Cyclin Dependent Protein Kinases (CDPKs) are a family of enzymes that regulate cell division and protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells. The spelling of "Cyclin Dependent Protein Kinases" can be explained through its IPA phonetic transcription: /ˈsaɪklɪn dɪˈpɛndənt ˈproʊtiːn ˈkaɪneɪzɪz/. It is pronounced as "SY-klin di-PEN-dent PROH-teen KY-ney-ziz". The word "cyclin" refers to the protein that activates CDPKs, while "dependent" means that their activity depends on the presence of cyclin. These kinases play crucial roles in cell cycle progression and are important targets for cancer therapy.
Cyclin dependent protein kinases (CDKs) are a group of enzymes that play a critical role in cell cycle regulation and the progression of cells through various stages of the cell cycle. CDKs are a class of serine/threonine kinases and are named so because their activity is tightly regulated by binding to specific regulatory proteins called cyclins.
CDKs are essential for the proper control of cell division and are involved in the coordination of events such as DNA replication, mitosis, and cell differentiation. Their activity is regulated at multiple levels, including the expression and stability of cyclins, the phosphorylation status of CDKs, and the presence of inhibitory proteins known as CDK inhibitors.
When a cell receives the appropriate signals to progress through the cell cycle, cyclins bind to specific CDKs, which stimulates the kinase activity of CDKs. CDK-cyclin complexes then phosphorylate various target proteins, resulting in the activation or inactivation of key cell cycle regulators. These activities ultimately drive the cell through different phases of the cell cycle.
Dysregulation or abnormal activity of CDKs can lead to uncontrolled cell division and contribute to the development of various diseases, including cancer. Therefore, CDKs have become important targets for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of cancer, and pharmacological inhibitors of CDKs have been developed and are being tested in clinical trials.