title: Differential regulation of Cdc2 and Aurora-A in Xenopus oocytes: a crucial role of phosphatase 2A.
abstract: The success of cell division relies on the activation of its master regulator Cdc2-cyclin B, and many other kinases controlling cellular organization, such as Aurora-A. Most of these kinase activities are regulated by phosphorylation. Despite numerous studies showing that okadaic acid-sensitive phosphatases regulate both Cdc2 and Aurora-A activation, their identity has not yet been established in Xenopus oocytes and the importance of their regulation has not been evaluated. Using an oocyte cell-free system, we demonstrate that PP2A depletion is sufficient to lead to Cdc2 activation, whereas Aurora-A activation depends on Cdc2 activity. The activity level of PP1 does not affect Cdc2 kinase activation promoted by PP2A removal. PP1 inhibition is also not sufficient to lead to Aurora-A activation in the absence of active Cdc2. We therefore conclude that in Xenopus oocytes, PP2A is the key phosphatase that negatively regulates Cdc2 activation. Once this negative regulator is removed, endogenous kinases are able to turn on the activator Cdc2 system without any additional stimulation. In contrast, Aurora-A activation is indirectly controlled by Cdc2 activity independently of either PP2A or PP1. This strongly suggests that in Xenopus oocytes, Aurora-A activation is mainly controlled by the specific stimulation of kinases under the control of Cdc2 and not by downregulation of phosphatase.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR-CNRS 7622, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, boîte 24, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris, CEDEX 5, France.
authors.forename: Gilliane
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maton
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lorca
authors.forename: Jean-Antoine
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Girault
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ozon
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jessus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D002474:Cell-Free System / Q000201:enzymology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D019319:Okadaic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D054648:Protein Phosphatase 2; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D019319:Okadaic Acid; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D054648:Protein Phosphatase 2