Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle

Cancer cells are characterized by extensive reprogramming of metabolic pathways in order to promote cell division and survival. However, the growth promotion effects of metabolic reprogramming can be due to moonlighting functions of metabolic enzymes as well as the redirection of flux through partic...

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Main Authors: Chalongrat Noree, Elena Monfort, Vorasuk Shotelersuk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Company of Biologists 2018-12-01
Series:Biology Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://bio.biologists.org/content/7/12/bio038307
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author Chalongrat Noree
Elena Monfort
Vorasuk Shotelersuk
author_facet Chalongrat Noree
Elena Monfort
Vorasuk Shotelersuk
author_sort Chalongrat Noree
collection DOAJ
description Cancer cells are characterized by extensive reprogramming of metabolic pathways in order to promote cell division and survival. However, the growth promotion effects of metabolic reprogramming can be due to moonlighting functions of metabolic enzymes as well as the redirection of flux through particular pathways. To identify metabolic enzymes that might have potential moonlighting functions in oncogenesis, we have examined recent screens of the yeast GFP strain collection for metabolic enzymes that have been implicated in cancer metabolism with an unusual subcellular localization. Asparagine synthetase forms filaments in yeast in response to nutrient limitation and is part of a pathway that is a chemotherapy target in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Interestingly, while yeast asparagine synthetase forms cytoplasmic filaments in response to nutrient stress, human asparagine synthetase is associated with the centrosomes and mitotic spindles. This localization is disrupted by both nocodazole and asparaginase treatments. This failure to localize occurs even though asparagine synthetase is highly upregulated in response to asparaginase treatment. Together, these results argue that human asparagine synthetase undergoes regulated recruitment to the mitotic spindles and that it may have acquired a second role in mitosis similar to other metabolic enzymes that contribute to metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells.
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spelling doaj.art-b8b8a30f01f54625abc5281ab875d54a2022-12-21T22:52:22ZengThe Company of BiologistsBiology Open2046-63902018-12-0171210.1242/bio.038307038307Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindleChalongrat Noree0Elena Monfort1Vorasuk Shotelersuk2 Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, 25/25 Phuttamonthon 4 Road, Salaya, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive (MC 0347), La Jolla, CA 92093-0347, USA Center of Excellence for Medical Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Cancer cells are characterized by extensive reprogramming of metabolic pathways in order to promote cell division and survival. However, the growth promotion effects of metabolic reprogramming can be due to moonlighting functions of metabolic enzymes as well as the redirection of flux through particular pathways. To identify metabolic enzymes that might have potential moonlighting functions in oncogenesis, we have examined recent screens of the yeast GFP strain collection for metabolic enzymes that have been implicated in cancer metabolism with an unusual subcellular localization. Asparagine synthetase forms filaments in yeast in response to nutrient limitation and is part of a pathway that is a chemotherapy target in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Interestingly, while yeast asparagine synthetase forms cytoplasmic filaments in response to nutrient stress, human asparagine synthetase is associated with the centrosomes and mitotic spindles. This localization is disrupted by both nocodazole and asparaginase treatments. This failure to localize occurs even though asparagine synthetase is highly upregulated in response to asparaginase treatment. Together, these results argue that human asparagine synthetase undergoes regulated recruitment to the mitotic spindles and that it may have acquired a second role in mitosis similar to other metabolic enzymes that contribute to metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells.http://bio.biologists.org/content/7/12/bio038307Asparagine synthetaseMitotic spindleMitosisCell division
spellingShingle Chalongrat Noree
Elena Monfort
Vorasuk Shotelersuk
Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle
Biology Open
Asparagine synthetase
Mitotic spindle
Mitosis
Cell division
title Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle
title_full Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle
title_fullStr Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle
title_full_unstemmed Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle
title_short Human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle
title_sort human asparagine synthetase associates with the mitotic spindle
topic Asparagine synthetase
Mitotic spindle
Mitosis
Cell division
url http://bio.biologists.org/content/7/12/bio038307
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AT vorasukshotelersuk humanasparaginesynthetaseassociateswiththemitoticspindle