Protein Kinases Driving the Cell Cycle

Abstract

Many of the at least 107 protein kinases encoded by the S. pombe genome are critical for cell cycle progression. None, however, plays as important a role as Cdc2p. It is synonymous with the master regulator of the S. pombe cell cycle, essential for both DNA replication and entry into mitosis. This chapter focuses on Cdc2p and protein kinases involved in its regulation leaving the discussion of other critical cell cycle kinases for other chapters. Although much has been learned about the regulation of Cdc2p, it remains a subject of fascination and its study continues to provide paradigms of cell cycle control applicable to all eukaryotes.