Plk1 phosphorylation of Topors is involved in its degradation

Topors is a DNA topoisomerase I- and p53-binding protein, and mainly functions as a p53 regulator. Accumulating evidence also supports the notion that Topors plays the role as a negative regulator of cell growth, and possibly as a tumor suppressor. Here, we demonstrated that Topors is also involved in normal mitotic progression, since Topors depletion delays mitotic entry and affects mitotic progression. Furthermore, Topors is degradated in response to the activation of the spindle checkpoint. Significantly, Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1)-associated phosphorylation of Topors at S718 is essential for nocodazole-induced degradation of Topors.