PR55α Subunit of Protein Phosphatase 2A Supports the Tumorigenic and Metastatic Potential of Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Sustaining Hyperactive Oncogenic Signaling.

The protein phosphatase 2 (PP2A) holoenzyme consists of a catalytic subunit, a scaffold subunit, and a regulatory subunit. Based on loss-of-function analysis using PP2A catalytic inhibitors or inhibition via tumor viral antigens, limited studies suggest that PP2A is a putative tumor suppressor. However, PP2A has also been shown to facilitate the activation of oncogenic signaling pathways when associated with specific regulatory subunits.

Structure of the Ca2+-dependent PP2A heterotrimer and insights into Cdc6 dephosphorylation.

The B″/PR72 family of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is an important PP2A family involved in diverse cellular processes, and uniquely regulated by calcium binding to the regulatory subunit. The PR70 subunit in this family interacts with cell division control 6 (Cdc6), a cell cycle regulator important for control of DNA replication. Here, we report crystal structures of the isolated PR72 and the trimeric PR70 holoenzyme at a resolution of 2.

Protein phosphatase 2A is targeted to cell division control protein 6 by a calcium-binding regulatory subunit.

The cell division control protein 6 (Cdc6) is essential for formation of pre-replication complexes at origins of DNA replication. Phosphorylation of Cdc6 by cyclin-dependent kinases inhibits ubiquitination of Cdc6 by APC/C(cdh1) and degradation by the proteasome. Experiments described here show that the PR70 member of the PPP2R3 family of regulatory subunits targets protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) to Cdc6.

Functional analysis of the PP2A subfamily of protein phosphatases in regulating Drosophila S6 kinase.

Phosphorylation and activation of ribosomal S6 protein kinase is an important link in the regulation of cell size by the target of rapamycin (TOR) protein kinase. A combination of selective inhibition and RNA interference were used to test the roles of members of the PP2A subfamily of protein phosphatases in dephosphorylation of Drosophila S6 kinase (dS6K). Treatment of Drosophila Schneider 2 cells with calyculin A, a selective inhibitor of PP2A-like phosphatases, resulted in a 7-fold increase in the basal level of dS6K phosphorylation at the TOR phosphorylation site (Thr398) and blocked dephosphorylation following inactivation of TOR by amino acid starvation or rapamycin treatment.

A functional genomics analysis of the B56 isoforms of Drosophila protein phosphatase 2A.

Members of the B56 family of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) regulatory subunits play crucial roles in Drosophila cell survival. Distinct functions of two B56 subunits were investigated using a combination of RNA interference, DNA microarrays, and proteomics. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of the B56-1 subunit (PP2A-B') but not the catalytic (mts) or B56-2 subunit (wdb) of PP2A resulted in increased expression of the apoptotic inducers reaper and sickle.

The gatekeeper residue controls autoactivation of ERK2 via a pathway of intramolecular connectivity.

Studies of protein kinases have identified a "gatekeeper" residue, which confers selectivity for binding nucleotides and small-molecule inhibitors. We report that, in the MAP kinase ERK2, mutations at the gatekeeper residue unexpectedly lead to autoactivation due to enhanced autophosphorylation of regulatory Tyr and Thr sites within the activation lip that control kinase activity. This occurs through an intramolecular mechanism, indicating that the gatekeeper residue indirectly constrains flexibility at the activation lip, precluding access of the phosphoacceptor residues to the catalytic base.

PP2A is required for centromeric localization of Sgo1 and proper chromosome segregation.

Loss of sister-chromatid cohesion triggers chromosome segregation in mitosis and occurs through two mechanisms in vertebrate cells: (1) phosphorylation and removal of cohesin from chromosome arms by mitotic kinases, including Plk1, during prophase, and (2) cleavage of centromeric cohesin by separase at the metaphase-anaphase transition. Bub1 and the MEI-S332/Shugoshin (Sgo1) family of proteins protect centromeric cohesin from mitotic kinases during prophase. We show that human Sgo1 binds to protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A).

The glycine 90 to aspartate alteration in the Abeta subunit of PP2A (PPP2R1B) associates with breast cancer and causes a deficit in protein function.

Mutations of the PPP2R1B gene, which encodes the Abeta scaffolding subunit of serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), have been identified in several types of cancer including lung and breast carcinoma. One of these mutations results in an alteration of glycine 90 to aspartic acid (G90D), which has been found in both tumor and genomic DNA, raising the possibility that it is associated with an increased risk for cancer. A novel microarray-based technology was used to screen for this single-nucleotide polymorphism in 387 cancer patients and 329 control individuals.

Analysis of protein phosphatase function in Drosophila cells using RNA interference.

Double stranded RNA-mediated RNA interference is an effective method to downregulate the levels of protein phosphatases in Drosophila S2 cells. In many cases, nearly complete ablation of the targeted protein can be achieved. RNAi-mediated knockdown of protein phosphatases is akin to pharmacological inhibition with drugs and can be used to determine the roles of specific protein phosphatases in intact cells.

Overview of the Alliance for Cellular Signaling.

The Alliance for Cellular Signaling is a large-scale collaboration designed to answer global questions about signalling networks. Pathways will be studied intensively in two cells--B lymphocytes (the cells of the immune system) and cardiac myocytes--to facilitate quantitative modelling. One goal is to catalyse complementary research in individual laboratories; to facilitate this, all alliance data are freely available for use by the entire research community.

Actions of PP2A on the MAP kinase pathway and apoptosis are mediated by distinct regulatory subunits.

Individual subunits of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), protein phosphatase 4, and protein phosphatase 5 were knocked out in Drosophila Schneider 2 cells by using RNA interference. Ablation of either the scaffold (A) or catalytic (C) subunits of PP2A caused the disappearance of all PP2A subunits. Treating cells with double-stranded RNA targeting all four of the Drosophila PP2A regulatory subunits caused the disappearance of both the A and C subunits.