Abstract
MIG6 is an important tumor suppressor that binds to and negatively regulates epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Here, we report an EGFR-independent function for MIG6 as an integral component of the cell cycle machinery. We found that depletion of MIG6 causes accelerated entry into and delayed exit from mitosis. This is due to premature and prolonged activation of CDK1, a key regulator of mitotic progression at the G2/M and meta- and anaphase transitions. Furthermore, MIG6 is required for inhibition of CDK1 upon DNA damage and subsequent G2/M cell cycle arrest. Mechanistically, we found that MIG6 depletion results in reduced phosphorylation of CDK1 on the inhibitory WEE1-targeted tyrosine-15 residue. MIG6 interacts with WEE1 and promotes its stability by interfering with the recruitment of the βTrCP-SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase and consequent proteasomal degradation of WEE1. Our findings uncover a critical role of MIG6 in cell cycle progression that is likely to contribute to its potent tumor-suppressive properties.