ABSTRACT
Monomethylated histone H4 lysine 20 (H4K20me1) is tightly regulated during the cell cycle. The H4K20me1 demethylase PHF8 transcriptionally regulates many cell cycle genes and is therefore predicted to play key roles in the cell cycle. Here, we show that PHF8 protein levels are the highest during G2 phase and mitosis, and we found PHF8 protein stability to be regulated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Purification of the PHF8 complex led to the identification of many subunits of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC) associated with PHF8. We showed that PHF8 interacts with the CDC20-containing APC (APC(cdc20)) primarily during mitosis. In addition, we defined a novel, KEN- and D-box-independent, LXPKXLF motif on PHF8 that is required for binding to CDC20. Through various in vivo and in vitro assays, we demonstrate that mutations of the LXPKXLF motif abrogate polyubiquitylation of PHF8 by the APC. APC substrates are typically cell cycle regulators, and consistent with this, the loss of PHF8 leads to prolonged G2 phase and defective mitosis. Furthermore, we provide evidence that PHF8 plays an important role in transcriptional activation of key G2/M genes during G2 phase. Taken together, these findings suggest that PHF8 is regulated by APC(cdc20) and plays an important role in the G2/M transition.
Subject(s)
Cdc20 Proteins/metabolism , Histone Demethylases/metabolism , Proteolysis , Transcription Factors/metabolism , Amino Acid Sequence , Anaphase-Promoting Complex-Cyclosome/metabolism , Conserved Sequence , G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints , Gene Expression Regulation , HEK293 Cells , HeLa Cells , Histone Demethylases/chemistry , Histone Demethylases/genetics , Humans , MCF-7 Cells , Mitosis , Mutation, Missense , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex , Protein Binding , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs , Protein Interaction Mapping , S Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints , Transcription Factors/chemistry , Transcription Factors/genetics , Transcription, Genetic , UbiquitinationABSTRACT
The anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C) initiates mitotic exit by ubiquitylating cell-cycle regulators such as cyclin B1 and securin. Lys 48-linked ubiquitin chains represent the canonical signal targeting proteins for degradation by the proteasome, but they are not required for the degradation of cyclin B1. Lys 11-linked ubiquitin chains have been implicated in degradation of APC/C substrates, but the Lys 11-chain-forming E2 UBE2S is not essential for mitotic exit, raising questions about the nature of the ubiquitin signal that targets APC/C substrates for degradation. Here we demonstrate that multiple monoubiquitylation of cyclin B1, catalysed by UBCH10 or UBC4/5, is sufficient to target cyclin B1 for destruction by the proteasome. When the number of ubiquitylatable lysines in cyclin B1 is restricted, Lys 11-linked ubiquitin polymers elaborated by UBE2S become increasingly important. We therefore explain how a substrate that contains multiple ubiquitin acceptor sites confers flexibility in the requirement for particular E2 enzymes in modulating the rate of ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis.
