localization of BRCA1 onto the chromosomes. Depletion of BRCA1 by both antibody injection and siRNA injection caused severely impaired spindles and misaligned chromosomes. Furthermore, BRCA1-depleted oocytes could not arrest at the metaphase I in the presence of low-dose nocodazole, suggesting that the spindle checkpoint is defective. Also, in BRCA1-depleted oocytes, gamma-tubulin dissociated from spindle poles and MAD2L1 failed to rebind to the kinetochores when exposed to nocodazole at metaphase I stage. Collectively, these data indicate that BRCA1 regulates not only meiotic spindle assembly, but also spindle assembly checkpoint, implying a link between BRCA1 deficiency and aneuploid embryos.     

Kinetochore stretching inactivates the spindle assembly checkpoint

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) monitors the attachment of microtubules to the kinetochore and inhibits anaphase when microtubule binding is incomplete. The SAC might also respond to tension; however, how cells can sense tension and whether its detection is important to satisfy the SAC remain controversial. We generated a HeLa cell line in which two components of the kinetochore, centromere protein A and Mis12, are labeled with green and red fluorophores, respectively. Live cell imaging of these cells reveals repetitive cycles of kinetochore extension and recoiling after biorientation. Under conditions in which kinetochore stretching is suppressed, cells fail to silence the SAC and enter anaphase after a delay, regardless of centromere stretching. Monitoring cyclin B levels as a readout for anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome activity, we find that suppression of kinetochore stretching delays and decelerates cyclin B degradation. These observations suggest that the SAC monitors stretching of kinetochores rather than centromeres and that kinetochore stretching promotes silencing of the SAC signal.     

The spindle assembly checkpoint is not essential for CSF arrest of mouse oocytes

In Xenopus oocytes, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) kinase Bub1 is required for cytostatic factor (CSF)-induced metaphase arrest in meiosis II. To investigate whether matured mouse oocytes are kept in metaphase by a SAC-mediated inhibition of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) complex, we injected a dominant-negative Bub1 mutant (Bub1dn) into mouse oocytes undergoing meiosis in vitro. Passage through meiosis I was accelerated, but even though the SAC was disrupted, injected oocytes still arrested at metaphase II. Bub1dn-injected oocytes released from CSF and treated with nocodazole to disrupt the second meiotic spindle proceeded into interphase, whereas noninjected control oocytes remained arrested at metaphase. Similar results were obtained using dominant-negative forms of Mad2 and BubR1, as well as checkpoint resistant dominant APC/C activating forms of Cdc20. Thus, SAC proteins are required for checkpoint functions in meiosis I and II, but, in contrast to frog eggs, the SAC is not required for establishing or maintaining the CSF arrest in mouse oocytes.     

Deficient spindle assembly checkpoint in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological disease characterized by an abnormal accumulation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. These cells have frequent cytogenetic abnormalities including translocations of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and chromosomal gains and losses. In fact, a singular characteristic differentiating MM from other hematological malignancies is the presence of a high degree of aneuploidies. As chromosomal abnormalities can be generated by alterations in the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), the functionality of such checkpoint was tested in MM. When SAC components were analyzed in MM cell lines, the RNA levels of most of them were conserved. Nevertheless, the protein content of some key constituents was very low in several cell lines, as was the case of MAD2 or CDC20 in RPMI-8226 or RPMI-LR5 cells. The recovery of their cellular content did not substantially affect cell growth, but improved their ability to segregate chromosomes. Finally, SAC functionality was tested by challenging cells with agents disrupting microtubule dynamics. Most of the cell lines analyzed exhibited functional defects in this checkpoint. Based on the data obtained, alterations both in SAC components and their functionality have been detected in MM, pointing to this pathway as a potential target in MM treatment.     

The fission yeast dma1 gene is a component of the spindle assembly checkpoint, required to prevent septum formation and premature exit from mitosis if spindle function is compromised.

Premature initiation of cytokinesis can lead to loss of chromosomes, and 'cutting' of the nucleus. Therefore, the proper spatial and temporal co-ordination of mitosis and cytokinesis is essential for maintaining the integrity of the genome. The fission yeast cdc16 gene is implicated both in the spindle assembly checkpoint and control of septum formation. To identify other proteins involved in these controls, we have isolated multicopy suppressors of the cdc16-116 mutation, and the characterization of one of these, dma1 (defective in mitotic arrest), is presented here. dma1 is not an essential gene, but in a dma1 null background (dma1-D1) the function of the spindle assembly checkpoint is compromised. If assembly of the spindle is prevented, dma1-D1 cells do not arrest, the activity of cdc2 kinase decays and cells form a division septum without completing a normal mitosis. dma1-D1 cells also show an increased rate of chromosome loss during exponential growth. Upon ectopic expression from an inducible promoter, dma1p delays progress through mitosis and inhibits septum formation, giving rise to elongated, multinucleate cells. We propose that dma1 is a component of the spindle assembly checkpoint, required to prevent septum formation and premature exit from mitosis if spindle function is impaired.     

