Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42900164›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of cell biology2026

The AMPK kinase Sak1 activates separase and promotes its nuclear localization during mitosis.

David Vaquero-Pelaz, José-Antonio Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Malina Carmina Ilinca, Esther Casas-Fernández, Amparo Picard, Francisco Del Caño-Ochoa, Isabel Vernia, Toni Gabaldón, Maria Angeles Juanes, Ethel Queralt

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of cell biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

David Vaquero-PelazInstituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC) , Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-9992-3619
José-Antonio Rodriguez-RodriguezInstituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC) , Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-5263-0210
Malina Carmina IlincaInstituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC) , Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-8105-1499
Esther Casas-FernándezInstituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC) , Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0009-0008-4652-4818
Amparo PicardInstituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC) , Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-0871-5444
Francisco Del Caño-OchoaStructure of Macromolecular Targets Unit, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV), CSIC, Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-3093-3103
Isabel VerniaInstituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC) , Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0009-0000-8244-6767
Toni GabaldónLife Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-0019-1735
Maria Angeles JuanesNational Horizons Centre, Teesside University , Darlington, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9801-9652
Ethel QueraltInstituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC) , Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-0045-0039

Funding

Academy of Medical Science SBF006\1070Agencia Estatal de Investigación/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación BES-2017-0803Agencia Estatal de Investigación/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CNS2022-135452Agencia Estatal de Investigación/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2019-109027GB-I00Agencia Estatal de Investigación/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2022-136681NB-I00Generalitat Valenciana CIDEGENT/2021/026Generalitat Valenciana EDGJID/2021/136Generalitat Valenciana Programa Cidegent CIDEGENT2020/41NextGenerationEU CNS2022-135452
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis requires the precise regulation of separase, a protease that cleaves cohesin to trigger the separation of sister chromatids. Here, we identify the AMPK-activating kinase Sak1 as a novel regulator of separase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using a suppressor screen, we discovered a hypermorphic SAK1-E50K allele that restored separase activity and nuclear localization in esp1-2 and pds1Δ mutants. We demonstrated that Sak1 phosphorylates separase independently of Snf1 activation, enhancing its enzymatic function and promoting nuclear accumulation. Loss of Sak1 delays Cdc14 activation and phenocopies FEAR pathway defects, establishing Sak1 as a mitotic regulator. Extending these findings to humans, we demonstrated that human separase and the tumor suppressor kinase LKB1, which is homologous to Sak1, physically associate. This finding reveals an evolutionarily conserved regulatory link between LKB1 and separase, highlighting the kinase-protease interplay as a critical mechanism for ensuring faithful mitotic progression.

Indexed as

Cell Cycle ProteinsCell NucleusMitosisProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesSaccharomyces cerevisiaeSaccharomyces cerevisiae ProteinsSeparaseAMP-Activated Protein Kinase KinasesEnzyme ActivationHumansPhosphorylationAMP-Activated Protein Kinase KinasesCell Cycle ProteinsESP1 protein, S cerevisiaeProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesSaccharomyces cerevisiae ProteinsSeparaseSTK11 protein, human

Identifiers

PMID42900164
PMCPMC13682446

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.