TGF-beta: receptors and cell cycle arrest.
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is the prototypic member of a superfamily of proteins important in normal growth and development. The recent molecular cloning and characterization of TGF-beta receptors represents a major advance in our understanding of the mechanism of action of this cytokine. These studies have revealed that TGF-beta elicits its diverse biological responses following the formation of a heteromeric complex involving two distantly related transmembrane serine/threonine kinases, both of which are required for signalling. Furthermore, there has been very rapid progress in the identification of key components that regulate the cell cycle, including the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and their partners, the cyclins. Perhaps the most significant development has been the isolation of a family of proteins that bind to and inactivate CDKs. The ability of TGF-beta to regulate the action of these CDK inhibitors results in growth arrest of mammalian cells in G1.
Saltis
J
J
Cell Biology Laboratory, Baker Medical Research Institute, Prahran, Victoria, Australia.
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000502:physiology; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases