Cyclin-Dependent Kinases: Their Role in Cell Physiology and Pathologies

Dear Colleagues,

Cyclin-dependent kinases include over 13 highly conserved serine-threonine kinases present in eukaryotic cells and play pivotal roles in cell physiology. The founding member of the CDK family—CDK1—is the major cell-cycle regulatory kinase necessary for both S- and M-phases. Monomeric CDKs have very low activity. They are activated by association with their respective cyclins, which play the roles of regulatory subunits of the CDK/cyclin complexes. CDKs activities are also regulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation on particular amino acids and by their association with small proteins that act as CDK inhibitors. Besides the cell cycle, CDKs also regulate transcription, mRNA processing, and cell differentiation. Some CDKs are necessary for the activation of other CDKs. Recent studies have shown the important involvement of CDKs in different human diseases, with cancers being the most obvious. They are also extremely important during embryo development. This Special Issue of IJMS includes a broad range of basic and translational articles, both original research reports and reviews, focused on the latest developments in the regulation of cellular process and molecular pathways involving CDKs. This Issue focuses on the role of CDKs, but papers devoted to their regulatory subunits—cyclins and CDK inhibitors—are also welcomed.

Dr. Jacek Z. Kubiak
Prof. Dr. Malgorzata Kloc
Guest Editors

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• cyclin-dependent kinases
• cyclins
• CDK inhibitors
• cell cycle
• cancers
• transcription
• mRNA processing
• differentiation
• embryo development