Mir-15 Micro RNA Precursor Family - CHEK1

The CHEK1 (checkpoint kinase 1) gene, located at chromosome position 11q24.2, is responsible for encoding the protein kinase Chk1. Chk1 in turn phosphorylates a phosphatase involved in cell cycle control. CHEK1 is the only cell-cycle-associated gene possessing an miR-15 family binding site in its 3' UTR. It mediates the cellular response to DNA replication errors, whilst also playing an important role in the prevention of genetic instability. Elevated CHEK1 levels have been found to be consistent with a lack of miR-15a/16-1 in mice. Postnatal induction of the miR-15 family has been shown to mediate the developmental inactivation of CHEK1 after birth. This inactivation has been identified as a possible contributing factor to the onset of cardiomyocyte binucleation during the neonatal period.