|
Cdc2
Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 also known as CDK1 or cell division cycle protein 2 homolog is a highly conserved protein that functions as a serine/threonine protein kinase, and is a key player in cell cycle regulation. It has been highly studied in the budding yeast ''S. cerevisiae'', and the fission yeast ''S. pombe'', where it is encoded by genes ''cdc28'' an''cdc2'' respectively. With its cyclin partners, Cdk1 forms complexes that phosphorylate a variety of target substrates (over 75 have been identified in budding yeast); phosphorylation of these proteins leads to cell cycle progression. Structure Cdk1 is a small protein (approximately 34 kilodaltons), and is highly conserved. The human homolog of Cdk1, ''CDK1'', shares approximately 63% amino-acid identity with its yeast homolog. Furthermore, human ''CDK1'' is capable of rescuing fission yeast carrying a ''cdc2'' mutation. Cdk1 is comprised mostly by the bare protein kinase motif, which other protein kinases share. Cdk1, li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cdc25
Cdc25 is a dual-specificity phosphatase first isolated from the yeast ''Schizosaccharomyces pombe'' as a cell cycle defective mutant. As with other cell cycle proteins or genes such as Cdc2 and Cdc4, the "cdc" in its name refers to "cell division control". Dual-specificity phosphatases are considered a sub-class of protein tyrosine phosphatases. By removing inhibitory phosphate residues from target cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), Cdc25 proteins control entry into and progression through various phases of the cell cycle, including mitosis and S ("Synthesis") phase. Function in activating Cdk1 Cdc25 activates cyclin dependent kinases by removing phosphate from residues in the Cdk active site. In turn, the phosphorylation by M-Cdk (a complex of Cdk1 and cyclin B) activates Cdc25. Together with Wee1, M-Cdk activation is switch-like. The switch-like behavior forces entry into mitosis to be quick and irreversible. Cdk activity can be reactivated after dephosphorylation by Cdc25. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wee1
Wee1 is a nuclear kinase belonging to the Ser/Thr family of protein kinases in the fission yeast ''Schizosaccharomyces pombe'' (''S. pombe'')Wee1has a molecular mass of 96 kDa and is a key regulator of cell cycle progression. It influences cell size by inhibiting the entry into mitosis, through inhibiting Cdk1. Wee1 has homologues in many other organisms, including mammals. Introduction The regulation of cell size is critical to ensure functionality of a cell. Besides environmental factors such as nutrients, growth factors and functional load, cell size is also controlled by a cellular cell size checkpoint. Wee1 is a component of this checkpoint. It is a kinase determining the timepoint of entry into mitosis, thus influencing the size of the daughter cells. Loss of Wee1 function will produce smaller than normal daughter cell, because cell division occurs prematurely. Its name is derived from the Scottish dialect word wee, meaning small - its discoverer Paul Nurse was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyclin B1
G2/mitotic-specific cyclin-B1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''CCNB1'' gene. Function Cyclin B1 is a regulatory protein involved in mitosis. The gene product complexes with p34 (Cdk1) to form the maturation-promoting factor (MPF). Two alternative transcripts have been found, a constitutively expressed transcript and a cell cycle-regulated transcript that is expressed predominantly during G2/M phase of the cell cycle. The different transcripts result from the use of alternate transcription initiation sites. Cyclin B1 contributes to the switch-like all or none behavior of the cell in deciding to commit to mitosis. Its activation is well-regulated, and positive feedback loops ensure that once the cyclin B1-Cdk1 complex is activated, it is not deactivated. Cyclin B1-Cdk1 is involved in the early events of mitosis, such as chromosome condensation, nuclear envelope breakdown, and spindle pole assembly. Once activated, cyclin B1-Cdk1 promotes several of the events of ea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sic1
Sic1, a protein, is a stoichiometric inhibitor of Cdk1-Clb (B-type cyclins) complexes in the budding yeast ''Saccharomyces cerevisiae''. Because B-type cyclin-Cdk1 complexes are the drivers of S-phase initiation, Sic1 prevents premature S-phase entry. Multisite phosphorylation of Sic1 is thought to time Sic1 ubiquitination and destruction, and by extension, the timing of S-phase entry. Cell cycle control In the G1 phase of the cell cycle, Sic1 binds tightly to the Cdc28-Clb complex and inhibits it. Low Cdc28-Clb activity leads to the disassembly of the mitotic spindle, the assembly of the prereplicative complex and initiation of bud formation in yeast. At the START point in the yeast cell cycle, the G1- cyclins Cln3, Cln1 and Cln 2 activate Cdc28. The activated complex will phosphorylate Sic1 at multiple sites which leads to its degradation by the SCF complex. When Sic1 is degraded, the Cdc28-Clb complex is no longer inhibited and the cell can enter the S/M-phase. Thus Sic1 i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyclin-dependent Kinase
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are the families of protein kinases first discovered for their role in regulating the cell cycle. They are also involved in regulating transcription, mRNA processing, and the differentiation of nerve cells. They are present in all known eukaryotes, and their regulatory function in the cell cycle has been evolutionarily conserved. In fact, yeast cells can proliferate normally when their CDK gene has been replaced with the homologous human gene. CDKs are relatively small proteins, with molecular weights ranging from 34 to 40 kDa, and contain little more than the kinase domain. By definition, a CDK binds a regulatory protein called a cyclin. Without cyclin, CDK has little kinase activity; only the cyclin-CDK complex is an active kinase but its activity can be typically further modulated by phosphorylation and other binding proteins, like p27. CDKs phosphorylate their substrates on serines and threonines, so they are serine-threonine kinases. The c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyclin-dependent Kinase
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are the families of protein kinases first discovered for their role in regulating the cell cycle. They are also involved in regulating transcription, mRNA processing, and the differentiation of nerve cells. They are present in all known eukaryotes, and their regulatory function in the cell cycle has been evolutionarily conserved. In fact, yeast cells can proliferate normally when their CDK gene has been replaced with the homologous human gene. CDKs are relatively small proteins, with molecular weights ranging from 34 to 40 kDa, and contain little more than the kinase domain. By definition, a CDK binds a regulatory protein called a cyclin. Without cyclin, CDK has little kinase activity; only the cyclin-CDK complex is an active kinase but its activity can be typically further modulated by phosphorylation and other binding proteins, like p27. CDKs phosphorylate their substrates on serines and threonines, so they are serine-threonine kinases. The c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
