Mammalian Cdh1/Fzr mediates its own degradation

EMBO J. 2004 Apr 7;23(7):1619-26. doi: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600149. Epub 2004 Mar 18.

Abstract

The Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) ubiquitin ligase mediates degradation of cell cycle proteins during mitosis and G1. Cdc20/Fzy and Cdh1/Fzr are substrate-specific APC/C activators. The level of mammalian Cdh1 is high in mitosis, but it is inactive and does not bind the APC/C. We show that when Cdh1 is active in G1 and G0, its levels are considerably lower and almost all of it is APC/C associated. We demonstrate that Cdh1 is subject to APC/C-specific degradation in G1 and G0, and that this degradation depends upon two RXXL-type destruction boxes. We further demonstrate that addition of Cdh1 to Xenopus interphase extracts, which have an inactive APC/C, activates it to degrade Cdh1. These observations indicate that Cdh1 mediates its own degradation by activating the APC/C to degrade itself. Elevated levels of Cdh1 are deleterious for cell cycle progression in various organisms. This auto-regulation of Cdh1 could thus play a role in ensuring that the level of Cdh1 is reduced during G1 and G0, allowing it to be switched off at the correct time.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Anaphase-Promoting Complex-Cyclosome
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / metabolism
  • G1 Phase / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Nocodazole / metabolism
  • Oocytes / physiology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Resting Phase, Cell Cycle / physiology*
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Complexes / genetics
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Complexes / metabolism*
  • Xenopus laevis

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligase Complexes
  • Anaphase-Promoting Complex-Cyclosome
  • Nocodazole