CDC25A

M-phase inducer phosphatase 1 also known as dual specificity phosphatase Cdc25A is a protein that in humans is encoded by the cell division cycle 25 homolog A (CDC25A) gene.

Function

CDC25A is a member of the CDC25 family of dual-specificity phosphatases.

Dual-specificity protein phosphatases remove phosphate groups from phosphorylated tyrosine and serine / threonine residues. They represent a subgroup of the tyrosine phosphatase family (as opposed to the serine/threonine phosphatase family).

All mammals examined to date have three homologues of the ancestral Cdc25 gene (found e.g. in the fungus species S. pombe , designated Cdc25A, Cdc25B, and Cdc25C. In contrast, some invertebrates harbour 2 (e.g., the Drosophila proteins String and Twine) or four (e.g., C. elegans Cdc-25.1 - Cdc-25.4) homologues. CDC25A is required for progression from G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle, but also plays roles in later cell cycle events. In particular, it is stabilized in metaphase cells and is degraded upon metaphase exit akin to Cyclin B. It is competent to activate the G1/S cyclin-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK2 by removing inhibitory phosphate groups from adjacent tyrosine and threonine residues; it can also activate Cdc2 (Cdk1), the principal mitotic Cdk.

Cdc25

Cdc25 is a dual-specificity phosphatase first isolated from the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a cell cycle defective mutant. As with other cell cycle proteins such as Cdc2 and Cdc4, the "cdc" in its name refers to "cell division cycle". Dual-specificity phosphatases are considered a sub-class of protein tyrosine phosphatases. By removing inhibitory phosphate residues from target Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (Cdks), Cdc25 proteins control entry into and progression through various phases of the cell cycle, including mitosis and S ("Synthesis") phase.

Function of Cdc25 in Activating Cdk1

Cdc25 activates cyclin dependent kinases by removing phosphate from residues in the Cdk active site. Also, the phosphorylation of M-Cdk (a complex of Cdk1 and cyclin B) activates Cdc25. Together with Wee1, M-Cdk activation is switch-like. The switch-like behavior forces entry into mitosis to be quick and irreversible. Cdk activity can be reactivated after dephosphorylation by Cdc25. The Cdc25 enzymes Cdc25A-C are known to control the transitions from G1 to S phase and G2 to M phase.