title: rad-dependent response of the chk1-encoded protein kinase at the DNA damage checkpoint.
abstract: Exposure of eukaryotic cells to agents that generate DNA damage results in transient arrest of progression through the cell cycle. In fission yeast, the DNA damage checkpoint associated with cell cycle arrest before mitosis requires the protein kinase p56chk1. DNA damage induced by ultraviolet light, gamma radiation, or a DNA-alkylating agent has now been shown to result in phosphorylation of p56chk1. This phosphorylation decreased the mobility of p56chk1 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and was abolished by a mutation in the p56chk1 catalytic domain, suggesting that it might represent autophosphorylation. Phosphorylation of p56chk1 did not occur when other checkpoint genes were inactive. Thus, p56chk1 appears to function downstream of several of the known Schizosaccharomyces pombe checkpoint gene products, including that encoded by rad3+, a gene with sequence similarity to the ATM gene mutated in patients with ataxia telangiectasia. The phosphorylation of p56chk1 provides an assayable biochemical response to activation of the DNA damage checkpoint in the G2 phase of the cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Walworth
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bernards
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000235:genetics; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; D004249:DNA Damage; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics; D004261:DNA Replication; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D016195:G2 Phase; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D006801:Humans; D008938:Mitosis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; C576324:ATM protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; C000605867:CHEK1 protein, human; D000071877:Checkpoint Kinase 1; C000605873:Chk1 protein, S pombe; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases; C061897:Rad3 protein, S cerevisiae; D004265:DNA Helicases