© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 83
F. Pelegri et al. (eds.), Vertebrate Development, Advances in Experimental
Medicine and Biology 953, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-46095-6_3
Chapter 3
Regulation of Cell Division
Andreas Heim, Beata Rymarczyk, Saurav Malhotra, and Thomas U. Mayer
A. Heim • B. Rymarczyk • T.U. Mayer (*)
Department of Biology and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB),
University of Konstanz, Universitätsstr. 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
e-mail: [email protected]
S. Malhotra
Master of Science
Abstract The challenging task of mitotic cell divisions is to generate two
genetically identical daughter cells from a single precursor cell. To accomplish this
task, a complex regulatory network evolved, which ensures that all events critical
for the duplication of cellular contents and their subsequent segregation occur in the
correct order, at specific intervals and with the highest possible fidelity. Transitions
between cell cycle stages are triggered by changes in the phosphorylation state and
levels of components of the cell cycle machinery. Entry into S-phase and M-phase
are mediated by cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), serine-threonine kinases that
require a regulatory cyclin subunit for their activity. Resetting the system to the
interphase state is mediated by protein phosphatases (PPs) that counteract Cdks by
dephosphorylating their substrates. To avoid futile cycles of phosphorylation and
dephosphorylation, Cdks and PPs must be regulated in a manner such that their
activities are mutually exclusive.
Keywords Cell cycle regulation • Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) • Type 2A
protein phosphatase (PP2A) • Type 1 protein phosphatase (PP1) • Anaphase-
promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C)
Abbreviations
AGC-type Protein kinase A, G and C families
Anp32 Acidic nuclear phosphoprotein 32 family
APC/C Anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome
Arpp19 cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein, 19 kDa
ATP Adenosine triphosphate
βTRCP Beta-transducin repeat-containing protein