Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols
Published on: June 6, 2017
Regulation of gene expression and cell division by Polo-like kinases
Szu Shien Ng1, Kyriaki Papadopoulou, Christopher J McInerny
1Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
Abstract:
Much scientific research has focused on characterising regulatory pathways and mechanisms responsible for cell integrity, growth and division. This area of study is of direct relevance to human medicine as uncontrolled growth and division underlies many diseases, most strikingly cancer. In cancer cells, normal regulatory mechanisms for growth and division are often altered, or even fail to exist. This review summarises the mechanisms that control the genes and gene products regulating cytokinesis and cell separation in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, as well as highlighting conserved aspects in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and higher eukaryotes. Particular emphasis is put on the role of gene expression, the Polo-like kinases (Plks), and the signal transduction pathways that control these processes.
Related Concept Videos
Negative Regulator Molecules
Molecular Factors Affecting Cell Division
Several proteins function as internal regulators to ensure each cell cycle stage is completed faithfully before proceeding to the next. Regulator molecules may act directly or influence the activity or production of other...
Positive Regulator Molecules
Positive Regulator Molecules
The Cell Cycle Control System
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and function at the cell...
The Cell Cycle Control System

