Phosphatase type 2A-dependent and -independent pathways for ATR phosphorylation of Chk1

Abstract

ATM and Rad3-related (ATR) is a regulatory kinase that, when activated by hydroxyurea, UV, or human immunodeficiency virus-1 Vpr, causes cell cycle arrest through Chk1-Ser345 phosphorylation. We demonstrate here that of these three agents only Vpr requires protein phosphatase type 2A (PP2A) to activate ATR for Chk1-Ser345 phosphorylation. A requirement for PP2A by Vpr was first shown with the PP2A-specific inhibitor okadaic acid, which reduced Vpr-induced G2 arrest and Cdk1-Tyr15 phosphorylation. Using small interference RNA to down-regulate specific subunits of PP2A indicated that the catalytic β-isoform PP2A(Cβ) and the A regulatory α-isoform PP2A(Aα) are involved in the G2 induction, and these down-regulations decreased the Vpr-induced, ATR-dependent phosphorylations of Cdk1-Tyr15 and Chk1-Ser345. In contrast, the same down-regulations had no effect on hydroxyurea- or UV-activated ATR-dependent Chk1-Ser345 phosphorylation. Vpr and hydroxyurea/UV all induce ATR-mediated γH2AX-Ser139 phosphorylation and foci formation, but down-regulation of PP2A(Aα) or PP2A(Cβ) did not decrease γH2AX-Ser139 phosphorylation by any of these agents or foci formation by Vpr. Conversely, H2AX down-regulation had little effect on PP2A(Aα/Cβ)-mediated G2 arrest and Chk1-Ser345 phosphorylation by Vpr. The expression of vpr increases the amount and phosphorylation of Claspin, an activator of Chk1 phosphorylation. Down-regulation of either PP2A(Cβ) or PP2A(Aα) had little effect on Claspin phosphorylation, but the amount of Claspin was reduced. Claspin may then be one of the phosphoproteins through which PP2A(Aα/Cβ) affects Chk1 phosphorylation when ATR is activated by human immunodeficiency virus-1 Vpr. © 2007 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.