Mimosine reversibly arrests cell cycle progression at the G1-S phase border.

It has previously been demonstrated that the compound mimosine inhibits cell cycle traverse in late G1 phase prior to the onset of DNA synthesis (Hoffman BD, Hanauske-Abel HM, Flint A, Lalande M: Cytometry 12:26-32, 1991; Lalande M: Exp Cell Res 186:332-339, 1990). These results were obtained by using flow cytometric analysis of DNA content to compare the effects of mimosine on cell cycle traverse with those of aphidicolin, an inhibitor of DNA polymerase alpha activity. We have now measured the incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine into lymphoblastoid cells by flow cytometry to determine precisely where the two inhibitors act relative to the initiation of DNA synthesis. It is demonstrated here that mimosine arrests cell cycle progression at the G1-S phase border. The onset of DNA replication occurs within 15 min of releasing the cells from the mimosine block. In contrast, treatment with aphidicolin results in the accumulation of cells in early S phase. These results indicate that mimosine is a suitable compound for affecting the synchronous release of cells from G1 into S phase and for analyzing the biochemical events associated with this cell cycle phase transition.