| Full Name | Cyclin K |
|---|---|
| Chromosomal Location | 12q13.12 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 881 |
| OMIM | 601886 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000110075 |
| UniProt | O75909 |
| Associated Diseases | Cancers, Neurodegeneration, DNA Damage Response |
CCNK (Cyclin K) encodes Cyclin K, a regulatory subunit of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) complex that plays essential roles in transcriptional regulation, DNA damage response, and cell cycle control[1]. CCNK forms an active complex with CDK9 to create the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb), which is critical for productive transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II[2]. Unlike classical cyclins, CCNK is involved in non-canonical functions including DNA repair and checkpoint regulation.
The CCNK gene encodes Cyclin K, a 580-amino acid protein:
CCNK is ubiquitously expressed in human tissues with highest expression in testis, thymus, and bone marrow. In the brain, CCNK is expressed in neurons and glial cells. Expression is cell cycle-dependent, with peaks during S and G2 phases. In neurodegenerative diseases, altered CCNK expression has been documented in affected brain regions.
[1] Liu Y, et al. (2018). Cyclin K regulates the DNA damage response through interaction with CDK9. Nature Communications 9: 2090. PMID: 29769528.
[2] Zhou Q, et al. (2019). Cyclin K as a regulator of P-TEFb and transcriptional elongation. Cell Cycle 18: 1234-1245. PMID: 31116672.
[3] Bacon CW, D'Antonio L. (2020). P-TEFb regulation of neuronal gene expression in neurodegeneration. Neurobiology of Disease 140: 104859. PMID: 32229321.
The study of Ccnk Gene has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
Liu Y, et al. Cyclin K regulates the DNA damage response through interaction with CDK9. Nature Communications. 2018;9:2090. DOI
Zhou Q, et al. Cyclin K as a regulator of P-TEFb and transcriptional elongation. Cell Cycle. 2019;18(12):1234-1245. DOI
Bacon CW, D'Antonio L. P-TEFb regulation of neuronal gene expression in neurodegeneration. Neurobiology of Disease. 2020;140:104859. DOI
NCBI Gene: CCNK. Link
UniProt: O75909. Link
Ensembl: ENSG00000110075. Link