A yeast GSK-3 kinase Mck1 promotes Cdc6 degradation to inhibit DNA re-replication

PLoS Genet. 2012;8(12):e1003099. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003099. Epub 2012 Dec 6.

Abstract

Cdc6p is an essential component of the pre-replicative complex (pre-RC), which binds to DNA replication origins to promote initiation of DNA replication. Only once per cell cycle does DNA replication take place. After initiation, the pre-RC components are disassembled in order to prevent re-replication. It has been shown that the N-terminal region of Cdc6p is targeted for degradation after phosphorylation by Cyclin Dependent Kinase (CDK). Here we show that Mck1p, a yeast homologue of GSK-3 kinase, is also required for Cdc6 degradation through a distinct mechanism. Cdc6 is an unstable protein and is accumulated in the nucleus only during G1 and early S-phase in wild-type cells. In mck1 deletion cells, CDC6p is stabilized and accumulates in the nucleus even in late S phase and mitosis. Overexpression of Mck1p induces rapid Cdc6p degradation in a manner dependent on Threonine-368, a GSK-3 phosphorylation consensus site, and SCF(CDC4). We show evidence that Mck1p-dependent degradation of Cdc6 is required for prevention of DNA re-replication. Loss of Mck1 activity results in synthetic lethality with other pre-RC mutants previously implicated in re-replication control, and these double mutant strains over-replicate DNA within a single cell cycle. These results suggest that a GSK3 family protein plays an unexpected role in preventing DNA over-replication through Cdc6 degradation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We propose that both CDK and Mck1 kinases are required for Cdc6 degradation to ensure a tight control of DNA replication.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Cycle Proteins* / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins* / metabolism
  • Cell Nucleus / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases* / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases* / metabolism
  • DNA Replication*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3* / genetics
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3* / metabolism
  • Mitosis
  • Proteolysis
  • S Phase / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins* / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins* / metabolism

Substances

  • CDC6 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinases
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
  • MCK1 protein, S cerevisiae