Publications by authors named "Jennifer L Kernan"

Article Synopsis
  • Cells decide between repairing DNA damage or undergoing apoptosis, but the specific mechanism guiding this choice was previously unclear.
  • The study reveals that the FANCI protein decides whether to initiate repair with FANCD2 or trigger apoptosis through interaction with the pro-apoptotic factor PIDD1 when facing interstrand crosslinks (ICLs).
  • Key factors like the presence of endonucleases, ICL levels, and the timing of cell division influence this decision, allowing damaged cells to switch mechanisms based on their repair situation, thereby highlighting a complex repair-or-apoptosis signaling pathway.
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The oncogenic AKT kinase is a key regulator of apoptosis, cell growth, and cell-cycle progression. Despite its important role in proliferation, it remains largely unknown how AKT is mechanistically linked to the cell cycle. We show here that cyclin F, a substrate receptor F-box protein for the SCF (Skp1/Cul1/F-box) family of E3 ubiquitin ligases, is a bona fide AKT substrate.

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The oncogenic transcription factor FoxM1 plays a vital role in cell cycle progression, is activated in numerous human malignancies, and is linked to chromosome instability. We characterize here a cullin 4-based E3 ubiquitin ligase and its substrate receptor, VprBP/DCAF1 (CRL4), which we show regulate FoxM1 ubiquitylation and degradation. Paradoxically, we also found that the substrate receptor VprBP is a potent FoxM1 activator.

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The anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is an ubiquitin ligase and core component of the cell-cycle oscillator. During G1 phase, APC/C binds to its substrate receptor Cdh1 and APC/C(Cdh1) plays an important role in restricting S-phase entry and maintaining genome integrity. We describe a reciprocal feedback circuit between APC/C and a second ubiquitin ligase, the SCF (Skp1-Cul1-F box).

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Biochemical evidence implicates the death-domain (DD) protein PIDD as a molecular switch capable of signaling cell survival or death in response to genotoxic stress. PIDD activity is determined by binding-partner selection at its DD: whereas recruitment of RIP1 triggers prosurvival NF-κB signaling, recruitment of RAIDD activates proapoptotic caspase-2 via PIDDosome formation. However, it remains unclear how interactor selection, and thus fate decision, is regulated at the PIDD platform.

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