Geminin cleavage during apoptosis by caspase-3 alters its binding ability to the SWI/SNF subunit Brahma

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Vassilis Roukos - , University of Patras (Author)
  • Maria S. Iliou - , University of Patras (Author)
  • Hideo Nishitani - , Kyushu University (Author)
  • Marc Gentzel - , European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Heidelberg (Author)
  • Matthias Wilm - , European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Heidelberg (Author)
  • Stavros Taraviras - , University of Patras (Author)
  • Zoi Lygerou - , University of Patras (Author)

Abstract

Geminin has been proposed to coordinate cell cycle and differentiation events through balanced interactions with the cell cycle regulator Cdt1 and with homeobox transcription factors and chromatin remodeling activities implicated in cell fate decisions. Here we show that Geminin is cleaved in primary cells and cancer cell lines induced to undergo apoptosis by a variety of stimuli. Geminin targeting is mediated by caspase-3 both in vivo and in vitro. Two sites at the carboxyl terminus of Geminin (named C1 and C2) are cleaved by the caspase, producing truncated forms of Geminin. We provide evidence that Geminin cleavage is regulated by phosphorylation. Casein kinase II alters Geminin cleavage at site C1 in vitro, whereas mutating phosphorylation competent Ser/Thr residues proximal to site C1 affects Geminin cleavage in vivo. We show that truncated Geminin produced by cleavage at C1 can promote apoptosis. In contrast, Geminin cleaved at site C2 has lost the ability to interact with Brahma (Brm), a catalytic subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, while binding efficiently to Cdt1, indicating that targeting of Geminin during apoptosis differentially affects interactions with its binding partners.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)9346-9357
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry
Volume282
Issue number13
Publication statusPublished - 30 Mar 2007
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 17261582
ORCID /0000-0002-4482-6010/work/142251034

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Library keywords