Cyclin E in centrosome duplication and reduplication in sea urchin zygotes

When protein synthesis is completely blocked from before fertilization, the sea urchin zygote arrests in first S phase and the paternal centrosome reduplicates multiple times. However, when protein synthesis is blocked starting in prophase of first mitosis, the zygote divides and the blastomeres arrest in a G1-like state. The centrosome inherited from this mitosis duplicates only once in each blastomere for reasons that are not understood. The late G1 rise in cyclin E/cdk2 kinase activity initiates centrosome duplication in mammalian cells and its activity is needed for centrosome duplication in Xenopus egg extracts. Since the half-time for cyclin E turnover is normally approximately 1 h in sea urchin zygotes, the different behaviors of centrosomes during G1 and S phase arrests could be due to differential losses of cyclin E and its associated kinase activities at these two arrest points. To better understand the mechanisms that limit centrosome duplication, we characterize the levels of cyclin E and its associated kinase activity at the S phase and G1 arrest points. We first demonstrate that cyclin E/cdk2 kinase activity is required for centrosome duplication and reduplication in sea urchin zygotes. Next we find that cyclin E levels and cyclin E/cdk2 kinase activities are both constitutively and equivalently elevated during both the S phase and G1 arrests. This indicates that centrosome duplication during the G1 arrest is limited by a block to reduplication under conditions permissive for duplication. The cytoplasmic conditions of S phase, however, abrogate this block to reduplication.     

Intrinsic and cyclin-dependent kinase-dependent control of spindle pole body duplication in budding yeast

Centrosome duplication must be tightly controlled so that duplication occurs only once each cell cycle. Accumulation of multiple centrosomes can result in the assembly of a multipolar spindle and lead to chromosome mis-segregation and genomic instability. In metazoans, a centrosome-intrinsic mechanism prevents reduplication until centriole disengagement. Mitotic cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) prevent reduplication of the budding yeast centrosome, called a spindle pole body (SPB), in late S-phase and G2/M, but the mechanism remains unclear. How SPB reduplication is prevented early in the cell cycle is also not understood. Here we show that, similar to metazoans, an SPB-intrinsic mechanism prevents reduplication early in the cell cycle. We also show that mitotic cyclins can inhibit SPB duplication when expressed before satellite assembly in early G1, but not later in G1, after the satellite had assembled. Moreover, electron microscopy revealed that SPBs do not assemble a satellite in cells expressing Clb2 in early G1. Finally, we demonstrate that Clb2 must localize to the cytoplasm in order to inhibit SPB duplication, suggesting the possibility for direct CDK inhibition of satellite components. These two mechanisms, intrinsic and extrinsic control by CDK, evoke two-step system that prevents SPB reduplication throughout the cell cycle.     

The mouse Mps1p-like kinase regulates centrosome duplication.

The yeast Mps1p protein kinase acts in centrosome duplication and the spindle assembly checkpoint. We demonstrate here that a mouse Mps1p ortholog (esk, which we designate mMps1p) regulates centrosome duplication. Endogenous mMps1p and overexpressed GFP-mMps1p localize to centrosomes and kinetochores in mouse cells. Overexpression of GFP-mMps1p causes reduplication of centrosomes during S phase arrest. In contrast, a kinase-deficient mutant blocks centrosome duplication altogether. Control of centrosome duplication by mMps1p requires a known regulator of the process, Cdk2. Inhibition of Cdk2 prevents centrosome reduplication and destabilizes mMps1p, causing its subsequent loss from centrosomes, suggesting that Cdk2 promotes mMps1p's centrosome duplication function by regulating its stability during S phase. Thus, mMps1p, an in vitro Cdk2 substrate, regulates centrosome duplication jointly with Cdk2.     

