During mitosis the mitotic spindle communicates essential information to the cell cortex to determine the time and place of cell cleavage. We intend to address the signaling mechanism underlying this fundamental process. Recent analysis in mammalian cells has demonstrated a potential role for passenger proteins such as Survivin, Aurora B, INCENP and TD-60 in this process. Passenger proteins are proteins that migrate from the kinetochores to the spindle equator during late mitosis and have a probable function in signaling the time and position of cleavage furrow formation. Further, three microtubule associated proteins, PRC1, MKLP1 and Cyk-4, are necessary for organization of the midzone spindle. We have done substantial recent work on the roles of Survivin and PRC1 in cell cleavage. We have determined the X-ray structure of Survivin and have demonstrated that it is homodimeric with two extended alpha-helical tails. We have further determined that Survivin is a passenger protein. In a parallel project, we have determined that PRC1 is a microtubule binding protein that is required for bundling of microtubules in the spindle midzone. In the absence of PRC1, depleted by siRNA transfection, the midzone spindle has no organization and cells are incapable of proceeding with cleavage. The primary focus of this application is to conduct a domain analysis of PRC1 and of Survivin in order to understand how the central spindle is constructed in anaphase, to define what role the central spindle plays in organizing the passenger proteins, and to understand the interplay of passenger proteins with the central spindle in the process of signaling cell cleavage.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM068107-04
Application #
7470635
Study Section
Cell Development and Function Integrated Review Group (CDF)
Program Officer
Deatherage, James F
Project Start
2005-07-01
Project End
2009-06-30
Budget Start
2008-07-01
Budget End
2009-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$253,292
Indirect Cost
Name
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
789644697
City
San Diego
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92121
Panopoulos, Andreas; Pacios-Bras, Cristina; Choi, Justin et al. (2014) Failure of cell cleavage induces senescence in tetraploid primary cells. Mol Biol Cell 25:3105-18
Yenjerla, Mythili; Panopoulos, Andreas; Reynaud, Caroline et al. (2013) TD-60 is required for interphase cell cycle progression. Cell Cycle 12:837-41
Panopoulos, Andreas; Howell, Michael; Fotedar, Rati et al. (2011) Glioblastoma motility occurs in the absence of actin polymer. Mol Biol Cell 22:2212-20
Lee, Jinho; Kim, Jin Ah; Margolis, Robert L et al. (2010) Substrate degradation by the anaphase promoting complex occurs during mitotic slippage. Cell Cycle 9:1792-801
Kim, J A; Lee, J; Margolis, R L et al. (2010) SP600125 suppresses Cdk1 and induces endoreplication directly from G2 phase, independent of JNK inhibition. Oncogene 29:1702-16
Hans, Fabienne; Skoufias, Dimitrios A; Dimitrov, Stefan et al. (2009) Molecular distinctions between Aurora A and B: a single residue change transforms Aurora A into correctly localized and functional Aurora B. Mol Biol Cell 20:3491-502
Behlke-Steinert, Susanne; Touat-Todeschini, Leila; Skoufias, Dimitrios A et al. (2009) SMC5 and MMS21 are required for chromosome cohesion and mitotic progression. Cell Cycle 8:2211-8
Skoufias, Dimitrios A; Indorato, Rose-Laure; Lacroix, Francoise et al. (2007) Mitosis persists in the absence of Cdk1 activity when proteolysis or protein phosphatase activity is suppressed. J Cell Biol 179:671-85