Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are a predominant group of serine/threonine protein kinases involved in the regulation of the cell cycle and its progression, ensuring the integrity and functionality of cellular machinery. These regulatory enzymes play a crucial role in the regulation of eukaryotic cell cycle and transcription, as well as DNA repair, metabolism, and epigenetic regulation, in response to several extracellular and intracellular signals. They are present in all known eukaryotes, and their regulatory function in the cell cycle has been evolutionarily conserved. The catalytic activities of CDKs are regulated by interactions with CDK inhibitors (CKIs) and regulatory subunits known as cyclins. Cyclins have no enzymatic activity themselves, but they become active once they bind to CDKs. Without cyclin, CDK is less active than in the cyclin-CDK heterodimer complex. CDKs phosphorylate proteins on serine (S) or threonine (T) residues. The specificity of CDKs for their substrates is defined by the S/T-P-X-K/R sequence, where S/T is the phosphorylation site, P is proline, X is any amino acid, and the sequence ends with lysine (K) or arginine (R). This motif ensures CDKs accurately target and modify proteins, crucial for regulating cell cycle and other functions. Deregulation of the CDK activity is linked to various pathologies, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and stroke.
Protein kinase RNA-activated also known as protein kinase R (PKR), interferon-induced, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase, or eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2-alpha kinase 2 (EIF2AK2) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the EIF2AK2 gene on chromosome 2. PKR is a serine/tyrosine kinase that is 551 amino acids long.
Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II subunit alpha (CAMKIIα), a.k.a.Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha, is one subunit of CamKII, a protein kinase (i.e., an enzyme which phosphorylates proteins) that in humans is encoded by the CAMK2A gene.
Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type IV is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the CAMK4 gene.
Alpha-actinin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ACTN1 gene.
Serine/threonine-protein kinase N1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PKN1 gene.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activator 1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the CDK5R1 gene.
Alpha-actinin-4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ACTN4 gene.
5'-AMP-activated protein kinase subunit beta-1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PRKAB1 gene.
CDC34 is a gene that in humans encodes the protein Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 R1. This protein is a member of the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme family, which catalyzes the covalent attachment of ubiquitin to other proteins.
Cell division protein kinase 3 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the CDK3 gene.
CDK5 regulatory subunit-associated protein 3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CDK5RAP3 gene.
CDK5 regulatory subunit-associated protein 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CDK5RAP2 gene. It has necessary roles in the formation and stability of microtubules from the centrosome and has been found to be linked to human brain size variation in males. Multiple transcript variants exist for this gene, but the full-length nature of only two has been determined.
CDK5 regulatory subunit-associated protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CDK5RAP1 gene.
Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the CAMKK2 gene.
Cyclin-K is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CCNK gene.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 is a protein, and more specifically an enzyme, that is encoded by the Cdk5 gene. It was discovered 15 years ago, and it is saliently expressed in post-mitotic central nervous system neurons (CNS).
Serine/threonine-protein kinase LMTK2 also known as Lemur tyrosine kinase 2 (LMTK2) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the LMTK2 gene.
Li-Huei Tsai is an American neuroscientist and the director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Gentry Namón Patrick is an American biologist and Professor of Neurobiology at the University of California, San Diego. His research investigates the mechanisms that underpin synaptic activity in the central nervous system. He is interested in learning, the formation of memories and the processes that cause Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
