Abstract

Separation of duplicated centrosomes (spindle-pole bodies or SPBs in yeast) is a crucial step in the biogenesis of the mitotic spindle. In vertebrates, centrosome separation requires the BimC family kinesin Eg5 and the activities of Cdk1 and polo kinase; however, the roles of these kinases are not fully understood. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, SPB separation also requires activated Cdk1 and the plus-end kinesins Cin8 (homologous to vertebrate Eg5) and Kip1. Here we report that polo kinase has a role in the separation of SPBs. We show that adequate accumulation of Cin8 and Kip1 requires inactivation of the anaphase-promoting complex-activator Cdh1 through sequential phosphorylation by Cdk1 and polo kinase. In this process, Cdk1 functions as a priming kinase in that Cdk1-mediated phosphorylation creates a binding site for polo kinase,which further phosphorylates Cdh1. Thus, Cdh1 inactivation through the synergistic action of Cdk1 and polo kinase provides a new model for inactivation of cell-cycle effectors.