GADD45A
Growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible protein GADD45 alpha is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''GADD45A'' gene. Function This gene is a member of a group of genes, the GADD45 genes, whose transcript levels are increased following stressful growth arrest conditions and treatment with DNA-damaging agents (mutagens). The DNA damage-induced transcription of this gene is mediated by both p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms. The protein encoded by this gene responds to environmental stresses by mediating activation of the p38/JNK pathway via MTK1/MEKK4 kinase. Applications The fact that expression of this gene is an indicator of DNA damage has been exploited to construct an ''in vitro'' test for mutagenicity, the GADD45a-GFP GreenScreen HC assay. This assay consists of a cell line which has been engineered so that expression of GADD45A will lead to expression of green fluorescent protein, which can easily be detected. To test a substance for mutagenicity, it is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyclin
Cyclin is a family of proteins that controls the progression of a cell through the cell cycle by activating cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) enzymes or group of enzymes required for synthesis of cell cycle. Etymology Cyclins were originally discovered by R. Timothy Hunt in 1982 while studying the cell cycle of sea urchins. In an interview for "The Life Scientific" (aired on 13/12/2011) hosted by Jim Al-Khalili, R. Timothy Hunt explained that the name "cyclin" was originally named after his hobby cycling. It was only after the naming did its importance in the cell cycle become apparent. As it was appropriate the name stuck. R. Timothy Hunt: "By the way, the name cyclin, which I coined, was really a joke, it's because I liked cycling so much at the time, but they did come and go in the cell..." Function Cyclins were originally named because their concentration varies in a cyclical fashion during the cell cycle. (Note that the cyclins are now classified according to their conse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyclin E1
G1/S-specific cyclin-E1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''CCNE1'' gene. Function The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the highly conserved cyclin family, whose members are characterized by a dramatic periodicity in protein abundance through the cell cycle. Cyclins function as regulators of CDK. Different cyclins exhibit distinct expression and degradation patterns which contribute to the temporal coordination of each mitotic event. This cyclin forms a complex with and functions as a regulatory subunit of CDK2, whose activity is required for cell cycle G1/S transition. This protein accumulates at the G1-S phase boundary and is degraded as cells progress through S phase. Overexpression of this gene has been observed in many tumors, which results in chromosome instability, and thus may contribute to tumorigenesis. This protein was found to associate with, and be involved in, the phosphorylation of NPAT protein (nuclear protein mapped to the ATM locus), which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Whi5
Whi5 is a transcriptional regulator in the budding yeast cell cycle, notably in the G1 phase. It is an inhibitor of SBF, which is involved in the transcription of G1-specific genes. Cln3 promotes the disassociation of Whi5 from SBF, and its disassociation results in the transcription of genes needed to enter S phase. Roles in cell cycle progression Start of the checkpoints in the cell cycle, which allows the cell to enter S phase from late G1, and has an all-or-nothing response to stimulus from the cell. The checkpoint allows the cell to either enter G0 or G1 phase and cell conditions must be sufficient to enter the cell cycle; for example, if the cell is starving, or if there is nutrient depletion, then it will halt progression in the cell cycle. However, if the start checkpoint is satisfied then the cell can begin DNA replication and the cell will halt growing. In the cascade of events that leads to the transcription of G1-specific genes, Whi5 is involved in the regulation of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cell Cycle
The cell cycle, or cell-division cycle, is the series of events that take place in a cell that cause it to divide into two daughter cells. These events include the duplication of its DNA (DNA replication) and some of its organelles, and subsequently the partitioning of its cytoplasm, chromosomes and other components into two daughter cells in a process called cell division. In cells with nuclei ( eukaryotes, i.e., animal, plant, fungal, and protist cells), the cell cycle is divided into two main stages: interphase and the mitotic (M) phase (including mitosis and cytokinesis). During interphase, the cell grows, accumulating nutrients needed for mitosis, and replicates its DNA and some of its organelles. During the mitotic phase, the replicated chromosomes, organelles, and cytoplasm separate into two new daughter cells. To ensure the proper replication of cellular components and division, there are control mechanisms known as cell cycle checkpoints after each of the key steps ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hyperphosphorylation
Hyperphosphorylation occurs when a biochemical with multiple phosphorylation sites is fully saturated. Hyperphosphorylation is one of the signaling mechanisms used by the cell to regulate mitosis. When these mechanisms fail, developmental problems or cancer are a likely outcome. The mechanism appears to be largely conserved throughout eukaryote species. The dynamics of mitosis are similar to a state machine. In a healthy cell, checkpoints between phases permit a new phase to begin only when the previous phase is complete and successful. At these checkpoints, gatekeeper molecules block or allow events, depending on their level of phosphorylation. Kinases are responsible for adding phosphate groups and phosphatases for removing them. Cyclins are molecules that manage the timing of cell cycle events. Cyclin dependent kinases pair up with cyclins to become operational. Cyclins are named because they are created or destroyed at predetermined points within the cell cycle. Kinase inhi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
