title: The role of aneuploidy in promoting and suppressing tumors.
abstract: Impaired mitotic checkpoint signaling can both promote and suppress tumors. The mitotic checkpoint targets Cdc20, the specificity factor of the ubiquitin ligase that promotes anaphase by targeting cyclin B and securin for destruction. In this issue, Li et al. (2009. J. Cell Biol. doi:10.1083/jcb.200904020) use gene replacement to produce mice expressing a Cdc20 mutant that cannot be inhibited by the mitotic checkpoint. In addition to the expected aneuploidy, these animals have a high tumor incidence that is likely caused by persistent aneuploidy coupled with nonmitotic functions of mutant Cdc20.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53562, USA. baweaver@wisc.edu
authors.forename: Beth A A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Don W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Cleveland
mesh_terms: D000782:Aneuploidy; D000818:Animals; D064199:Cdc20 Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D018816:Genes, cdc; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D064199:Cdc20 Proteins; C577491:Cdc20 protein, mouse; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins