Abstract:
We have shown recently that DNA damage effector kinase Chk1 is phosphorylated in
vitro by protein kinase B/Akt (PKB/Akt) on serine 280. Activation of Chk1 by DNA
damage in vivo is suppressed in presence of activated PKB. In this study we show that
Chk1 is phosphorylated by PKB in vivo, and that increased phosphorylation by PKB on
serine 280 correlates with impairment of Chk1 activation by DNA damage. Our results
indicate a likely mechanism for the negative effects that phosphorylation of serine 280
has on activation of Chk1. The Chk1 protein phosphorylated by PKB on serine 280 does
not enter into protein complexes after replication arrest. Moreover, Chk1 phosphorylated
by PKB fails to undergo activating phosphorylation on serine 345 by ATM/ATR.
Phosphorylation by ATM/ATR and association with other checkpoint proteins are
essential steps in activation of Chk1. Inhibition of these steps provides a plausible
explanation for the observed attenuation of Chk1 activation by activated PKB after DNA
damage.