IDENTIFICATION OF WEE GENES IN DICTYOSTELIUM DISCOIDEUM

Cell cycle is a basic cellular mechanism that allows for cellular growth and development, regeneration or repair, and wear of tissues or even regeneration of the whole organism in certain cases. A failure during the cell cycle process leads to various dire consequences. Various proteins and kinases play a vital role in the regulation of the cell cycle to meet cellular demands and needs. Amongst the kinases, Wee1 is a key regulator of cell cycle progression which inhibits mitotic entry by phosphorylating the tyrosine residue on the M-phase-inducing kinase, Cdk1, at the G2/M transition. In Dictyostelium discoideum, wee1 genes that regulate the cell cycle progression at the G2/M transition have not been identified and studied yet. Our findings support the existence of the Wee1 homolog in D. discoideum, which could play a role in cell division at G2/M.