title: The p21 inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases controls DNA replication by interaction with PCNA.
abstract: The p53 tumour-suppressor protein controls the expression of a gene encoding the p21 cyclin-dependent protein kinase (CDK) regulator. Levels of p21 protein are increased in senescent cells and p21 overexpression blocks the growth of tumour cells. In normal human cells, but not in many tumour cells, p21 exists in a quaternary complex with a cyclin, a CDK, and the proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). p21 controls CDK activity, thereby affecting cell-cycle control, whereas PCNA functions in both DNA replication and repair. Here we use simian virus 40 DNA replication in vitro to show than p21 directly inhibits PCNA-dependent DNA replication in the absence of a cyclin/CDK. Furthermore, p21 blocks the ability of PCNA to activate DNA polymerase delta, the principal replicative DNA polymerase. This regulation results from a direct interaction between p21 and PCNA. Thus, during p53-mediated suppression of cell proliferation, p21 and PCNA may be important for coordinating cell-cycle progression, DNA replication and repair of damaged DNA.
authors.affiliation: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York 11724.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waga
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hannon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Beach
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stillman
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004258:DNA Polymerase III; D004261:DNA Replication; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D006639:Histidine; D006801:Humans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D004279:DNA, Viral; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006639:Histidine; D004258:DNA Polymerase III; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I