The end of mitosis from a phosphatase perspective

Abstract

Transition through mitosis, the cell division cycle phase deputed to segregate replicated chromosomes, requires a wave of protein phosphorylation. While in the past decades a wealth of information has been gathered on the major kinase activities responsible for the onset of mitosis, only recently has a picture emerged of how their effects are reversed by protein phosphatases at the end of mitosis. Here, we summarized some recent data on the relevance for protein phosphatases in the reversal of mitotic phosphorylation required to complete mitosis in vertebrate cells.

Keywords: :

• spindle assembly checkpoint
• phosphatase
• mitosis exit
• anaphase
• Fcp1
• APC/C
• Cdc20
• Mad2
• Wee1
• cdk1

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) for support. L.P. is recipient of a fellowship from Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (FIRC).