New Cdc2 Tyr 4 phosphorylation by dsRNA-activated protein kinase triggers Cdc2 polyubiquitination and G2 arrest under genotoxic stresses

Cell division cycle 2 (Cdc2) protein is an essential subunit of M-phase kinase (MPK), which has a key role in G2/M transition. Even though the control of MPK activity has been well established with regard to the phosphorylation of Cdc2 at Thr 14 and/or Tyr 15 and Thr 161, little is known about the proteolytic control of Cdc2. In this study, we observed that Cdc2 was downregulated under genotoxic stresses and that double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) was involved in the process. The PKR-mediated Tyr4 phosphorylation triggered Cdc2 ubiquitination. Phospho-mimic mutations at the Tyr 4 residue (Y4D or Y4E) caused significant ubiquitination of Cdc2 even in the absence of PKR. Our findings demonstrate that (i) PKR, Ser/Thr kinase, phosphorylates its new substrate Cdc2 at the Tyr 4 residue, (ii) PKR-mediated Tyr 4-phosphorylation facilitates Cdc2 ubiquitination and proteosomal degradation, (iii) unphosphorylated Tyr 4 prevents Cdc2 ubiquitination, and (iv) downstream from p53, PKR has a crucial role in G2 arrest and triggers Cdc2 downregulation under genotoxic conditions.