title: Cdc2: a monopotent or pluripotent CDK?
abstract: Cell cycle progression is controlled by both extracellular and intracellular signalling molecules. It has been generally believed that cdc2/CDK1 only control G(2)-M transition in mammalian and many other higher eukaryotic cells. Accumulating evidence shows that cdc2 not only promotes G(2)-M transition but is also capable of regulating G(1) progress and G(1)-S transition via association with multiple interphase cyclins; cdc2 activity can be inhibited by p21 and p27, two traditional G(1) CDK inhibitors. In addition, cdc2-cyclin B controls pronuclear union in interphase fertilized eggs. These data suggest that cdc2 may be a pluripotent CDK. Although mechanisms responsible for the multiple functions of cdc2 remain to be further investigated, interactions of cdc2 with pRb and with several important transcription factors may provide a clue to the pluripotent role of cdc2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences, Barry University, Miami Shores, FL, USA. xthu@mail.barry.edu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Moscinski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D019926:Cyclin B / Q000378:metabolism*; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D051361:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6 / Q000378:metabolism; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / Q000378:metabolism; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008954:Models, Biological; D010766:Phosphorylation; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019926:Cyclin B; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; C528899:CDK1 protein, human; C495900:CDK4 protein, human; C495911:CDK6 protein, human; D051358:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4; D051361:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases