Dual regulation of Cdc25A by Chk1 and p53-ATF3 in DNA replication checkpoint control

Eukaryotic cells respond to DNA damage and stalled replication forks by activating signaling pathways that promote cell cycle arrest and DNA repair. A systematic screening of the protein kinase small interfering RNA library reveals that Chk1 and ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) and Rad3-related (ATR) are the main kinases responsible for intra-S-phase checkpoint upon topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin-induced DNA damage. It is well known that ATR-Chk1-mediated protein degradation of Cdc25A protein phosphatase is a crucial mechanism conferring this checkpoint activation. Here we describe another mechanism underlying Cdc25A down-regulation in response to DNA damage that occurs at the transcriptional level. We show that activation of tumor suppressor p53 by DNA damage results in inhibition of Cdc25A transcription as a result of activation of transcriptional repressor ATF3 that directly binds to the Cdc25A promoter. In cells deficient in both Chk1 and p53, Cdc25A down-regulation upon camptothecin-induced DNA damage is completely abolished, leading to severe defects in cell cycle checkpoints and remarkable cell death in mitosis. Our findings reveal two independent mechanisms acting in concert in regulation of Cdc25A in DNA damage response. Although Chk1 affects Cdc25A via rapid phosphorylation and protein turnover, inhibition of Cdc25A transcription by p53-ATF3 is required for the maintenance of cell cycle arrest.