Two distinct controls of mitotic cdk1/cyclin B1 activity requisite for cell growth prior to cell division.

Cell growth prior to cell division is restricted by the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1)/cyclin B1 complexes. Recently, we identified that the death-effector domain (DED) containing protein, DEDD, acts as a novel inhibitor of mitotic Cdk1/cyclin B1, influencing cell size. Like cyclin B1, DEDD protein levels specifically peak during the G(2)/M phase. In the nucleus, DEDD associates with Cdk1/cyclin B1 complexes, via direct binding to cyclin B1, and reduces their function. In agreement, kinase activity of nuclear Cdk1/cyclin B1 in DEDD-null (DEDD(-/-)) embryonic fibroblasts is increased compared to that in DEDD(+/+) cells. This accelerates mitotic progression in DEDD(-/-) cells, with a shortened G(2)/M phase, reduced rRNA, and diminished cell volume. Likewise, DEDD(-/-) mice show decreased body and organ weights relative to DEDD(+/+) mice. Interestingly, the DED domain is not involved in the association of DEDD with Cdk1/cyclin B1, but is indispensable for the cell sizing function of DEDD. Together, in addition to the well-established machinery for activation of Cdk1 through dephosphorylation of its inhibitory-residues, we propose a novel mechanism for impeditive regulation of mitotic Cdk1/cyclin B1 mediated by DEDD within the nucleus, which allows sufficient cell growth prior to cell division.