GSK-3 promotes S-phase entry and progression in C. elegans germline stem cells to maintain tissue output

• Published in: Development (Cambridge) Vol. 145; no. 10; p. dev161042
• Main Authors: Furuta, Tokiko, Joo, Hyoe-Jin, Trimmer, Kenneth A, Chen, Shin-Yu, Arur, Swathi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Company of Biologists Ltd 14.05.2018
• Subjects: Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans - cytology; Caenorhabditis elegans - embryology; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - genetics; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins - metabolism; Cell cycle; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - genetics; Cyclin E; Cyclin E - biosynthesis; Cyclin-dependent kinase; Cyclin-dependent kinase 2; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 - biosynthesis; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2 - genetics; Cyclin-dependent kinases; Embryo cells; G1 phase; Gene regulation; Germ Cells - cytology; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 - genetics; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 - metabolism; Notch protein; Post-translation; Receptors, Notch - metabolism; RNA Interference; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Small Interfering - genetics; S phase; S Phase - physiology; Signal Transduction - genetics; Stem cell transplantation; Stem cells; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells and Regeneration; Transcription; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription, Genetic - genetics; Stem cell proliferation; GSK3β; Germ cells; Cell cycle
• ISSN: 0950-1991; 1477-9129
• DOI: 10.1242/dev.161042

Adult germline stem cells (GSCs) and mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) exhibit a non-canonical cell cycle structure with an abbreviated G1 phase and phase-independent expression of Cdk2 and cyclin E. Mechanisms that promote the abbreviated cell cycle remain unknown, as do the consequences of not maintaining an abbreviated cell cycle in these tissues. In GSCs, we discovered that loss of results in reduced GSC proliferation without changes in differentiation or responsiveness to GLP-1/Notch signaling. We find that DPL-1 transcriptional activity inhibits CDK-2 mRNA accumulation in GSCs, which leads to slower S-phase entry and progression. Inhibition of or transgenic expression of CDK-2 via a heterologous germline promoter rescues the S-phase entry and progression defects of the mutants, demonstrating that transcriptional regulation rather than post-translational control of CDK-2 establishes the abbreviated cell cycle structure in GSCs. This highlights an inhibitory cascade wherein GSK-3 inhibits DPL-1 and DPL-1 inhibits transcription. Constitutive GSK-3 activity through this cascade maintains an abbreviated cell cycle structure to permit the efficient proliferation of GSCs necessary for continuous tissue output.