The Cdc25A phosphatase is essential for cell-cycle progression because of its function in dephosphorylating cyclin-dependent kinases. In response to DNA damage or stalled replication, the ATM and ATR protein kinases activate the checkpoint kinases Chk1 and Chk2, which leads to hyperphosphorylation of Cdc25A. These events stimulate the ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis of Cdc25A and contribute to delaying cell-cycle progression, thereby preventing genomic instability. Here we report that beta-TrCP is the F-box protein that targets phosphorylated Cdc25A for degradation by the Skp1/Cul1/F-box protein complex. Downregulation of beta-TrCP1 and beta-TrCP2 expression by short interfering RNAs causes an accumulation of Cdc25A in cells progressing through S phase and prevents the degradation of Cdc25A induced by ionizing radiation, indicating that beta-TrCP may function in the intra-S-phase checkpoint. Consistent with this hypothesis, suppression of beta-TrCP expression results in radioresistant DNA synthesis in response to DNA damage--a phenotype indicative of a defect in the intra-S-phase checkpoint that is associated with an inability to regulate Cdc25A properly. Our results show that beta-TrCP has a crucial role in mediating the response to DNA damage through Cdc25A degradation.

In eukaryotic cells, control mechanisms of cell-cycle progression have evolved to accurately monitor the integrity of genetic information to be transferred to the progeny. Cdc25A phosphatase is an essential activator of cell-cycle progression and is targeted by checkpoint signals. Ubiquitylation regulates Cdc25A activity through fine tuning of its protein levels. Two different ubiquitin ligases (APC/C and SCF complex) are involved in Cdc25A turnover. While APC/C is involved in regulating Cdc25A at the exit of mitosis, SCF regulates the abundance of Cdc25A in S phase and G2. In response to DNA damage or to stalled replication, the activation of the ATM and ATR protein kinases leads to Chk1 and Chk2 activation and to Cdc25A hyperphosphorylation. These events stimulate SCF-mediated ubiquitylation of Cdc25A and its proteolysis. This contributes to delaying cell-cycle progression, thereby preventing genomic instability. Based on recent findings, we discuss the role of Cdc25A ubiquitylation and degradation in cell-cycle progression and in response to DNA damage. Moreover, we discuss the role of phosphorylation at multiple sites in triggering ubiquitylation signals.

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Cdc14 is an essential phosphatase in yeast but its role in the mammalian cell cycle remains obscure. We report here that Cdc14b-knockout cells display unscheduled induction of multiple cell cycle regulators resulting in early entry into DNA replication and mitosis from quiescence. Cdc14b dephosphorylates Ser5 at the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II, a major substrate of cyclin-dependent kinases. Lack of Cdc14b results in increased CTD-Ser5 phosphorylation, epigenetic modifications that mark active chromatin, and transcriptional induction of cell cycle regulators. These data suggest a function for mammalian Cdc14 phosphatases in the control of transcription during the cell cycle.