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Regulation of apoptosis at cell division by p34cdc2 phosphorylation of survivin

D S O'Connor1, D Grossman, J Plescia

  • 1Departments of Pathology, Dermatology, and Genetics, Boyer Center for Molecular Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06536, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|November 9, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Survivin, an apoptosis inhibitor, is phosphorylated by p34(cdc2)-cyclin B1 during mitosis. This phosphorylation is crucial for preventing cell death, offering a potential strategy to eliminate cancer cells.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Apoptosis and cell cycle regulation are vital for maintaining cellular homeostasis and genomic stability.
  • Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis, is frequently overexpressed in various cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction between survivin and the cell cycle machinery.
  • To elucidate the role of survivin phosphorylation in regulating apoptosis during mitosis.

Main Methods:

  • Co-immunoprecipitation assays to detect protein-protein interactions.
  • In vitro and in vivo phosphorylation studies using survivin and p34(cdc2)-cyclin B1.
  • Analysis of apoptosis induction upon loss of survivin phosphorylation.

Main Results:

  • Survivin physically associates with p34(cdc2) on the mitotic apparatus.
  • Survivin is phosphorylated on Thr(34) by p34(cdc2)-cyclin B1.
  • Loss of Thr(34) phosphorylation leads to survivin-caspase-9 complex dissociation and caspase-9-dependent apoptosis during mitosis.

Conclusions:

  • Survivin acts as a mitotic substrate for p34(cdc2)-cyclin B1.
  • Phosphorylation of survivin at Thr(34) is essential for maintaining cell viability during cell division.
  • Targeting this survivin phosphorylation pathway could be a therapeutic approach for eliminating cancer cells during mitosis.

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