title: Effects of mutant Ran/TC4 proteins on cell cycle progression.
abstract: Ran/TC4, a member of the RAS gene superfamily, encodes an abundant nuclear protein that binds and hydrolyzes GTP. Transient expression of a Ran/TC4 mutant protein deficient in GTP hydrolysis blocked DNA replication, suggesting a role for Ran/TC4 in the regulation of cell cycle progression. To test this possibility, we exploited an efficient transfection system, involving the introduction of cDNAs in the pMT2 vector into 293/Tag cells, to analyze phenotypes associated with mutant and wild-type Ran/TC4 expression. Expression of a Ran/TC4 mutant protein deficient in GTP hydrolysis inhibited proliferation of transfected cells by arresting them predominantly in the G2, but also in the G1, phase of the cell cycle. Deletion of an acidic carboxy-terminal hexapeptide from the Ran/TC4 mutant did not alter its nuclear localization but did block its inhibitory effect on cell cycle progression. These data suggest that normal progression of the cell cycle is coupled to the operation of a Ran/TC4 GTPase cycle. Mediators of this coupling are likely to include the nuclear regulator of chromosome condensation 1 protein and the mitosis-promoting factor complex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, NYU Medical Center, New York 10016.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coutavas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Eustachio
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rush
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014162:Transfection; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein
chemical_list: D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D020931:ran GTP-Binding Protein