Regulation of the CRL4(Cdt2) ubiquitin ligase and cell-cycle exit by the SCF(Fbxo11) ubiquitin ligase

Abstract

F-box proteins and DCAF proteins are the substrate binding subunits of the Skp1-Cul1-F-box protein (SCF) and Cul4-RING protein ligase (CRL4) ubiquitin ligase complexes, respectively. Using affinity purification and mass spectrometry, we determined that the F-box protein FBXO11 interacts with CDT2, a DCAF protein that controls cell-cycle progression, and recruits CDT2 to the SCF(FBXO11)complex to promote its proteasomal degradation. In contrast to most SCF substrates, which exhibit phosphodegron-dependent binding to F-box proteins, CDK-mediated phosphorylation of Thr464 present in the CDT2 degron inhibits recognition by FBXO11. Finally, our results show that the functional interaction between FBXO11 and CDT2 is evolutionary conserved from worms to humans and plays an important role in regulating the timing of cell-cycle exit.