title: Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 is essential for meiosis but not for mitotic cell division in mice.
abstract: We targeted the locus encoding the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) by homologous recombination in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Embryonic fibroblasts lacking CDK2 proliferate normally and become immortal after continuous passage in culture. Elimination of a conditional Cdk2 allele in immortal cells does not have a significant effect on proliferation. Cdk2-/- mice are viable and survive for up to two years, indicating that CDK2 is also dispensable for proliferation and survival of most cell types. But CDK2 is essential for completion of prophase I during meiotic cell division in male and female germ cells, an unforeseen role for this cell cycle kinase.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Oncology Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain. sortega@cnio.es
authors.forename: Sagrario
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Odajima
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubus
authors.forename: Rocio
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sotillo
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barbero
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malumbres
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbacid
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000196:embryology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D012692:Serial Passage; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; C495893:Cdk2 protein, mouse; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases