The dimerization partner, RB-like, E2F and multi-vulval class B (DREAM) complex is a protein complex responsible for the regulation of cell cycle-dependent gene expression. [1] [2] The complex is evolutionarily conserved, although some of its components vary from species to species. In humans, the key proteins in the complex are RBL1 (p107) and RBL2 (p130), both of which are homologs of RB (p105) and bind repressive E2F transcription factors E2F4 and E2F5; DP1, DP2 and DP3, dimerization partners of E2F; and MuvB, which is a complex of LIN9/37/52/54 and RBBP4. [1]
Genes encoding the MuvB complex were originally identified from loss-of-function mutation studies in C. elegans. When mutated, these genes produced worms with multiple vulva-like organs, hence the name ‘Muv’. Three classes of Muv genes were classified, with class B genes encoding homologues of mammalian RB, E2F, and DP1, and others such as LIN-54, LIN-37, LIN-7 and LIN-52, whose functions were not yet understood. [3] [4]
Studies in Drosophila melanogaster ovarian follicle cells identified a protein complex that bound to repeatedly amplifying chorion genes. The complex included genes that had close homology with the MuvB genes such as Mip130, Mip120 and Mip40. These Mip genes were identified as homologues of the MuvB genes LIN9, LIN54, and LIN37 respectively. [5] Further studies in the fly embryo nuclear extracts confirmed the coexistence of these proteins with others such as the RB homologues Rbf1 and Rbf2, and others like E2f and Dp. The protein complex was thus termed as the Drosophila RBF, E2f2 and Mip (dREAM) complex. Disruption of the dREAM complex through RNAi knockdown of the components of dREAM complex led to higher expression of E2f regulated genes that are typically silenced, implicating dREAM’s role in gene down-regulation. [6] Later in Drosophila melanogaster, there was also found a testis-specific paralog of the Myb-MuvB/DREAM complex known as tMAC (testis-specific meiotic arrest complex), which is involved in meiotic arrest. [7]
A protein complex similar to dREAM was subsequently identified in C. elegans extract containing DP, RB, and MuvB, and was named as DRM. This complex included mammalian homologues of RB and DP, and other members of the MuvB complex. [8]
The mammalian DREAM complex was identified following immunoprecipitation of p130 with mass-spectrometry analysis. The results showed that p130 was associated with E2F4, E2F5, the dimerization partner DP, and LIN9, LIN54, LIN37, LIN52, and RBBP4 that make up the MuvB complex. Immunoprecipitation of MuvB factors also revealed association of BMYB. Subsequent immunoprecipitation with BMYB yielded all the MuvB core proteins, but not other members of the DREAM complex – p130, p107, E2F4/5 and DP. This indicated that MuvB associated with BMYB to form the BMYB-MuvB complex or with p130/p107, E2F4/5 and DP to form the DREAM complex. The DREAM complex was found prevalent in quiescent or starved cells, and the BMYB-MuvB complex was found in actively dividing cells, hinting at separate functionalities of these two complexes. [9]
MuvB-like complexes were also recently discovered in Arabidoposis that include E2F and MYB orthologs combined with LIN9 and LIN54 orthologs. [10] [11]
The main function of the DREAM complex is to repress G1/S and G2/M gene expression during quiescence (G0). Entry into the cell cycle dissociates p130 from the complex and leads to subsequent recruitment of activating E2F proteins. This allows for the expression of E2F regulated late G1 and S phase genes. BMYB (MYBL2), which is repressed by the DREAM complex during G0 is also able to be expressed at this time, and binds to MuvB during S phase to promote the expression of key G2/M phase genes such as CDK1 and CCNB1. FOXM1 is then recruited in G2 to further promote gene expression (e.g. AURKA). During late S phase BMYB is degraded via CUL1 (SCF complex), while FOXM1 is degraded during mitosis by the APC/C. [1] [12] Near the end of the cell cycle, the DREAM complex is re-assembled by DYRK1A to repress G1/S and G2/M genes.
During quiescence, the DREAM complex represses G1/S and G2/M gene expression. In mammalian systems, chromatin-immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies have revealed that DREAM components are found together at promoters of genes that peak in G1/S or G2/M phase. [9] Abrogation of the DREAM complex on the other hand, led to increased expression of E2F regulated genes normally repressed in the G0 phase. [9] [13] Contrary to mammalian cells, the fly dREAM complex was found at almost one-third of all promoters, which may reflect a broader role for dREAM in gene regulation, such as programmed cell death of neural precursor cells. [14] [15]
Docking of the DREAM complex to promoters is achieved by binding of LIN-54 to regions known as cell cycle genes homology region (CHR). These are specific sequence of nucleotides that are commonly found in the promoters of genes expressed during late S phase or G2/M phase. Docking can also be achieved via E2F proteins binding to sequences known as cell cycle-dependent element sites (CDEs). Some cell cycle dependent genes have been found where both CHRs and CDEs are in proximity to one another. Because p130-E2F4 can form stable associations with the MuvB complex, the proximity of CHRs to CDEs suggests that affinity of binding of the DREAM complex to target genes is cooperatively improved by association with both the binding sites. [16]
When DREAM is docked onto the promoter, p130 is bound to LIN52, and this association inhibits LIN52 binding to chromatin modifier proteins. [17] [18] Therefore, unlike RB-E2F, the DREAM complex is unlikely to directly recruit chromatin modifiers to repress gene expression, although some associations have been suggested. [19] [20] DREAM complex may instead down-regulate gene expression by affecting nucleosome positioning. Compacted DNA at transcription start sites inhibit gene expression by blocking the docking of RNA polymerase. [21] In worms for example, loss of a MuvB complex protein, LIN35, leads to loss of repressive histone associations and high expression of cell cycle dependent genes. However, direct evidence for the link between repressive histones and the DREAM complex remains to be elucidated. [22]
Like its counterpart, RB-E2F, the DREAM complex is also affected by similar growth stimuli and subsequent cyclin-CDK activity. Increasing cyclin D-CDK4 and cyclin E-CDK2 activity dissociates the DREAM complex from the promoter by phosphorylation of p130. [18] Hyper-phosphorylated p130 is subsequently degraded [23] [24] and E2F4 exported from the nucleus. [25] Once the repressive E2Fs are vacated, activating E2Fs bind to the promoter to up-regulate G1/S genes that promote DNA synthesis and transition of the cell cycle. [26] BMYB is also up-regulated during this time, which then binds to genes that peak at G2/M phase. [9] [27] [28] Binding of BMYB to late cell cycle genes is dependent on its association with the MuvB core to form the BMYB-MuvB complex, which is then able to up-regulate genes in the G2/M phase. [12]
Near the end of mitosis, p130 and p107 are dephosphorylated from their hyperphosphorylated state by the phosphatase PP2a. [29] [30] Inhibition of PP2a activity reduced promoter binding of some of the proteins of the DREAM complex in the subsequent G1 phase and de-repression of gene expression. [31]
Other components have been shown to be phosphorylated for DREAM complex assembly to occur. Of these, LIN52 phosphorylation on its S28 residue is the most well-understood. Substitution of this serine to alanine led to reduced binding of the MuvB core to p130 and impaired the ability of cells to enter quiescence. This indicates that LIN52 S28 phosphorylation is required for proper association and function of the DREAM complex via binding with p130. One known regulator of phosphorylation of the S28 residue is the DYRK1A. The loss of this kinase leads to decreased phosphorylation of the S28 residue and association of p130 with MuvB. [13] DYRK1A was also found to degrade cyclin D1, which would increase p21 levels – both of which contribute to cell cycle exit. [32]
The DREAM complex was also shown to regulate cytokinesis through GAS2L3. [33]
Due to its regulatory role in the cell cycle, targeting the DREAM complex might enhance anticancer treatments such as imatinib. [34] [35]
The cell cycle, or cell-division cycle, is the sequential series of events that take place in a cell that causes it to divide into two daughter cells. These events include the growth of the cell, duplication of its DNA and some of its organelles, and subsequently the partitioning of its cytoplasm, chromosomes and other components into two daughter cells in a process called cell division.
The G0 phase describes a cellular state outside of the replicative cell cycle. Classically, cells were thought to enter G0 primarily due to environmental factors, like nutrient deprivation, that limited the resources necessary for proliferation. Thus it was thought of as a resting phase. G0 is now known to take different forms and occur for multiple reasons. For example, most adult neuronal cells, among the most metabolically active cells in the body, are fully differentiated and reside in a terminal G0 phase. Neurons reside in this state, not because of stochastic or limited nutrient supply, but as a part of their developmental program.
The restriction point (R), also known as the Start or G1/S checkpoint, is a cell cycle checkpoint in the G1 phase of the animal cell cycle at which the cell becomes "committed" to the cell cycle, and after which extracellular signals are no longer required to stimulate proliferation. The defining biochemical feature of the restriction point is the activation of G1/S- and S-phase cyclin-CDK complexes, which in turn phosphorylate proteins that initiate DNA replication, centrosome duplication, and other early cell cycle events. It is one of three main cell cycle checkpoints, the other two being the G2-M DNA damage checkpoint and the spindle checkpoint.
E2F is a group of genes that encodes a family of transcription factors (TF) in higher eukaryotes. Three of them are activators: E2F1, 2 and E2F3a. Six others act as repressors: E2F3b, E2F4-8. All of them are involved in the cell cycle regulation and synthesis of DNA in mammalian cells. E2Fs as TFs bind to the TTTCCCGC consensus binding site in the target promoter sequence.
