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Modeling the septation initiation network (SIN) in fission yeast cells

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Abstract

Cytokinesis in fission yeast is controlled by a signal transduction pathway called the Septation Initiation Network (SIN). From a dynamical point of view the most interesting questions about the regulation of fission yeast cytokinesis are: how do wild type cells ensure that septation is initiated only once per cycle? Why does the control system stay in a continuously septating state in some mutant strains? And how is it that the SIN remains active when cytokinesis fails? To answer these questions we construct a simplified mathematical model of the SIN and graft this regulatory module onto our previous model of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) dynamics in fission yeast cells. The SIN is both activated and inhibited by mitotic Cdk/cyclin complexes. As a consequence of this dual regulation, the SIN gets activated only once at the end of mitosis, when Cdk activity drops. The mathematical model describes the timing of septation not only in wild type cells but also in mutants where components of the SIN are knocked out. The model predicts phenotypes of some uncharacterized mutant cells and shows how a cytokinesis checkpoint can stop the cell cycle if septation fails.

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Abbreviations

SIN:

Septation initiation network

SPF:

S-phase promoting factor

MPF:

M-phase promoting factor

CDK:

Cyclin dependent kinase

SPB:

Spindle pole body

GEF:

Guanine nucleotide exchange factor

GAP:

GTPase activating protein

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for conversations with colleagues and collaborators: Kathy Chen, Andrea Krapp, Dannel McCollum, Sergio Moreno, Viesturs Simanis, Akos Sveiczer. Funding agencies: Marie Curie Research Training Network (RTN-CT-2004-512348), European Commission (COMBIO: LSHG-CT-2004-503568; YSBN: LSHG-CT-2005-018942), OTKA (F-60414) and the James S. McDonnell Foundation (21002050). A. C-N. is a Bolyai fellow of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Structure and Modeling Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111, Budapest, Szt. Gellért tér 4, Hungary

    Attila Csikász-Nagy, Orsolya Kapuy, Béla Győrffy & Béla Novák

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    John J. Tyson

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  1. Attila Csikász-Nagy
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  2. Orsolya Kapuy
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  3. Béla Győrffy
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  4. John J. Tyson
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  5. Béla Novák
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Correspondence to Attila Csikász-Nagy.

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Communicated by S. Hohmann.

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Csikász-Nagy, A., Kapuy, O., Győrffy, B. et al. Modeling the septation initiation network (SIN) in fission yeast cells. Curr Genet 51, 245–255 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00294-007-0123-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00294-007-0123-4

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