Temporal and spatial control of nucleophosmin by the Ran-Crm1 complex in centrosome duplication

Centrosome duplication is tightly controlled during faithful cell division, and unnecessary reduplication can lead to supernumerary centrosomes and multipolar spindles that are associated with most human cancer cells. In addition to nucleocytoplasmic transport, the Ran-Crm1 network is involved in regulating centrosome duplication to ensure the formation of a bipolar spindle. Here, we discover that nucleophosmin (NPM) may be a Ran-Crm1 substrate that controls centrosome duplication. NPM contains a functional nuclear export signal (NES) that is responsible for both its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and its association with centrosomes, which are Ran-Crm1-dependent as they are sensitive to Crm1-specific nuclear export inhibition, either by leptomycin B (LMB) or by the expression of a Ran-binding protein, RanBP1. Notably, LMB treatment induces premature centrosome duplication in quiescent cells, which coincides with NPM dissociation from centrosomes. Moreover, deficiency of NPM by RNA interference results in supernumerary centrosomes, which can be reversed by reintroducing wild-type but not NES-mutated NPM. Mutation of a potential proline-dependent kinase phosphorylation site at residue 95, from threonine to aspartic acid (T95D) within the NES motif, abolishes NPM association and inhibition of centrosome duplication. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the Ran-Crm1 complex may promote a local enrichment of NPM on centrosomes, thereby preventing centrosome reduplication.     

Licensing of Yeast Centrosome Duplication Requires Phosphoregulation of Sfi1

Duplication of centrosomes once per cell cycle is essential for bipolar spindle formation and genome maintenance and is controlled in part by cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks). Our study identifies Sfi1, a conserved component of centrosomes, as the first Cdk substrate required to restrict centrosome duplication to once per cell cycle. We found that reducing Cdk1 phosphorylation by changing Sfi1 phosphorylation sites to nonphosphorylatable residues leads to defects in separation of duplicated spindle pole bodies (SPBs, yeast centrosomes) and to inappropriate SPB reduplication during mitosis. These cells also display defects in bipolar spindle assembly, chromosome segregation, and growth. Our findings lead to a model whereby phosphoregulation of Sfi1 by Cdk1 has the dual function of promoting SPB separation for spindle formation and preventing premature SPB duplication. In addition, we provide evidence that the protein phosphatase Cdc14 has the converse role of activating licensing, likely via dephosphorylation of Sfi1.     

Preventing the degradation of mps1 at centrosomes is sufficient to cause centrosome reduplication in human cells

Supernumerary centrosomes promote the assembly of abnormal mitotic spindles in many human tumors. In human cells, overexpression of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)2 partner cyclin A during a prolonged S phase produces extra centrosomes, called centrosome reduplication. Cdk2 activity protects the Mps1 protein kinase from proteasome-mediated degradation, and we demonstrate here that Mps1 mediates cyclin A-dependent centrosome reduplication. Overexpression of cyclin A or a brief proteasome inhibition increases the centrosomal levels of Mps1, whereas depletion of Cdk2 leads to the proteasome-dependent loss of Mps1 from centrosomes only. When a Cdk2 phosphorylation site within Mps1 (T468) is mutated to alanine, Mps1 cannot accumulate at centrosomes or participate in centrosome duplication. In contrast, phosphomimetic mutations at T468 or deletion of the region surrounding T468 prevent the proteasome-dependent removal of Mps1 from centrosomes in the absence of Cdk2 activity. Moreover, cyclin A-dependent centrosome reduplication requires Mps1, and these stabilizing Mps1 mutations cause centrosome reduplication, bypassing cyclin A. Together, our data demonstrate that the region surrounding T468 contains a motif that regulates the accumulation of Mps1 at centrosomes. We suggest that phosphorylation of T468 attenuates the degradation of Mps1 at centrosomes and that preventing this degradation is necessary and sufficient to cause centrosome reduplication in human cells.     

Parthenogenesis in Xenopus eggs injected with centrosomes from synchronized human lymphoid cells

In Xenopus eggs, normal development requires the participation of the centrosome provided by the sperm. Injection of foreign centrosomes purified from exponentially growing mammalian cells enables the eggs to undertake parthenogenesis. In order to know whether such a complementation required centrosomes already committed to duplication, we have prepared centrosomes from human cells synchronized at different stages of the cell cycle (G0, G1, G2). We show that the three types of centrosome possess a similar parthenogenetic activity and conclude that duplication of heterologous centrosome can be triggered in Xenopus eggs.     

