Biomedical subjects

A K McCormack

Publications and source records attributed to A K McCormack.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Multiple splicing variants of cdc25B regulate G2/M progression.

Progression through G2 phase into mitosis is regulated by the activation of the mitotic cyclin/cdk complexes, which are in turn activated cdc25B and cdc25C phosphatases. Here we report that alternate splicing produces at least five variants of cdc25B, although only cdc25B2 and cdc25B3 are detectable as proteins. Analysis of these two variants shows that cdc25B2 is expressed at lower levels relative to cdc25B3 in all cell lines tested, and the expression of both increased markedly during G2 and mitosis. Overexpression of the catalytically inactive version of either cdc25B variant produced a G2 arrest implicating both in regulating G2/M progression.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗

PubMed1997

Hyperphosphorylation of the N-terminal domain of Cdc25 regulates activity toward cyclin B1/Cdc2 but not cyclin A/Cdk2.

Cdc25 regulates entry into mitosis by regulating the activation of cyclin B/cdc2. In humans, at least two cdc25 isoforms have roles in controlling the G2/M transition. Here we show, using bacterially expressed recombinant proteins, that two cdc25B splice variants, cdc25B2 and cdc25B3, are capable of activating cyclin A/cdk2 and cyclin B/cdc2, but that mitotic hyperphosphorylation of these proteins increases their activity toward only cyclin B1/cdc2. Cdc25C has only very low activity in its unphosphorylated form, and following hyperphosphorylation it will efficiently catalyze the activation of only cyclin B/cdc2. This was reflected by the in vivo activity of the immunoprecipitated cdc25B and cdc25C from interphase and mitotic HeLa cells. The increased activity of the hyperphosphorylated cdc25s toward cyclin B1/cdc2 was in large part due to increased binding of this substrate. The substrate specificity, activities, and timing of the hyperphosphorylation of cdc25B and cdc25C during G2 and M suggest that these two mitotic cdc25 isoforms are activated by different kinases and perform different functions during progression through G2 into mitosis.

CDC2 Protein Kinase↗

PubMed1997

Ultraviolet light-induced G2 phase cell cycle checkpoint blocks cdc25-dependent progression into mitosis.

In response to low doses of ultraviolet (U.V.) radiation, cells undergo a G2 delay. In this study we have shown that the G2 delay results in the accumulation of inactive forms of cyclin B1/cdc2 and both the G2 and mitotic complexes of cyclin A/cdk. This appears to be through a block in the cdc25-dependent activation of these complexes. The expression and localisation of cyclin A and cyclin B1/cdk complexes are similar in U.V.-induced G2 delay and normal early G2 phase cells. Cdc25B and cdc25C also accumulate to normal G2 levels in U.V. irradiated cells, but the mitotic phosphorylation associated with increased activity of both cdc25B and cdc25C is absent. The cdc25B accumulates in the nucleus of U.V. irradiated cells and in normal G2 phase cells. Thus the block in cyclin B/cdc2 activation is in part due to the physical separation of cyclin B/cdc2, localised in the cytoplasm, from the cdc25B and cdc25C phosphatases localised in the nucleus. The data positions the U.V.-induced G2 checkpoint at either the S/G2 transition or early G2 phase, prior to the activation of cyclin A/cdk2.

CDC2 Protein Kinase↗