Early cell cycles of Xenopus laevis embryos are characterized by rapid oscillations in the activity of two cyclin-dependent kinases. Cdk1 activity peaks at mitosis, driven by periodic degradation of cyclins A and B. In contrast, Cdk2 activity oscillates twice per cell cycle, despite a constant level of its partner, cyclin E. Cyclin E degrades at a fixed time after fertilization, normally corres...

In mammalian cells inhibition of the cdc2 function results in arrest in the G2-phase of the cell cycle. Several cdc2-related gene products have been identified recently and it has been hypothesized that they control earlier cell cycle events. Here we have studied the relationship between activation of one of these cdc2 homologs, the cdk2 protein kinase, and the progression through the cell cycl...

The yeast Mps1p protein kinase acts in centrosome duplication and the spindle assembly checkpoint. We demonstrate here that a mouse Mps1p ortholog (esk, which we designate mMps1p) regulates centrosome duplication. Endogenous mMps1p and overexpressed GFP-mMps1p localize to centrosomes and kinetochores in mouse cells. Overexpression of GFP-mMps1p causes reduplication of centrosomes during S phase...

The specific functions of intrinsic regulators of oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) division are poorly understood. Type 2 cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk2) controls cell cycle progression of OPCs, but whether it acts during myelination and repair of demyelinating lesions remains unexplored. Here, we took advantage of a viable Cdk2(-/-) mutant mouse to investigate the function of this cell cyc...

The PolyC binding proteins (PCBPs) impact alternative splicing of a subset of mammalian genes that are enriched in basic cellular functions. Here, we focus our analysis on PCBP-controlled cassette exon-splicing within the cell cycle control regulator cyclin-dependent kinase-2 (CDK2) transcript. We demonstrate that PCBP binding to a C-rich polypyrimidine tract (PPT) preceding exon 5 of the CDK2 ...

Cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) represent potentially promising molecular targets for cancer therapeutic strategies. To evaluate the antitumor activity of selective cyclin/cdk inhibition, we constructed a chimeric protein composed of a F-box protein (TrCP) fused to a peptide comprising the cyclin/cdk2 binding motif in p21-like cdk inhibitors (TrCP-LFG). We now demonstrate that endogenous cyclin...

RP-A is a single-stranded DNA-binding protein, which has been shown to be required for DNA replication using an SV40 model system. The protein has also been shown to be phosphorylated at the G1-S phase transition. Using Xenopus cell-free extracts we have investigated the role of RP-A in nuclear replication and characterized the kinases and conditions that lead to phosphorylation of RP-A during ...

The aim of this study is to explore the active components and potential molecular mechanism action Rubia cordifolia L. against nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We used network pharmacology, docking, bioinformatics analysis identify their role NPC. experimental verification was detected by MTT, AnnexinV-FITC/PI double fluorescence staining Western blotting method. Network pharmacology identified ...

Background: Although cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is known to be upregulated in certain cancers, its spatial expression pattern melanocytic tumors has remained unknown. Objective: To characterize CDK2 benign and malignant proliferations. Methods: We performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) on normal skin a tumor panel comprising over 200 congenital nevi, dysplastic melanomas situ, invasive mela...

Cyclin E, an activator of phospho-CDK2 (pCDK2), is important for cell cycle progression in metazoans and is frequently overexpressed in cancer cells. It is essential for entry to the cell cycle from G0 quiescent phase, for the assembly of prereplication complexes and for endoreduplication in megakaryotes and giant trophoblast cells. We report the crystal structure of pCDK2 in complex with a tru...