Title:The Role of Retinoblastoma Protein in Cell Cycle Regulation: An Updated Review
Volume: 21
Issue: 8
Author(s): Rabih Roufayel*, Rabih Mezher and Kenneth B. Storey
Affiliation:
- College of Engineering and Technology, American University of the Middle East,Kuwait
Keywords:
Cell cycle, retinoblastoma, E2F transcription factor, chromatin remodeling, Cyclin-Cdk, stress.
Abstract: Selected transcription factors have critical roles to play in organism survival
by regulating the expression of genes that control the adaptations needed to handle
stress conditions. The retinoblastoma (Rb) protein coupled with the E2F transcription
factor family was demonstrated to have roles in controlling the cell cycle during freezing
and associated environmental stresses (anoxia, dehydration). Rb phosphorylation or
acetylation at different sites provides a mechanism for repressing cell proliferation that is
under the control of E2F transcription factors in animals facing stresses that disrupt
cellular energetics or cell volume controls. Other central regulators of the cell cycle
including Cyclins, Cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), and checkpoint proteins detect DNA
damage or any improper replication, blocking further progression of cell cycle and
interrupting cell proliferation. This review provides an insight into the molecular
regulatory mechanisms of cell cycle control, focusing on Rb-E2F along with Cyclin-Cdk
complexes typically involved in development and differentiation that need to be
regulated in order to survive extreme cellular stress.
