General Description
Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57 (CDKN1C) or p57KIP2 (kinase inhibitory protein) is a tumor suppressor gene. It is a 316 amino acid protein with conserved amino- and carboxy-terminal domains and sequences with proline-alanine repeats. During mouse embryogenesis, p57KIP2 transcript is highly expressed in skeletal muscles, brain, heart, lungs and eye. The gene encoding this protein is localized on human chromosome 11p15.4.
Biochem/physiol Actions
Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57 (CDKN1C) or p57KIP2 (kinase inhibitory protein) plays a vital role as a tight-binding inhibitor of several G1 cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) complexes. It is a negative regulator of cell proliferation. Mutation in this gene has been associated with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. p57Kip2 facilitates direct inhibition of DNA replication by binding to the proliferating cell nuclear antigen.
