CDK11p58 kinase activity is required to protect sister chromatid cohesion at centromeres in mitosis

International audienceThe cyclin-dependent kinase CDK11p58 is specifically expressed at G2/M phase. CDK11p58 depletion leads to different cell cycle defects such as mitotic arrest, failure in centriole duplication and centrosome maturation and premature sister chromatid separation. We report that, upon CDK11 depletion, loss of sister chromatid cohesion occurs during mitosis but not during G2 phase. CDK11p58 depletion prevents Bub1 and Shugoshin 1 recruitment but has no effect on the dimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 at centromeres. We also report that a construct expressing a kinase dead version of CDK11p58 fails to prevent CDK11 depletion-induced sister chromatid separation, showing that CDK11p58 kinase activity is required for protection of sister chromatid cohesion at centromeres during mitosis. Thus, CDK11p58 kinase activity appears to be involved in early events in the establishment of the centromere protection machinery