Progressive activation of CyclinB1-Cdk1 coordinates entry to mitosis.

ABSTRACT: The CyclinB1-Cdk1 kinase is the catalytic activity at the heart of mitosis-promoting factor (MPF), yet fundamental questions concerning its role in mitosis remained unresolved. It is not known when and how rapidly CyclinB1-Cdk1 is activated in mammalian cells, nor how its activation coordinates the substantial changes in the cell at mitosis. Here, we have developed a FRET biosensor specific for CyclinB1-Cdk1 that enables us to assay its activity with very high temporal precision in living human cells. We show that CyclinB1-Cdk1 is inactive in G2 phase and activated at a set time before nuclear envelope breakdown, thereby initiating the events of prophase. CyclinB1-Cdk1 levels rise to their maximum extent over the course of approximately 30 min, and we demonstrate that different levels of C

SUBMITTER: Gavet O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3325599 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature