The wis1 protein kinase is a dosage-dependent regulator of mitosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Abstract

The wis1+ gene encodes a newly identified mitotic control element in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. It was isolated by virtue of its interaction with the mitotic control genes cdc25, wee1 and win1. The wis1+ gene potentially encodes a 66 kDa protein with homology to the serine/threonine family of protein kinases. wis1+ plays an important role in the regulation of entry into mitosis, as it shares with cdc25+ and nim1+/cdr1+ the property of inducing mitosis in a dosage-dependent manner. Increased levels of wis1+ expression cause mitotic initiation to occur at a reduced cell size. Loss of wis1+ function does not prevent vegetative growth and division, though wis1- cells show an elongated morphology, indicating that their entry into mitosis and cell division is delayed relative to wild type cells. wis1- cells undergo a rapid reduction of viability upon entry into stationary phase, suggesting a role for wis1+ in the integration of nutritional sensing with the control over entry into mitosis.