| P-TEFb is a general transcription factor that regulates transcription elongation through phosphorylation of the C-terminal tail domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II). The P-TEFb complex composed of a catalytic subunit, CDK9, and its regulatory cyclin partner, which can be cyclin T1, T2a, T2b or K (reviewed in 1,2). P-TEFb is recruited by the HIV Tat protein to allow transcriptional elongation, and subsequent replication of the viral genome. Inhibition of P-TEFb function therefore has potential for HIV therapy.CDK9 exists as two isoforms, an abundant 42 kDa isoform, and a less abundant 55 kDa isoform, which contains an amino-terminal extension (3). The two forms likely have distinct purposes based on differential expression during lymphocyte activation (4,5) and on their localization within the nucleus (5).Cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) are activated in part by cyclin binding and by phosphorylation of a conserved threonine in the T-loop domain. Phosphorylation of CDK9 at the T-loop Thr186 by an unidentified nuclear kinase may be important in P-TEFb activation (6) and regulation of HIV transcription (7). Acetylation of CDK9 at Lys44 affects its ability to phosphorylate the RNAPII CTD (8). |
