The tyrosine kinase v-Src causes mitotic slippage by phosphorylating an inhibitory tyrosine residue of Cdk1

The nonreceptor tyrosine kinase v-Src is an oncogene first identified in Rous sarcoma virus. The oncogenic effects of v-Src have been intensively studied; however, its effects on chromosomal integrity are not fully understood. Here, using HeLa S3/v-Src cells having inducible v-Src expression, we found that v-Src causes mitotic slippage in addition to cytokinesis failure, even when the spindle assembly checkpoint is not satisfied because of the presence of microtubule-targeting agents. v-Src's effect on mitotic slippage was also observed in cells after a knockdown of C-terminal Src kinase (Csk), a protein-tyrosine kinase that inhibits Src-family kinases and was partially inhibited by PP2, an Src-family kinase inhibitor. Proteomic analysis and in vitro kinase assay revealed that v-Src phosphorylates cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) at Tyr-15. This phosphorylation attenuated Cdk1 kinase activity, resulting in a decrease in the phosphorylation of Cdk1 substrates. Furthermore, v-Src–induced mitotic slippage reduced the sensitivity of the cells to microtubule-targeting agents, and cells that survived the microtubule-targeting agents exhibited polyploidy. These results suggest that v-Src causes mitotic slippage by attenuating Cdk1 kinase activity via direct phosphorylation of Cdk1 at Tyr-15. On the basis of these findings, we propose a model for v-Src–induced oncogenesis, in which v-Src–promoted mitotic slippage due to Cdk1 phosphorylation generates genetic diversity via abnormal cell division of polyploid cells and also increases the tolerance of cancer cells to microtubule-targeting agents.