title: The centrosome-specific phosphorylation of Cnn by Polo/Plk1 drives Cnn scaffold assembly and centrosome maturation.
abstract: Centrosomes are important cell organizers. They consist of a pair of centrioles surrounded by pericentriolar material (PCM) that expands dramatically during mitosis-a process termed centrosome maturation. How centrosomes mature remains mysterious. Here, we identify a domain in Drosophila Cnn that appears to be phosphorylated by Polo/Plk1 specifically at centrosomes during mitosis. The phosphorylation promotes the assembly of a Cnn scaffold around the centrioles that is in constant flux, with Cnn molecules recruited continuously around the centrioles as the scaffold spreads slowly outward. Mutations that block Cnn phosphorylation strongly inhibit scaffold assembly and centrosome maturation, whereas phosphomimicking mutations allow Cnn to multimerize in vitro and to spontaneously form cytoplasmic scaffolds in vivo that organize microtubules independently of centrosomes. We conclude that Polo/Plk1 initiates the phosphorylation-dependent assembly of a Cnn scaffold around centrioles that is essential for efficient centrosome maturation in flies.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Conduit
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Richens
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baumbach
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wainman
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, 24-29 St Giles, Oxford OX1 3LB, UK.
authors.forename: Suruchi D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Bakshi
authors.affiliation: Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dobbelaere
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK. Electronic address: jordan.raff@path.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jordan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Raff
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018385:Centrosome / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010766:Phosphorylation; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1; C098130:cnn protein, Drosophila; C072004:polo protein, Drosophila