The centrosome in normal and transformed cells

The centrosome is a unique organelle that functions as the microtubule organizing center in most animal cells. During cell division, the centrosomes form the poles of the bipolar mitotic spindle. In addition, the centrosomes are also needed for cytokinesis. Each mammalian somatic cell typically contains one centrosome, which is duplicated in coordination with DNA replication. Just like the chromosomes, the centrosome is precisely reproduced once and only once during each cell cycle. However, it remains a mystery how this protein-based structure undergoes accurate duplication in a semiconservative manner. Intriguingly, amplification of the centrosome has been found in numerous forms of cancers. Cells with multiple centrosomes tend to form multipolar spindles, which result in abnormal chromosome segregation during mitosis. It has therefore been postulated that centrosome aberration may compromise the fidelity of cell division and cause chromosome instability. Here we review the current understanding of how the centrosome is assembled and duplicated. We also discuss the possible mechanisms by which centrosome abnormality contributes to the development of malignant phenotype.     

Involvement of a centrosomal protein kendrin in the maintenance of centrosome cohesion by modulating Nek2A kinase activity

Centrosome cycle is strictly coordinated with chromosome duplication cycle to ensure the faithful segregation of chromosomes. Centrosome duplication occurs from the beginning of S phase, and the duplicated centrosomes are held together by centrosome cohesion to function as a single microtubule organizing center during interphase. At late G2 phase centrosome cohesion is disassembled by Nek2A kinase-mediated phosphorylation and, as a consequence, centrosomes are split and constitute spindle poles in mitosis. It has been reported that depletion of a centrosomal protein kendrin (also named pericentrin) induces premature centrosome splitting in interphase, however, it remains unknown how kendrin contributes to the maintenance of centrosome cohesion. Here we show that kendrin associates with Nek2A kinase, which exhibits considerably low activity. Nek2A kinase activity is inhibited in vitro by addition of the Nek2A-binding region of kendrin in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, ectopic expression of the same region decreases the number of the cells with split centrosomes at late G2 phase. Taken together, these results suggest that kendrin anchors Nek2A and suppresses its kinase activity at the centrosomes, and thus, is involved in the mechanism to prevent premature centrosome splitting during interphase.     

Asymmetric localization of the CDC25B phosphatase to the mother centrosome during interphase

The Cyclin-Dependent Kinase (CDK)-activating phosphatase CDC25B, localises to the centrosomes where its activity is both positively and negatively regulated by several kinases including Aurora A and CHK1. Our recent data also demonstrate a role for CDC25B in the centrosome duplication cycle and microtubule nucleation in interphase that appears to involve the recruitment of γ-tubulin to the centrosomes. In the present study, we report that CDC25B, along with CHK1, CDK1 and WEE1, localise asymmetrically around the mother centrosome from S to G2-phases, and gradually become evenly distributed to the two centrosomes by late G2 phase, concomitant with centrosome maturation. We further demonstrate that siRNA inhibition of CDC25B results in an accumulation of cells in G2 phase with two separated centrosomes, each containing only a single centriole, suggesting a requirement for CDC25B in centriole duplication. We propose that the localisation of key cell cycle regulators to the mother centrosome ensures synchrony between the centrosome duplication and cell division cycles.     

HOPS is an essential constituent of centrosome assembly

Centrosomes direct microtubule organization during cell division. Aberrant number of centrosomes results from alteration of its components and leads to abnormal mitoses and chromosome instability. HOPS is a newly discovered protein isolated during liver regeneration, implicated in cell proliferation. Here, we provide evidence that HOPS is an integral constituent of centrosomes. HOPS is associated with classical markers of centrosomes and found in cytosolic complexes containing CRM-1, γ-tubulin, eEF-1A and HSP70. These features suggest that HOPS is involved in centrosome assembly and maintenance. HOPS depletion generates supernumerary centrosomes, multinucleated cells and multipolar spindle formation leading to activation of p53 checkpoint and cell cycle arrest. The presence of HOPS in cytosolic complexes supports that centrosome proteins might be preassembled in the cytoplasm to then be rapidly recruited for centrosome duplication. Altogether these data show HOPS implication in the control of cell division. HOPS contribution appears relevant to understand genomic instability and centrosome amplification in cancer.     

