Decreased accumulation and dephosphorylation of the mitosis-specific form of nucleophosmin/B23 in staurosporine-induced chromosome decondensation

Abstract

Nucleophosmin/B23 is highly phosphorylated by cdc2 kinase during mitosis, and this phosphorylation most probably has a role in initiating and controlling the entry of cells into mitosis [Peter, Nakagawa, Doree, Labbe and Nigg (1990) Cell 60, 791-801]. In the present study, the protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine has been used to examine possible changes in nucleophosmin/B23 at mitosis in HeLa cells. Addition of staurosporine to HeLa cells already arrested at mitosis by nocodazole causes: (i) decreased accumulation of the mitosis-specific form of nucleophosmin/B23, (ii) dephosphorylation of nucleophosmin/ B23, (iii) redistribution of nucleophosmin/B23 to the cytosol, and (iv) concomitant decondensation of chromosomes. These results suggest that the mitosis-specific phosphorylated form of nucleophosmin/B23 may play a role in maintaining mitotic chromosomes in their condensed state.