Cryo-EM structures of PP2A:B55-FAM122A and PP2A:B55-ARPP19

Progression through the cell cycle is controlled by regulated and abrupt changes in phosphorylation¹. Mitotic entry is initiated by increased phosphorylation of mitotic proteins, a process driven by kinases², whereas mitotic exit is achieved by counteracting dephosphorylation, a process driven by phosphatases, especially PP2A:B55³. Although the role of kinases in mitotic entry is well established, recent data have shown that mitosis is only successfully initiated when the counterbalancing phosphatases are also inhibited⁴. Inhibition of PP2A:B55 is achieved by the intrinsically disordered proteins ARPP19^5,6 and FAM122A⁷. Despite their critical roles in mitosis, the mechanisms by which they achieve PP2A:B55 inhibition is unknown. Here, we report the single-particle cryo-electron microscopy structures of PP2A:B55 bound to phosphorylated ARPP19 and FAM122A. Consistent with our complementary NMR spectroscopy studies, both intrinsically disordered proteins bind PP2A:B55, but do so in highly distinct manners, leveraging multiple distinct binding sites on B55. Our extensive structural, biophysical and biochemical data explain how substrates and inhibitors are recruited to PP2A:B55 and provide a molecular roadmap for the development of therapeutic interventions for PP2A:B55-related diseases.