Final answer:
The MPF protein complex turns itself off by the targeted degradation of its cyclin subunit towards the end of mitosis, allowing the cell to progress to the next stage of the cell cycle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The MPF protein complex turns itself off by initiating the degradation of its cyclin subunit. MPF, also known as Mitosis Promoting Factor, is composed of two subunits: cyclin and cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk). While levels of cdk remain relatively constant, the levels of cyclin vary, accumulating during the G₁ phase and peaking at mitosis before they are targeted for degradation. This degradation process involves proteasomes that break down cyclin, leading to the inactivation of MPF towards the end of mitosis. The breaking down of cyclin is a critical step in ensuring that MPF activity ceases, allowing the cell to exit mitosis and enter the G₁ phase of the cell cycle.