A family of proteins designated as cdks are critical regulators of cell cycle progression. The prototype member of this family, p34 / Cdc2, and a related protein Cdk2, function late in the cycle while Cdk4 and Cdk6 are critically involved in G1 to S progression. p54 / Cdk8 interacts exclusively with CyclinC. The Cdk8-CyclinC complex activates the kinase. Because of analogy with yeast Cdk8, it has been proposed that the human Cdk8-CyclinC may interact with RNA polymerase, thus influencing the transcription mechanism(s) that lead to cell division.
Also known as: Cyclin Dependent Kinase 8; Cell Division Kinase 8; Cell division protein kinase 8; K35; Mediator complex subunit CDK8; Mediator of RNA polymerase II transcription subunit CDK8; Protein kinase K35