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. 2015 Sep 25;4:e09384. doi: 10.7554/eLife.09384

Figure 6. Gravin-scaffolding of Aurora A and Plk1 facilitates metaphase progression.

(A) Direct binding of purified Gravin GST-fusion proteins (first and last amino acid number of each fragment is denoted above each lane) with recombinant V5-tagged Aurora A kinase (generated by in vitro transcription and translation). (Top) Immunoblot detection of Aurora A in complex with GST-Gravin fragments. (Bottom) Ponceau stained blot shows protein expression levels. (B) Spinning disc confocal image (maximum projection) of a metaphase cell (control vector, left) stained for (green) Aurora A and (blue) DNA. The subcellular rearrangement of Aurora A following over-expression of the Aurora A disruptor fragment (right). DNA is shown in blue (DAPI). (C) Live cell imaging of HeLa cells stably expressing H2B-GFP were monitored through mitosis from the time of DNA condensation until anaphase exit. Shown are (top panels) a representative control cell and (bottom panels) a cell expressing the Aurora A disruptor fragment. Bar, 5 μm. (D) Amalgamated data from multiple cells stably expressing H2B-GFP and monitored for time spent in mitosis. Control cells (n = 95 cells) and Aurora A disruptor expressing cells (n = 55 cells) were from three independent experiments (**p < 0.001 ). (EI) Live cell imaging time courses (0–40 min) of cells stably expressing H2B-GFP transfected with (top) control shRNA and (second) Gravin shRNA. Rescue experiments as indicated with (third) murine Gravin; (fourth) murine Gravin T766A; and (fifth) murine GravinΔPKA. Bar, 5 μm. (F) Amalgamated data from multiple cells treated with control or Gravin shRNA, and rescued with murine Gravin as shown in E. These cells were stably expressing H2B-GFP and monitored for time spent in mitosis. Total cell numbers are indicated on graph (from three independent experiments, **p-values <0.001). (GI) Models depicting the kinase-binding properties of the Gravin mutants used in time course experiments E and F: rescue with intact Gravin (G), Gravin T766A (H), and GravinΔPKA (I).

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09384.011

Figure 6.

Figure 6—figure supplement 1. Biochemical validation of reagents used in analysis of cell cycle progression.

Figure 6—figure supplement 1.

(A) Immunoblot analysis of (lanes 1, 2, and 3) mitotic lysates expressing empty vector, the Aurora-binding fragment myc-Gravin(591–864), or the Aurora-binding disruptor fragment myc-Gravin(591–864)T766A. Also (lanes 4–9) the immunoprecipitated control, myc-Gravin (591–864), or myc-Gravin (591–864)T766A fragments were incubated with purified Cdk1 (lanes 8 and 9). Immunoblots were probed for (top) p766-Gravin and (bottom) anti-myc. Empty vector controls are included (lanes 1, 4, and 7). Cdk1 phosphorylation of expressed myc-Gravin truncations is observed in cells expressing myc-Gravin (591–864) (lane 8) and not in myc-Gravin (591–864)T766A (lane 9). (B) Immunoblot analysis of mitotic cells stably expressing a control shRNA (lane 1) or Gravin shRNA (lanes 2–4) and rescued with murine Gravin (lane 3) or murine Gravin T766A (lane 4). Immunoblot detection with antibodies against (top) Gravin, (upper mid) Plk1, (lower mid) Aurora A, and (bottom) GAPDH loading control.