In-silico modeling of the mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint

Background

The Mitotic Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (^MSAC) is an evolutionary conserved mechanism that ensures the correct segregation of chromosomes by restraining cell cycle progression from entering anaphase until all chromosomes have made proper bipolar attachments to the mitotic spindle. Its malfunction can lead to cancer.

Principle Findings

We have constructed and validated for the human ^MSAC mechanism an in silico dynamical model, integrating 11 proteins and complexes. The model incorporates the perspectives of three central control pathways, namely Mad1/Mad2 induced Cdc20 sequestering based on the Template Model, MCC formation, and APC inhibition. Originating from the biochemical reactions for the underlying molecular processes, non-linear ordinary differential equations for the concentrations of 11 proteins and complexes of the ^MSAC are derived. Most of the kinetic constants are taken from literature, the remaining four unknown parameters are derived by an evolutionary optimization procedure for an objective function describing the dynamics of the APC:Cdc20 complex. MCC:APC dissociation is described by two alternatives, namely the “Dissociation” and the “Convey” model variants. The attachment of the kinetochore to microtubuli is simulated by a switching parameter silencing those reactions which are stopped by the attachment. For both, the Dissociation and the Convey variants, we compare two different scenarios concerning the microtubule attachment dependent control of the dissociation reaction. Our model is validated by simulation of ten perturbation experiments.

Conclusion

Only in the controlled case, our models show ^MSAC behaviour at meta- to anaphase transition in agreement with experimental observations. Our simulations revealed that for ^MSAC activation, Cdc20 is not fully sequestered; instead APC is inhibited by MCC binding.     

Intrakinetochore stretch is associated with changes in kinetochore phosphorylation and spindle assembly checkpoint activity

Cells have evolved a signaling pathway called the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) to increase the fidelity of chromosome segregation by generating a “wait anaphase” signal until all chromosomes are properly aligned within the mitotic spindle. It has been proposed that tension generated by the stretch of the centromeric chromatin of bioriented chromosomes stabilizes kinetochore microtubule attachments and turns off SAC activity. Although biorientation clearly causes stretching of the centromeric chromatin, it is unclear whether the kinetochore is also stretched. To test whether intrakinetochore stretch occurs and is involved in SAC regulation, we developed a Drosophila melanogaster S2 cell line expressing centromere identifier–mCherry and Ndc80–green fluorescent protein to mark the inner and outer kinetochore domains, respectively. We observed stretching within kinetochores of bioriented chromosomes by monitoring both inter- and intrakinetochore distances in live cell assays. This intrakinetochore stretch is largely independent of a 30-fold variation in centromere stretch. Furthermore, loss of intrakinetochore stretch is associated with enhancement of 3F3/2 phosphorylation and SAC activation.     

Skp2 is required for Aurora B activation in cell mitosis and spindle checkpoint

The Aurora B kinase plays a critical role in cell mitosis and spindle checkpoint. Here, we showed that the ubiquitin E3-ligase protein Skp2, also as a cell-cycle regulatory protein, was required for the activation of Aurora B and its downstream protein. When we restored Skp2 knockdown Hela cells with Skp2 and Skp2-LRR E3 ligase dead mutant we found that Skp2 could rescue the defect in the activation of Aurora B, but the mutant failed to do so. Furthermore, we discovered that Skp2 could interact with Aurora B and trigger Aurora B Lysine (K) 63-linked ubiquitination. Finally, we demonstrated the essential role of Skp2 in cell mitosis progression and spindle checkpoint, which was Aurora B dependent. Our results identified a novel ubiquitinated substrate of Skp2, and also indicated that Aurora B ubiquitination might serve as an important event for Aurora B activation in cell mitosis and spindle checkpoint.     

The current view for the silencing of the spindle assembly checkpoint

Chromosome bipolar attachment is achieved when sister kinetochores are attached by microtubules emanating from opposite spindle poles, and this process is essential for faithful chromosome segregation during anaphase. A fundamental question in cell biology is how cells ensure that chromosome segregation only occurs after bipolar attachment. It is well documented that unattached kinetochores activate the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) to delay chromosome segregation. Therefore, the silencing of the SAC is thought to trigger anaphase onset, but how correct chromosome attachment is coupled with SAC silencing and the subsequent anaphase onset is poorly understood. The establishment of chromosome bipolar attachment not only results in the occupancy of kinetochores by microtubules but also applies tension on sister kinetochores. A long-standing debate is whether the kinetochore attachment (occupancy) or the tension silences the SAC. Recent work in budding yeast reveals the SAC silencing network SSN that prevents SAC silencing prior to tension generation at kinetochores. Therefore, this signaling pathway ensures that SAC silencing and the subsequent anaphase onset occur only after chromosome bipolar attachment applies tension on chromosomes. This review will summarize the recent advances in the understanding of the SAC silencing process.