What are the phases of the cell cycle?
G1 phase: Immediately after mitosis
S phase: DNA Replication
G2 Phase: Before Mitosis
M Phase: Mitosis
G0 Phase: After mitosis if cell leaves cycles and stops dividing
Interphase: G1+S+G2
How was MPF discovered?
What does cdc2 encode?
A protein kinase
What is MPF?
cdc2 & cyclin
Dosage effect of wee1 and cdc25 on the cell cycle
Wee1: ‘break’ in the cell cycle (slows it down. Inactive wee1 = small cells that divide early)
cdc25: Accelerator of the cell cycle (Inactive cdc25 = long cells)
What is the role of Cyclin B in the cell cycle?
How is cyclinB destruction regulated?
How is the G2/M Checkpoint Regulated?
How did they test whether the phosphorylation status of Cdc2 changed during the G2/M transition?
Which amino acids in cdc2 are phosphorylated during G2?
Tyrosine 15
Why does phosphorylation of Y15 stop progress into mitosis?
o Y15 residue is located in ATP binding site of cdc2
o If Y15 is phosphorylated then cdk can’t transfer gamma P from ATP to substrate.
What protein phosphorylates Y15 on cdc2?
Wee1 & Mik1
Which compound dephosphorylates Y15?
cdc25
What are the targets of active MPF?
Genes active in G1/S Checkpoint
[G0->G1]
Assay to prove CyclinD activity in G0/G1 transition
Findings:
- Mammalian cells arrested in G0 respond to growth factors by entering G1 phase, passing start and replicating their DNA.
- They continue to replicate their DNA (BrdU incorporation) and divide in presence of growth factors
- If cyclin D is inhibited by the injection of anti-cyclin D antibodies (<14hr after growth factor addition) cells do not incorporate BrdU (Cell Cycle stopped)
- BUT: after 14 hrs, cells have passed start already and cyclin D is not required – so incorporation of anti-cyclinD antibody has no effect
- Conclusion:
o CyclinD is required for G0 -G1 transition, but is only active for a particular amount of time after Growth Factor signalling (before cell enters G1)
What is a Proto-oncogene?
o Regulates cell cycle. Responds to growth factor signalling
o Are genes that cause cancer if they acquire a gain-of-function mutation that leads to their over-expression or constitutive activation.
o A single mutation in one copy of a proto-oncogene can lead to the loss of cell cycle control, and these are thus considered to be dominant mutations.
o Gain-of-function mutations include:
- Point mutations that change the activity of a protein
- Chromosomal translocations that fuse two genes to make a chimeric protein
- Chromosomal translocation to bring a gene under the control of a different promoter
- Amplification leading to numerous copies of a gene and overproduction of the encoded protein
What is a Tumour Suppressor Gene?
o ‘guardians of cell cycle’
o Wild type function is to prevent uncontrolled cell growth
o Recessive mutations (i.e. mutation of 1 copy doesn’t affect cell cycle)
o If both gene copies are mutated = cancerous (uncontrolled cell growth)
E.g.:
Action of p16
Action of p21 & p27
Inhibits both cdk4/cyclin D & cdk2/CyclinE
What is the action of the Rb protein?
What is the wild-type function of p53?
o All normal cells have low levels of p53
o It is a transcription factor which associates as a tetramer
o It regulates the cell’s response to DNA damage
o In absence of DNA damage it associates with protein MDM2 which ubiquitinates it and sends it to proteosome for degradation
o In response to irradiation causing DNA damage – p53 is phosphorylated meaning it no longer associates with MDM2 & is no longer ubiquitinated so its conc stabilises
o It is a transcription factor that regulates itself, so its conc quickly rises as its transcription is increased
o. It also targets genes involved in growth arrest (p21) & DNA repair and apoptosis (leads to implosion of cell)
DNA Damage response genes
DNA Damage control at G2/M checkpoint