L16. Cell Cycle I and II and cancer Flashcards
explain the four phases of the eukaryotic cell cycle
- M phase (mitosis and cytokinesis)
- interphase (G1 phase, S phase, and G2 phase)
eukaryotic cell cycle - M phase
- mitosis: nuclear division
- cytokinesis: cytoplasmic division
- lasts about an hour (small fraction of total cell cycle)
eukaryotic cell cycle - interphase
- period between 1 m phase and the next
- cell growth
- DNA is replicated
- centrosome is duplicated
eukaryotic cell cycle: interphase - G1 and G2 phase
- gap phases that flank s phase
- monitors cell’s environment
eukaryotic cell cycle: interphase - S phase
synthesis and replication of DNA
explain the cell cycle control system
- it ensures that key processes occur sequentially
- does this via checkpoints
- cycle may arrest or move to G0 (specialized resting state) if conditions are not met
cell cycle control system - what is the system dependent on
- cyclically activating and inactivating proteins
- called cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) and cyclin
cell cycle control system - explain Cdks
- it is regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation
- Cdk is switched on by cyclins
- once activated, Cdks trigger entry into S or M phase
cell cycle control system - explain cyclin
- they are regulated by transcription and proteolysis (breakdown of protein)
- they do not have enzymatic activity but are required for activation of kinase
Cdk and cyclins - explain the relationship between Cdk activity and cyclin concentration
- accumulation of cyclins during mitosis, helps regulate Cdk activity
- increase in cyclins = increased activity in Cdks
Cdks and cyclins - how are different cell cycle events triggered
- different Cdks associate with different cyclins
- M-cyclins associate with M-Cdks to activate M phase
- S cyclins and G1/S cyclins associate with S-Cdks and G1/S-Cdks to activate S phase
how are Cdks activated
- dephosphorylation
- positive feedback
Cdk activation - dephosphorylation
- Cdks have inhibitory phosphates
- to become active, they must be dephosphorylated
Cdk activation - positive feedback
- once the M-Cdk is active, it propagates the activation of more M-Cdk by activating the activating phosphatase (Cdc25)
- M-Cdk will accumulate through the G2 phase and will quickly move the cell from G2 to M phase
how is Cdk inactivated
- cyclin degradation via ubiquitin-tagged degradation
- use of transcriptional regulator p53
Cdk inactivation - explain ubiquitin-tagged degradation of cyclin
- degradation of M cyclins are mediated by anaphase promoting complex (APC)
- this complex will tag cyclins with ubiquitin and the cyclin will be feed into a proteasome chamber for degradation
Cdk inactivation - use of transcriptional regulator p53
- used in G1 checkpoint in response to DNA damage
- damage results in increased levels and function of p53
- p53 activates the gene expression of the Cdk inhibitor p21
- p21 will then bind to G1/S- and S-Cdks to cause the cycle to be arrested in G1 to repair DNA
- if the damage is too severe, p53 can induce apoptosis
where are the checkpoints in the cell cycle located
- checkpoint in mitosis
- G1 checkpoint
- G2 checkpoint
cell cycle checkpoints - checkpoint in mitosis
- are all chromosomes properly attached to the mitotic spindle?
- if yes, then the duplicated chromosomes are pulled apart
cell cycle checkpoint - G1 checkpoint
- is the environment favorable
- if yes, the cell will enter S phase
cell cycle checkpoint - G2 checkpoint
- is all DNA replicated?
- is all DNA damage repaired?
- if yes to both, the cell enters mitosis
cell cycle checkpoint: if conditions are not met - checkpoint in mitosis
inhibition of anaphase promoting complex activation delays exit from mitosis
cell cycle checkpoint: if conditions are not met - G1 checkpoint
- Cdks inhibitors block entry to s phase
- DNA damage causes increased levels and function of p53
cell cycle checkpoint: if conditions are not met - G2 checkpoint
inhibition of activating phosphatase (Cdc25) blocks entry to mitosis
explain how mitogens promote cyclin production
- they elicit cell signaling and the cycling will activate G1 cyclins, G1/S cyclins, and DNA synthesis proteins
- it has a negative control retinoblastoma (Rb) that keeps transcriptional factors inactive
mitogens and cyclin production - what happens to Rb after Cdks are activated
- the Cdks will phosphorylate Rb and Rb will release the transcription regulators
- the regulators then activate genes required for cell proliferation
what are the two steps of initiating DNA replication
- origin loaded
- origin fired
initiating DNA replication - origin loaded
- happens in G1 phase
- the origin of replication serves as landing pads for proteins
- the origin recognition complex (ORC) is perched on top of the replication origin and recruits Cdc6
- DNA helicase is loaded to open up the double helix
initiating DNA replication - origin fired
- happens in S phase
- helicase and the ORC = replication complex
- S-Cdk activates DNA helicase and promotes replication fork formation
- and then DNA replication begins
- S-Cdk also helps prevent re-replication by phosphorylating Cdc6
what are cohesins
- immediately after s phase DNA replication, sister chromatids are remained tightly bound by cohesins
- defective cohesins lead to chromosomal segregation problems