Human cDNAs encoding homologs of the small p34Cdc28/Cdc2-associated protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

The Cks1 protein is a component of the Cdc28 protein kinase in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This paper reports the cloning of two homologs of the S. cerevisiae CKS1 gene from human cells. These homologs, CKShs1 and CKShs2, both encode proteins of 79 amino acids that share considerable homology at the amino acid level with the products of CKS1 from S. cerevisiae and suc1+ from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Both human homologs are capable of rescuing a null mutation of the S. cerevisiae CKS1 gene when expressed from the S. cerevisiae GAL1 promoter. S. pombe suc1+ expressed from the GAL1 promoter is also capable of rescuing a S. cerevisiae cks1 null mutation. Ckshs1 or Ckshs2 protein linked to Sepharose beads can bind the Cdc28/Cdc2 protein kinase from both S. cerevisiae and human cells. The CKShs1 and CKShs2 mRNAs are expressed in different patterns through the cell cycle in HeLa cells, which may reflect specialized roles for the encoded proteins.