Cdc2 related protein kinase, CDC28, CDC2A, CDK1, CDK2, CDKN2, Cell devision kinase 2, Cell division protein kinase 2, cyclin dependent kinase 2 alpha, kinase Cdc2, MPF, p33 protein kinase
In vertebrates, as in yeast, multiple cyclins have been identified, including a total of eight such regulatory proteins in mammals. In contrast to the situation in yeast, the Cdc2 p34 kinase is not the only catalytic subunit identified in vertebrates that can interact with cyclins. While Cdc2 p34 is essential for the G2 to M transition in vertebrate cells, a second Cdc2-related kinase has also been implicated in cell cycle control. This protein, designated cyclindependent kinase 2 (Cdk2), also binds to cyclins and its kinase activity is temporally regulated during the cell cycle. Several additional Cdc2-related cyclin dependent kinases have been identified. These include Cdk3, Cdk4, Cdk5, PCTAIRE-1, PCTAIRE-2, PCTAIRE-3, Cdk6 Cdk7, Cdk8 and KKIALRE.
