Study of the docking-dependent PLK1 phosphorylation of the CDC25B phosphatase

Highlights: → Phosphorylation of CDC25B by CDK1 enhances its substrate properties for PLK1 in vitro. → Sequential phosphorylation of CDC25B is analyzed using 16O and 18O ATP. → Thirteen sites phosphorylated by PLK1 have been identified. -- Abstract: CDC25 (A, B and C) phosphatases control cell cycle progression through the timely dephosphorylation and activation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK). At mitosis the CDC25B phosphatase activity is dependent on its phosphorylation by multiple kinases impinging on its localisation, stability and catalytic activity. Here we report that prior phosphorylation of CDC25B by CDK1 enhances its substrate properties for PLK1 in vitro, and we also show that phosphorylated S50 serves as a docking site for PLK1. Using a sophisticated strategy based on the sequential phosphorylation of CDC25B with 16O and 18O ATP prior to nanoLC-MS/MS analysis we identified 13 sites phosphorylated by PLK1. This study illustrates the complexity of the phosphorylation pattern and of the subsequent regulation of CDC25B activity.