CDK7

CDK7, also known as cyclin-dependent kinase 7, has alternative names including CAK, CAK1, HCAK, MO15, STK1, CDKN7, and p39MO15. CDK7 is widely expressed in various tissues, with high expression in the testes and placenta.
As a catalytic subunit of the CDK-activating kinase (CAK) complex, CDK7 forms a trimeric complex with cyclin H and MAT1, exerting kinase activity. It activates CDK1/cyclin B and CDK2/cyclin during cell cycle transitions and participates in RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription by phosphorylating the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II, thereby promoting transcription initiation and elongation. CDK7 serves as a direct link between transcriptional regulation and the cell cycle, with its abnormal expression associated with the development and progression of various cancers, making it an important target in cancer therapy.