Eukaryotic Cell Division and Cyclin Discovery

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary terms and definitions from the lecture on eukaryotic cell division and the discovery of cyclin.

Cyclin

A protein that regulates the cell cycle by its timing of synthesis and degradation.

Maturation Promoting Factor (MPF)

A soluble factor that promotes mitosis and is composed of cyclin and CDK.

Meiosis

The process of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in gametes.

G2 Phase

The stage in the cell cycle where the cell prepares for mitosis after DNA has been replicated.

Xenopus

A genus of aquatic frogs used as a model organism in cell biology, particularly in studies of oocyte maturation and mitosis.

Dominant Factor

A key component in cell biology that can trigger cellular processes such as mitosis.

Interphase

The phase of the cell cycle where the cell is not dividing and includes G1, S, and G2 phases.

Nondegradable Cyclin B Mutant

A variant of cyclin B that cannot be broken down, leading to prolonged mitotic arrest.

Ubiquitin Proteasome System

A system that degrades unneeded or damaged proteins, including cyclin B, ensuring proper cell cycle progression.

Radioactive Methionine

A labeling technique used to track protein synthesis during experiments.