A human homolog of the yeast CDC7 gene is overexpressed in some tumors and transformed cell lines.
The Cdc7 protein kinase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a critical regulator of several aspects of DNA metabolism and cell cycle progression. We describe the isolation of a human gene encoding a Cdc7 homolog. The Cdc7Hs protein sequence is 27% identical to that of the yeast protein, includes features unique to yeast Cdc7, and contains all conserved catalytic residues of protein kinases. The human sequence also shows significant similarity to the cyclin-dependent kinases, in accordance with evidence that yeast Cdc7 is related to the cdks. CDC7Hs is expressed in many normal tissues, but overexpressed in certain tumor types and all transformed cell lines examined. In some of the tumors tested, CDC7Hs expression correlates with expression of a proliferation marker, the histone H3 gene. In other cases, no such correlation was observed. This suggests that CDC7Hs expression may be associated hyperproliferation in some tumors and neoplastic transformation in others.
Hess
G F
GF
Cancer Research, Pharmacia, Upjohn, Inc., 301 Henrietta Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001, USA.
Drong
R F
RF
Weiland
K L
KL
Slightom
J L
JL
Sclafani
R A
RA
Hollingsworth
R E
RE
D015415:Biomarkers; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000737:chemistry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D015415:Biomarkers; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D006657:Histones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; C489404:CDC7 protein, S cerevisiae; C068619:CDC7 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; C495894:CDK2 protein, human; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases