Submitted on February 11, 2009
Revised on June 24, 2009
Accepted on September 28, 2009
Cks proteins protect mitochondrial genome integrity by interacting with mitochondrial single-stranded DNA binding protein
Marko Radulovic, Eleanor Crane, Mark Crawford, Jasminka Godovac Zimmermann, and Veronica P. C. C. Yu
Eukaryotic Chromatin Dynamics Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, London W12 0NN
Corresponding Author: vyu{at}imperial.ac.uk
Cks (cyclin-dependent kinase subunit) proteins interact with cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) with high affinity. Mammalian Cks1 and Cks2 bind Cdk1 and Cdk2 and partake in the control of cell cycle progression. We identified Cks-interacting proteins by affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry in the human lymphocytic cell line, Ramos. Apart from known interactors, such as Cdks, we identified a novel Cdk-dependent interaction between Cks proteins and the mitochondrial single-stranded DNA-binding protein (mtSSB). mtSSB binds both Cks1 and Cks2 and undergoes Cdk-dependent phosphorylation. mtSSB is known to participate in replication of mitochodondrial DNA. We demonstrated that mitochondrial morphology and DNA integrity were compromised in cells depleted of both Cks proteins or have inhibited Cdk activity. These features are consistent with the hypothesis of Cks-dependent regulation of mtSSB function and support a direct role in cell cycle proteins in controlling mitochondrial DNA replication.