Abstract
The kinase mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) promotes translation as well as cell survival and proliferation under nutrient-rich conditions. Whereas mTOR activates translation through ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein (4E-BP), how it facilitates cell proliferation has remained unclear. We have now identified p19(Arf), an inhibitor of cell cycle progression, as a novel substrate of S6K that is targeted to promote cell proliferation. Serum stimulation induced activation of the mTOR-S6K axis and consequent phosphorylation of p19(Arf) at Ser(75). Phosphorylated p19(Arf) was then recognized by the F-box protein β-TrCP2 and degraded by the proteasome. Ablation of β-TrCP2 thus led to the arrest of cell proliferation as a result of the stabilization and accumulation of p19(Arf). The β-TrCP2 paralog β-TrCP1 had no effect on p19(Arf) stability, suggesting that phosphorylated p19(Arf) is a specific substrate of β-TrCP2. Mice deficient in β-TrCP2 manifested accumulation of p19(Arf) in the yolk sac and died in utero. Our results suggest that the mTOR pathway promotes cell proliferation via β-TrCP2-dependent p19(Arf) degradation under nutrient-rich conditions.