The kinetics of p53 activation versus cyclin E accumulation underlies the relationship between the spindle-assembly checkpoint and the postmitotic checkpoint

Although cells can exit mitotic block aberrantly by mitotic slippage, they are prevented from becoming tetraploids by a p53-dependent postmitotic checkpoint. Intriguingly, disruption of the spindle-assembly checkpoint also compromises the postmitotic checkpoint. The precise mechanism of the interplay between these two pivotal checkpoints is not known. We found that after prolonged nocodazole exposure, the postmitotic checkpoint was facilitated by p53. We demonstrated that although disruption of the mitotic block by a MAD2-binding protein promoted slippage, it did not influence the activation of p53. Both p53 and its downstream target p21(CIP1/WAF1) were activated at the same rate irrespective of whether the spindle-assembly checkpoint was enforced or not. The accelerated S phase entry, as reflected by the premature accumulation of cyclin E relative to the activation of p21(CIP1/WAF1), is the reason for the uncoupling of the postmitotic checkpoint. In support of this hypothesis, forced premature mitotic exit with a specific CDK1 inhibitor triggered DNA replication without affecting the kinetics of p53 activation. Finally, replication after checkpoint bypass was boosted by elevating the level of cyclin E. These observations indicate that disruption of the spindle-assembly checkpoint does not directly influence p53 activation, but the shortening of the mitotic arrest allows cyclin E-CDK2 to be activated before the accumulation of p21(CIP1/WAF1). These data underscore the critical relationship between the spindle-assembly checkpoint and the postmitotic checkpoint in safeguarding chromosomal stability.