Cell Cycle Control

The cell cycle is the sequence of events through which a cell duplicates its genome, grows, and divides. Major cell cycle transitions are driven by cyclin-dependent kinases and other kinases. Ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation is also a major driving force for cell cycle transitions. Checkpoint mechanisms delay the cell cycle to ensure that each stage of the cell cycle is completed before the next stage is initiated. A recurring theme in cell cycle control is the abundance of feedback controls. Together, these mechanisms orchestrate the orderly progression of the cell cycle to maintain genome stability and to produce more cells.