Unmasking the redundancy between Cdk1 and Cdk2 at G2 phase in human cancer cell lines

A series of studies published in 2003 has challenged the essentiality of Cdk2. A recently published work indicates that cyclin E-Cdk1 compensates for Cdk2's function at G(1)/S transition in Cdk2(-/-) Mefs. In this study, we uncovered a redundant mechanism between Cdk1 and Cdk2 at G(2) in multiple cancer cell lines. When either Cdk2 or Cdk1 is ablated using RNAi, there were complex shifts of cyclin A towards its reciprocal partner, i.e., when Cdk2 is ablated, cyclin A redistributes to Cdk1; when Cdk1 is ablated, cyclin A forms more abundant complexes with Cdk2. Further, cyclin B redistributes to Cdk2 upon Cdk1 knockdown. These redistributions bring about increased kinase activities of corresponding complexes. Elimination of the compensatory mechanism by knockdown of both Cdk1 and Cdk2 using RNAi reveals phenotypes at G2 phase. The results suggest that the redistributed complexes contribute to the cyclin B-Cdk1 activation when either Cdk1 or Cdk2 alone is ablated and this redundancy masks Cdk2's role when Cdk2 is singly ablated. It is also worth noting that the predominant G2 arrest described here, unlike those Cdk1-Cdk2 double ablated Mefs, raises a question of whether different Cdk activities are required for G(1)/S or G(2)/M progression in normal vs. cancer cells.