Differential roles for the spindle assembly checkpoint in error surveillance and mitotic timing

The Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC) plays critical roles in regulating mitotic fidelity and progression. Here, we utilized a SAC-deficient cell line lacking the full-length Cdc20 translational protein isoform (Cdc20 ΔFL) to define its differential genetic interactions using CRISPR/Cas9-based gene targeting. Cdc20 ΔFL cells display synthetic lethal relationships with gene targets required for proper chromosome segregation, highlighting the critical role of the SAC in error surveillance. Surprisingly, we found that the checkpoint component Mad2 becomes dispensable for viability in Cdc20 ΔFL cells. Prior work suggested that Mad2 acts as an essential mitotic “timer” to control mitotic duration in unperturbed cells. Instead, our functional analysis indicates that the mitotic timer depends on the interdependent and overlapping actions of: (1) Mad2 inhibition of APC/C-Cdc20, (2) Cdk1-mediated phosphorylation of Cdc20, and (3) total Cdc20 protein levels. Simultaneously perturbing these pathways results in near immediate mitotic exit and catastrophic chromosome mis-segregation.