A role for PML3 in centrosome duplication and genome stability

The promyelocytic leukemia gene (PML), which is disrupted by the chromosomal translocation t(15;17) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), encodes a multifunctional protein involved in several important cellular functions. Herein, we demonstrate that PML is localized to centrosomes and that PML deficiency leads to centrosome amplification. By using PML isoform-specific antibodies, we found PML3-specific association with the centrosome and the pole of the mitotic spindle. PML3 deficiency leads to dysregulation of the centrosome duplication checkpoint. Furthermore, PML3 physically interacts with Aurora A and regulates its kinase activity. Specific knockdown of PML3 activates Cdk2/cyclin kinase activity. The results of this study implicate a direct role for PML3 in the control of centrosome duplication through suppression of Aurora A activation to prevent centrosome reduplication.     

Loading and Unloading: Orchestrating Centrosome Duplication and Spindle Assembly by Ran/Crm1

The cell cycle is an intricate process of DNA replication and cell division thatconcludes with the formation of two genetically equivalent daughter cells. In thisprogression, the centrosome is duplicated once and only once during the G1/S transitionto produce the bipolar spindle and ensure proper chromosome segregation. The presenceof multiple centrosomes in cancer cells suggests that this process is mis-regulated duringcarcinogenesis. This suggests that certain factors exist that license the progression ofcentrosome duplication and serve to inhibit further duplications during a single cell cycle.Recent studies suggest that the Ran/Crm1 complex not only regulates nucleocytoplasmictransport but is also independently involved in mitotic spindle assembly. Factors that arecapable of interacting with Ran/Crm1 through their nuclear export sequences, such ascyclins/cdks, p53 and Brca1/2, may potentially function as centrosome checkpoints akinto the G1/S and G2/M checkpoints of the cell cycle. Our recent findings indicate thatnucleophosmin, a protein whose trafficking is mediated by the Ran/Crm1 network, is oneof such checkpoint factors for maintaining proper centrosome duplication. We proposethat Ran/Crm1 may act as a ‘loading dock’ to coordinate various checkpoint factors inregulating the fidelity of centrosome duplication during cell cycle progression, and thedisruption of these processes may lead to genomic instability and an acceleration ofoncogenesis.     

Radiation-induced centrosome overduplication and multiple mitotic spindles in human tumor cells

The centrosome is a highly regulated organelle and its proper duplication is indispensable for the formation of bipolar mitotic spindles and balanced chromosome segregation. To elucidate a possible linkage between centrosome duplication and radiation-induced nuclear damage, we examined centrosome dynamics in U2-OS osteosarcoma cells following gamma-irradiation. Nearly all control cells contained one or two centrosomes, and at mitosis more than 97% of the cells displayed typical bipolar spindles. In contrast, over 20% of cells at 48 h after 10 Gy gamma-irradiation contained more than two centrosomes, and 60% of the mitotic cells showed aberrant spindles organized by multiple poles. Remarkably, the cells with multiple centrosomes frequently exhibited changes in size and/or morphology of the nucleus, including micronuclei formation. We conclude that abnormal centrosome duplication could be one of the key events involved in nuclear fragmentation and perhaps even cell death following irradiation.     

A Mammalian In Vitro Centriole Duplication System: Evidence for Involvement of CDK2/Cyclin E and Nucleophosmin/B23 in Centrosome Duplication

Centrosome duplication in mammalian cells is a highly regulated process, occurs in coordination of other cell cycle events. However, molecular exploration of this important cellular process had been difficult due to unavailability of a simple assay system. Here, using centrosomes loosely associated with nuclei isolated from cultured cells, we developed a cell-free centriole (duplication unit of the centrosome) duplication system: unduplicated centrosomes bound to the nuclei are able to undergo duplication in the presence of G1/S extracts. We show that the ability of G1/S extracts to induce centriole duplication in vitro depends on the presence of active CDK2/cyclin E. It has been shown that dissociation of centrosomal nucleophosmin (NPM)/B23 triggered by CDK2/cyclin E-mediated phosphorylation is required for initiation of centrosome duplication. We show that centriole duplication is blocked when nuclei were preincubated with the anti-NPM/B23 antibody that prevents phosphorylation of NPM/B23 by CDK2/cyclin E. These studies provide not only direct evidence for the requirement of CDK2/cyclin E and phosphorylation of NPM/B23 for centrosomes to initiate duplication, but a valuable experimental system for further exploration of the molecular regulation of centrosome duplication in somatic cells of higher animals.     

