Controlling the cell cycle

Sir Paul Nurse

The Rockefeller University, New York, USA

The growth and reproduction of all living organisms are dependent on the cell cycle, the process which leads to cell division. Uncontrolled division of cells is important for disease, particularly cancer. Two events, S-phase and mitosis, are common to all cell cycles and are necessary for the two newly divided cells to receive a full complement of genes. The onset of S-phase and mitosis are controlled by cyclin dependent kinases in all eukaryotes studied from yeast to human beings. Checkpoint controls working through the cyclin dependent kinases block cell cycle progression, for example if cells are too small or DNA is damaged or incompletely replicated.