The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21Cip1 has important roles in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation, senescence, and apoptosis. It has been observed that p21 is a highly unstable protein, but the mechanisms of its degradation remained unknown. We show here that p21 is a good substrate for an SCF (Skp1-Cullin1-F-box protein) ubiquitin ligase complex, which contains the F-box protein Skp2 (S phase kinase-associated protein 2) and the accessory protein Cks1 (cyclin kinase subunit 1). A similar ubiquitin ligase complex has been previously shown to be involved in the degradation of a related cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27Kip1 . The levels of Skp2 oscillate in the cell cycle, reaching a maximum in S phase. The ubiquitylation of p21 in vitro required the supplementation of all components of the SCF complex as well as of Cks1 and Cdk2-cyclin E. The protein kinase Cdk2-cyclin E acts both by the phosphorylation of p21 on Ser-130 and by the formation of a complex with p21, which is required for its presentation to the ubiquitin ligase. As opposed to the case of p27, the phosphorylation of p21 stimulates its ubiquitylation but is not absolutely required for this process. Levels of p21 are higher in Skp2؊/؊ mouse embryo fibroblasts than in wild-type fibroblasts in the S phase, and the rates of the degradation of p21 are slower in cells that lack Skp2. It is suggested that SCF Skp2 participates in the degradation of p21 in the S phase.

Significance The mitotic checkpoint system has an important role to ensure accurate segregation of chromosomes in mitosis. This system regulates the activity of the ubiquitin ligase Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) by the formation of a negatively acting Mitotic Checkpoint Complex (MCC). When the checkpoint is satisfied, MCC is disassembled, but the mechanisms of MCC disassembly are not well understood. We show here that the ATP-hydrolyzing enzyme Thyroid Receptor Interacting Protein 13 (TRIP13), along with the MCC-targeting protein p31 comet , promote the disassembly of the mitotic checkpoint complexes and the inactivation of the mitotic checkpoint. The results reveal an important molecular mechanism in the regulation of APC/C by the mitotic checkpoint.

Accurate segregation of chromosomes in mitosis is ensured by a surveillance mechanism called the mitotic (or spindle assembly) checkpoint. It prevents sister chromatid separation until all chromosomes are correctly attached to the mitotic spindle through their kinetochores. The checkpoint acts by inhibiting the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), a ubiquitin ligase that targets for degradation securin, an inhibitor of anaphase initiation. The activity of APC/C is inhibited by a mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC), composed of the APC/C activator Cdc20 bound to the checkpoint proteins MAD2, BubR1, and Bub3. When all kinetochores acquire bipolar attachment the checkpoint is inactivated, but the mechanisms of checkpoint inactivation are not understood. We have previously observed that hydrolyzable ATP is required for exit from checkpoint-arrested state. In this investigation we examined the possibility that ATP hydrolysis in exit from checkpoint is linked to the action of the Mad2-binding protein p31 comet in this process. It is known that p31 comet prevents the formation of a Mad2 dimer that it thought to be important for turning on the mitotic checkpoint. This explains how p31 comet blocks the activation of the checkpoint but not how it promotes its inactivation. Using extracts from checkpoint-arrested cells and MCC isolated from such extracts, we now show that p31 comet causes the disassembly of MCC and that this process requires β,γ-hydrolyzable ATP. Although p31 comet binds to Mad2, it promotes the dissociation of Cdc20 from BubR1 in MCC.

The mitotic (or spindle assembly) checkpoint system ensures accurate segregation of chromosomes by delaying anaphase until all chromosomes are correctly attached to the mitotic spindle. This system acts by inhibiting the activity of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) ubiquitin ligase to target securin for degradation. APC/C is inhibited by a mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC) composed of BubR1, Bub3, Mad2, and Cdc20. The molecular mechanisms of the inactivation of the mitotic checkpoint, including the release of APC/C from inhibition, remain obscure. It has been reported that polyubiquitylation by the APC/C is required for the inactivation of the mitotic checkpoint [Reddy SK, Rape M, Margansky WA, Kirschner MW (2007) Nature , 446:921–924]. We confirmed the involvement of polyubiquitylation, but found that another process, which requires ATP cleavage at the β – γ position (as opposed to α – β bond scission involved in ubiquitylation), is essential for the release of APC/C from checkpoint inhibition. ATP ( β – γ ) cleavage is required both for the dissociation of MCC components from APC/C and for the disassembly of free MCC, whereas polyubiquitylation is involved only in the former process. We find that the requirement for ATP ( β – γ ) cleavage is not due to the involvement of the 26S proteasome and that the phenomena observed are not due to sustained activity of protein kinase Cdk1/cyclin B, caused by inhibition of the degradation of cyclin B. Thus, some other energy-consuming process is needed for the inactivation of the mitotic checkpoint.