Cell cycle checkpoints are control mechanisms in the eukaryotic cell cycle which ensure its proper progression. Each checkpoint serves as a potential termination point along the cell cycle, during which the conditions of the cell are assessed, with progression through the various phases of the cell cycle occurring only when favorable conditions are met. There are many checkpoints in the cell cycle, but the three major ones are: the G1 checkpoint, also known as the Start or restriction checkpoint or Major Checkpoint; the G2/M checkpoint; and the metaphase-to-anaphase transition, also known as the spindle checkpoint. Progression through these checkpoints is largely determined by the activation of cyclin-dependent kinases by regulatory protein subunits called cyclins, different forms of which are produced at each stage of the cell cycle to control the specific events that occur therein.
The G1/S transition is a stage in the cell cycle at the boundary between the G1 phase, in which the cell grows, and the S phase, during which DNA is replicated. It is governed by cell cycle checkpoints to ensure cell cycle integrity and the subsequent S phase can pause in response to improperly or partially replicated DNA. During this transition the cell makes decisions to become quiescent, differentiate, make DNA repairs, or proliferate based on environmental cues and molecular signaling inputs. The G1/S transition occurs late in G1 and the absence or improper application of this highly regulated checkpoint can lead to cellular transformation and disease states such as cancer.
Cyclin A is a member of the cyclin family, a group of proteins that function in regulating progression through the cell cycle. The stages that a cell passes through that culminate in its division and replication are collectively known as the cell cycle Since the successful division and replication of a cell is essential for its survival, the cell cycle is tightly regulated by several components to ensure the efficient and error-free progression through the cell cycle. One such regulatory component is cyclin A which plays a role in the regulation of two different cell cycle stages.
The Cyclin D/Cdk4 complex is a multi-protein structure consisting of the proteins Cyclin D and cyclin-dependent kinase 4, or Cdk4, a serine-threonine kinase. This complex is one of many cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase complexes that are the "hearts of the cell-cycle control system" and govern the cell cycle and its progression. As its name would suggest, the cyclin-dependent kinase is only active and able to phosphorylate its substrates when it is bound by the corresponding cyclin. The Cyclin D/Cdk4 complex is integral for the progression of the cell from the Growth 1 phase to the Synthesis phase of the cell cycle, for the Start or G1/S checkpoint.
Transcription factor E2F1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the E2F1 gene.
Retinoblastoma-like protein 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RBL2 gene.
Transcription factor E2F4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the E2F4 gene.
Cyclin-A1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CCNA1 gene.
Transcription factor E2F2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the E2F2 gene.
Cyclin-A2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CCNA2 gene. It is one of the two types of cyclin A: cyclin A1 is expressed during meiosis and embryogenesis while cyclin A2 is expressed in the mitotic division of somatic cells.
Retinoblastoma-like 1 (p107), also known as RBL1, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the RBL1 gene.
Transcription factor E2F5 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the E2F5 gene.
Lin-9 homolog is a protein that is encoded by the LIN9 gene in humans.
The retinoblastoma protein is a tumor suppressor protein that is dysfunctional in several major cancers. One function of pRb is to prevent excessive cell growth by inhibiting cell cycle progression until a cell is ready to divide. When the cell is ready to divide, pRb is phosphorylated, inactivating it, and the cell cycle is allowed to progress. It is also a recruiter of several chromatin remodeling enzymes such as methylases and acetylases.
The Neuronal cell cycle represents the life cycle of the biological cell, its creation, reproduction and eventual death. The process by which cells divide into two daughter cells is called mitosis. Once these cells are formed they enter G1, the phase in which many of the proteins needed to replicate DNA are made. After G1, the cells enter S phase during which the DNA is replicated. After S, the cell will enter G2 where the proteins required for mitosis to occur are synthesized. Unlike most cell types however, neurons are generally considered incapable of proliferating once they are differentiated, as they are in the adult nervous system. Nevertheless, it remains plausible that neurons may re-enter the cell cycle under certain circumstances. Sympathetic and cortical neurons, for example, try to reactivate the cell cycle when subjected to acute insults such as DNA damage, oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity. This process is referred to as “abortive cell cycle re-entry” because the cells usually die in the G1/S checkpoint before DNA has been replicated.
The Cyclin E/Cdk2 complex is a structure composed of two proteins, cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2). Similar to other cyclin/Cdk complexes, the cyclin E/Cdk2 dimer plays a crucial role in regulating the cell cycle, with this specific complex peaking in activity during the G1/S transition. Once the two cyclin and Cdk subunits are joined together, the complex becomes activated and proceeds to phosphorylate and bind to downstream proteins to ultimately promote cell cycle progression. Although cyclin E can bind to other Cdk proteins, its primary binding partner is Cdk2, and the majority of cyclin E activity occurs when it exists as the cyclin E/Cdk2 complex.