The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Is Not Essential for Viability of Human Cells with Genetically Lowered APC/C Activity

Thomas Wild, Marie Sofie Yoo Larsen, Takeo Narita, Julie Schou, Jakob Nilsson, Chuna Ram Choudhary

    31 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) and the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), which inhibits the APC/C, are essential determinants of mitotic timing and faithful division of genetic material. Activation of the APC/C is known to depend on two APC/C-interacting E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes-UBE2C and UBE2S. We show that APC/C activity in human cells is tuned by the combinatorial use of three E2s, namely UBE2C, UBE2S, and UBE2D. Genetic deletion of UBE2C and UBE2S, individually or in combination, leads to discriminative reduction in APC/C function and sensitizes cells to UBE2D depletion. Reduction of APC/C activity results in loss of switch-like metaphase-to-anaphase transition and, strikingly, renders cells insensitive to chemical inhibition of MPS1 and genetic ablation of MAD2, both of which are essential for the SAC. These results provide insights into the regulation of APC/C activity and demonstrate that the essentiality of the SAC is imposed by the strength of the APC/C.

    Original languageEnglish
    JournalCell Reports
    Volume14
    Issue number8
    Pages (from-to)1829-40
    Number of pages12
    ISSN2211-1247
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2016

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