Overview:

Cyclin D1 (also known as G1/S-specific cyclin D1, PRAD1 oncogene, BCL-1 oncogene, and PRAD1: parathyroid adenomatosis 1) is encoded by a gene that belongs to the highly conserved cyclin family.  Cyclins are characterized by a dramatic periodicity in protein abundance throughout the cell cycle and function as regulators of CDK kinases. Different cyclins exhibit distinct expression and degradation patterns, which contribute to the temporal coordination of each mitotic event. Cyclin D1 forms a complex with and functions as a regulatory subunit of CDK4 or CDK6, whose activity is required for cell cycle G1/S transition. This protein has been shown to interact with tumor suppressor protein Rb and the expression of this gene is regulated positively by Rb. Mutations, amplification and overexpression of this gene, which alters cell cycle progression, are observed frequently in a variety of tumors and may contribute to tumorigenesis.

References:

1. Xiong, Y., et al.: Human D-type cyclin.  Cell. 1991: 65; 691-699.

2. Motokura, T., et al.:  A novel cyclin encoded by a bcl1-linked candidate oncogene.  Nature. 1991: 350; 512-515.

3. Lutzen,A., et al.: Cyclin D1 expression and cell cycle response in DNA mismatch repair-deficient cells upon methylation and UV-C damage.  Exp. Cell Res. 2004: 292 (1); 123-134.

4. Pines J.: Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases: take your partners. Trends Biochem Sci. 1993: 18(6);195-7.

5. Xiong, Y., et al.:  Human D-type cyclin.  Cell. 1991: 65; 691-699.