p21-containing cyclin kinases exist in both active and inactive states.

H Zhang, GJ Hannon, D Beach - Genes & development, 1994 - genesdev.cshlp.org
H Zhang, GJ Hannon, D Beach
Genes & development, 1994genesdev.cshlp.org
In normal fibroblasts CDKs exist predominantly in p21/PCNA/cyclin/CDK quaternary
complexes, whereas in p53-deficient cells, p21 expression is depressed and the kinases are
reduced to a cyclin/CDK binary state. p21 is a universal cyclin kinase inhibitor, but we show
here that p21-containing complexes exist in both catalytically active and inactive forms. This
finding challenges the current view that active cyclin kinases function only in the binary state
and reveals the subtlety with which tumor-suppressor proteins modulate the cell cycle.
In normal fibroblasts CDKs exist predominantly in p21/PCNA/cyclin/CDK quaternary complexes, whereas in p53-deficient cells, p21 expression is depressed and the kinases are reduced to a cyclin/CDK binary state. p21 is a universal cyclin kinase inhibitor, but we show here that p21-containing complexes exist in both catalytically active and inactive forms. This finding challenges the current view that active cyclin kinases function only in the binary state and reveals the subtlety with which tumor-suppressor proteins modulate the cell cycle.
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