The tumour suppressor RASSF1A promotes MDM2 self-ubiquitination by disrupting the MDM2-DAXX-HAUSP complex

Abstract

The tumour suppressor p53, which accumulates in response to DNA damage and induces cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis, has a key function in the maintenance of genome integrity. Under normal conditions, the antiproliferative effects of p53 are inhibited by MDM2, a ubiquitin ligase that promotes p53 ubiquitination and degradation. MDM2 is also self-ubiquitinated and degraded. Here, we show that the tumour suppressor RASSF1A regulates G1-S cell-cycle progression in a p53-dependent manner by promoting MDM2 self-ubiquitination and preventing p53 degradation. Importantly, RASSF1A associates with MDM2 and death-domain-associated protein (DAXX) in the nucleus, thereby disrupting the interactions between MDM2, DAXX, and the deubiquitinase, HAUSP, and enhancing the self-ubiquitin ligase activity of MDM2. Moreover, RASSF1A partially contributes to p53-dependent checkpoint activation at early time points in response to DNA damage. These findings reveal a new and important function for RASSF1A in regulating the p53-MDM2 pathway.