A mammalian in vitro centriole duplication system: evidence for involvement of CDK2/cyclin E and nucleophosmin/B23 in centrosome duplication

Centrosome duplication in mammalian cells is a highly regulated process, occurs in coordination of other cell cycle events. However, molecular exploration of this important cellular process had been difficult due to unavailability of a simple assay system. Here, using centrosomes loosely associated with nuclei isolated from cultured cells, we developed a cell-free centriole (duplication unit of the centrosome) duplication system: unduplicated centrosomes bound to the nuclei are able to undergo duplication in the presence of G1/S extracts. We show that the ability of G1/S extracts to induce centriole duplication in vitro depends on the presence of active CDK2/cyclin E. It has been shown that dissociation of centro-somal nucleophosmin (NPM)/B23 triggered by CDK2/cyclin E-mediated phosphorylation is required for initiation of centrosome duplication. We show that centriole duplication is blocked when nuclei were preincubated with the anti-NPM/B23 antibody that prevents phosphorylation of NPM/B23 by CDK2/cyclin E. These studies provide not only direct evidence for the requirement of CDK2/cyclin E and phosphorylation of NPM/B23 for centrosomes to initiate duplication, but a valuable experimental system for further exploration of the molecular regulation of centrosome duplication in somatic cells of higher animals.     

Phosphorylation of centrin during the cell cycle and its role in centriole separation preceding centrosome duplication

Once during each cell cycle, mitotic spindle poles arise by separation of newly duplicated centrosomes. We report here the involvement of phosphorylation of the centrosomal protein centrin in this process. We show that centrin is phosphorylated at serine residue 170 during the G(2)/M phase of the cell cycle. Indirect immunofluorescence staining of HeLa cells using a phosphocentrin-specific antibody reveals intense labeling of mitotic spindle poles during prophase and metaphase of the cell division cycle, with diminished staining of anaphase and no staining of telophase and interphase centrosomes. Cultured cells undergo a dramatic increase in centrin phosphorylation following the experimental elevation of PKA activity, suggesting that this kinase can phosphorylate centrin in vivo. Surprisingly, elevated PKA activity also resulted intense phosphocentrin antibody labeling of interphase centrosomes and in the concurrent movement of individual centrioles apart from one another. Taken together, these results suggest that centrin phosphorylation signals the separation of centrosomes at prophase and implicates centrin phosphorylation in centriole separation that normally precedes centrosome duplication.     

Specific phosphorylation of nucleophosmin on Thr(199) by cyclin-dependent kinase 2-cyclin E and its role in centrosome duplication

The kinase activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2)-cyclin E is required for centrosomes to initiate duplication. We have recently found that nucleophosmin (NPM/B23), a phosphoprotein primarily found in nucleolus, associates with unduplicated centrosomes and is a direct substrate of CDK2-cyclin E in centrosome duplication. Upon phosphorylation by CDK2-cyclin E, NPM/B23 dissociates from centrosomes, which is a prerequisite step for centrosomes to initiate duplication. Here, we identified that threonine 199 (Thr(199)) of NPM/B23 is the major phosphorylation target site of CDK2-cyclin E in vitro, and the same site is phosphorylated in vivo. NPM/T199A, a nonphosphorylatable NPM/B23 substitution mutant (Thr(199) --> Ala) acts as dominant negative when expressed in cells, resulting in specific inhibition of centrosome duplication. As expected, NPM/T199A remains associated with the centrosomes. These observations provide direct evidence that the CDK2-cyclin E-mediated phosphorylation on Thr(199) determines association and dissociation of NPM/B23 to the centrosomes, which is a critical control for the centrosome to initiate duplication.