Cyclin B

cyclin B1
Structure of human cyclin B.
Identifiers
Symbol	CCNB1
Alt. symbols	CCNB
Entrez	891
HUGO	1579
OMIM	123836
RefSeq	NM_031966
UniProt	P14635
Other data
Locus	Chr. 5 q12

Cyclin B is a member of the cyclin family.

Cyclin B is a mitotic cyclin. The amount of cyclin B (which binds to Cdk1) and the activity of the cyclin B-Cdk complex rise through the cell cycle until mitosis, where they fall abruptly due to degradation of cyclin B (Cdk1 is constitutively present). The complex of Cdk and cyclin B is called maturation promoting factor or mitosis promoting factor (MPF).

Cyclin B is necessary for the progression of the cells into and out of M phase of the cell cycle.

At the end of S phase the phosphatase cdc25c dephosphorylates tyrosine15 and this activates the cyclin B/CDK1 complex. Upon activation the complex is shuttled to the nucleus where it serves to trigger for entry into mitosis. However, if DNA damage is detected alternative proteins are activated which results in the inhibitory phosphorylation of cdc25c and therefore cyclinB/CDK1 is not activated. In order for the cell to progress out of mitosis, the degradation of cyclin B is necessary.

The cyclin B/CDK1 complex also interacts with a variety of other key proteins and pathways which regulate cell growth and progression of mitosis. Cross-talk between many of these pathways links cyclin B levels indirectly to induction of apoptosis. The cyclin B/CDK1 complex plays a critical role in the expression of the survival signal survivin. Survivin is necessary for proper creation of the mitotic spindle which strongly affects cell viability, therefore when cyclin B levels are disrupted cells experience difficulty polarizing. A decrease in survivin levels and the associated mitotic disarray triggers apoptosis via caspase 3 mediated pathway.

Cyclin B plays in integral role in many types of cancer. Hyperplasia (uncontrolled cell growth) is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Because cyclin B is necessary for cells to enter mitosis and therefore necessary for cell division, cyclin B levels are often de-regulated in tumors. When cyclin B levels are elevated, cells can enter M phase prematurely and strict control over cell division is lost, which is a favorable condition for cancer development. On the other hand, if cyclin B levels are depleted the cyclin B/CDK1 complex cannot form, cells cannot enter M phase and cell division slows down. Some anti-cancer therapies have been designed to prevent cyclin B/CDK1 complex formation in cancer cells to slow or prevent cell division. Most of these methods have targeted the CDK1 subunit, but there is an emerging interest in the oncology field to target cyclin B as well.