The AAA-ATPase thyroid hormone receptor interacting protein 13 (TRIP13), jointly with the Mad2-binding protein p31comet, promotes the inactivation of the mitotic (spindle assembly) checkpoint by disassembling the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC). This checkpoint system ensures the accuracy of chromosome segregation by delaying anaphase until correct bipolar attachment of chromatids to the mitotic spindle is achieved. MCC inhibits the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), a ubiquitin ligase that targets for degradation securin, an inhibitor of anaphase initiation. MCC is composed of the checkpoint proteins Mad2, BubR1, and Bub3, in association with the APC/C activator Cdc20. The assembly of MCC in active checkpoint is initiated by the conversion of Mad2 from an open (O-Mad2) to a closed (C-Mad2) conformation, which then binds tightly to Cdc20. Conversely, the disassembly of MCC that takes place when the checkpoint is turned off involves the conversion of C-Mad2 back to O-Mad2. Previously, we found that the latter process is mediated by TRIP13 together with p31comet, but the mode of their interaction remained unknown. Here, we report that the oligomeric form of TRIP13 binds both p31comet and MCC. Furthermore, p31comet and checkpoint complexes mutually promote the binding of each other to oligomeric TRIP13. We propose that p31comet bound to C-Mad2–containing checkpoint complex is the substrate for the ATPase and that the substrate-binding site of TRIP13 is composed of subsites specific for p31comet and C-Mad2–containing complex. The simultaneous occupancy of both subsites is required for high-affinity binding to TRIP13.

The mitotic checkpoint system prevents premature separation of sister chromatids in mitosis and thus ensures the fidelity of chromosome segregation. When this checkpoint is active, a mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC), composed of the checkpoint proteins Mad2, BubR1, Bub3, and Cdc20, is assembled. MCC inhibits the ubiquitin ligase anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), whose action is necessary for anaphase initiation. When the checkpoint signal is turned off, MCC is disassembled, a process required for exit from checkpoint-arrested state. Different moieties of MCC are disassembled by different ATP-requiring processes. Previous work showed that Mad2 is released from MCC by the joint action of the TRIP13 AAA-ATPase and the Mad2-binding protein p31comet. Now we have isolated from extracts of HeLa cells an ATP-dependent factor that releases Cdc20 from MCC and identified it as chaperonin containing TCP1 or TCP1–Ring complex (CCT/TRiC chaperonin), a complex known to function in protein folding. Bacterially expressed CCT5 chaperonin subunits, which form biologically active homooligomers [Sergeeva, et al. (2013)J Biol Chem288(24):17734–17744], also promote the disassembly of MCC. CCT chaperonin further binds and disassembles subcomplexes of MCC that lack Mad2. Thus, the combined action of CCT chaperonin with that of TRIP13 ATPase promotes the complete disassembly of MCC, necessary for the inactivation of the mitotic checkpoint.

The mitotic (or spindle assembly) checkpoint system prevents premature separation of sister chromatids in mitosis. When the checkpoint is turned on, the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC) inhibits the ubiquitin ligase anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). MCC is composed of the checkpoint proteins BubR1, Bub3, and Mad2 associated with the APC/C activator Cdc20. The mechanisms of the assembly of MCC when the checkpoint is turned on, and of its disassembly when the checkpoint is inactivated, are not sufficiently understood. Previous reports indicated that APC/C-mediated polyubiquitylation of Cdc20 in MCC is required for the dissociation of APC/C-associated MCC, but not of free MCC. The pool of free MCC is disassembled by an ATP-dependent process stimulated by the Mad2-binding protein p31 comet . It remained unknown whether free MCC is the precursor or the dissociation product of APC/C-bound MCC. By characterizing the mechanisms of the disassembly of APC/C-bound MCC in a purified system, we find that it cannot be the source of free MCC, because it is bound at high affinity and is released only in ubiquitylated or partially disassembled forms. By the use of a cell-free system from Xenopus eggs that reproduces the mitotic checkpoint, we show that MCC can be assembled in the absence of APC/C in a checkpoint-dependent manner. We propose that when the checkpoint is turned on, free MCC is the precursor of APC/C-bound MCC. When the mitotic checkpoint is extinguished, both APC/C-bound and free MCC pools have to be disassembled to release APC/C from inhibition.

The mitotic checkpoint system delays anaphase until all chromosomes are correctly attached to the mitotic spindle. When the checkpoint is turned on, it promotes the formation of the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC), which inhibits the ubiquitin ligase anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). MCC is composed of the checkpoint proteins BubR1, Bub3, and Mad2 bound to the APC/C activator Cdc20. When the checkpoint is satisfied, MCC is disassembled and APC/C becomes active. Previous studies have shown that the Mad2-binding protein p31 comet promotes the dissociation of Cdc20 from BubR1 in MCC in a process that requires ATP. We now show that a part of MCC dissociation is blocked by inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) and that purified Cdk1–cyclin B stimulates this process. The mutation of all eight potential Cdk phosphorylation sites of Cdc20 partially prevented its release from BubR1. Furthermore, p31 comet stimulated Cdk-catalyzed phosphorylation of Cdc20 in MCC. It is suggested that the binding of p31 comet to Mad2 in MCC may trigger a conformational change in Cdc20 that facilitates its phosphorylation by Cdk, and that the latter process may promote its dissociation from BubR1.