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Updated: Jun 19, 2026
12:02
Studying Cell Cycle-regulated Gene Expression by Two Complementary Cell Synchronization Protocols
Published on: June 6, 2017
Positive-feedback loops in cell cycle progression.
1Department of Biology, Interdisciplinary Program in Biochemistry, Indiana University, 212 S. Hawthorne Drive Simon Hall Room 043F, Bloomington, IN 47405-7003, United States. jpomeren@indiana.edu
FEBS Letters
|October 13, 2009
Summary
Positive-feedback loops amplify signals and control cell cycles. This review covers their role in yeast and mammalian cell cycle progression, including cyclin, Polo-like kinase 1, and spindle assembly dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Cellular signaling
- Molecular biology
- Eukaryotic cell cycle regulation
Background:
- Positive-feedback loops are fundamental motifs in cellular signaling networks.
- They drive key behaviors like signal amplification, rapid switching, and output coherence.
- Understanding these loops is crucial for deciphering cell cycle control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding positive-feedback loop mechanisms.
- To highlight the role of positive feedback in eukaryotic cell cycle progression.
- To discuss specific examples in yeast and mammalian systems.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent research on positive-feedback loops.
- Analysis of mechanistic studies on cell cycle regulators.
- Synthesis of findings related to specific molecular players and cellular events.
Main Results:
- Cyclin-mediated control of passage through Start and G1/S gene expression coherence in yeast.
- Polo-like kinase 1 activation by Bora and Aurora A, and its regulation by Forkhead Box M1 in mammalian cells.
- Explanation of dynamic behaviors in spindle assembly and anaphase onset through positive feedback.
Conclusions:
- Positive-feedback loops are essential for precise control of eukaryotic cell cycle progression.
- Specific molecular mechanisms involving cyclin, kinases, and transcription factors illustrate these principles.
- Further research into positive feedback will illuminate fundamental cellular processes.
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