Schizosaccharomyces pombe Hsk1p Is a Potential Cds1p Target Required for Genome Integrity

The fission yeast Hsk1p kinase is an essential activator of DNA replication. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a novel mutant allele of the gene. Consistent with its role in the initiation of DNA synthesis, hsk1(ts) genetically interacts with several S-phase mutants. At the restrictive temperature, hsk1(ts) cells suffer abnormal S phase and loss of nuclear integrity and are sensitive to both DNA-damaging agents and replication arrest. Interestingly, hsk1(ts) mutants released to the restrictive temperature after early S-phase arrest in hydroxyurea (HU) are able to complete bulk DNA synthesis but they nevertheless undergo an abnormal mitosis. These findings indicate a second role for hsk1 subsequent to HU arrest. Consistent with a later S-phase role, hsk1(ts) is synthetically lethal with Deltarqh1 (RecQ helicase) or rad21ts (cohesin) mutants and suppressed by Deltacds1 (RAD53 kinase) mutants. We demonstrate that Hsk1p undergoes Cds1p-dependent phosphorylation in response to HU and that it is a direct substrate of purified Cds1p kinase in vitro. These results indicate that the Hsk1p kinase is a potential target of Cds1p regulation and that its activity is required after replication initiation for normal mitosis.