Cyclins and CDKs (Cyclin-Dependent Kinases) are like the best friends of the cell cycle. They work together to make sure everything goes as it should. Let’s break down how they do this:
Cyclins: These are proteins that change in amount during the cell cycle. They help activate CDKs by connecting to them. You can think of cyclins as the keys that start the processes needed for each phase of the cell cycle.
CDKs: After cyclins activate them, CDKs add phosphate groups to certain proteins. This change helps those proteins do their jobs, moving the cell from one phase to the next. For example, this could mean going from G1 to the S phase or from G2 to mitosis.
Regulation: The amounts of cyclins go up and down to make sure the cell only moves forward when it’s ready. If something goes wrong, like if the DNA is damaged, the cell cycle can pause. This gives the cell time to fix any problems.
Together, cyclins and CDKs ensure the cell cycle runs smoothly. They help avoid mistakes that could lead to issues like uncontrolled cell growth.
Cyclins and CDKs (Cyclin-Dependent Kinases) are like the best friends of the cell cycle. They work together to make sure everything goes as it should. Let’s break down how they do this:
Cyclins: These are proteins that change in amount during the cell cycle. They help activate CDKs by connecting to them. You can think of cyclins as the keys that start the processes needed for each phase of the cell cycle.
CDKs: After cyclins activate them, CDKs add phosphate groups to certain proteins. This change helps those proteins do their jobs, moving the cell from one phase to the next. For example, this could mean going from G1 to the S phase or from G2 to mitosis.
Regulation: The amounts of cyclins go up and down to make sure the cell only moves forward when it’s ready. If something goes wrong, like if the DNA is damaged, the cell cycle can pause. This gives the cell time to fix any problems.
Together, cyclins and CDKs ensure the cell cycle runs smoothly. They help avoid mistakes that could lead to issues like uncontrolled cell growth.