Cell cycle regulatory protein p16 gene

A recombinant gene comprising a nucleotide sequence which encodes a p16 polypeptide, having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No:

• 2 capable of binding to a cyclin dependent kinase (CDK), which nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory sequence in an open reading frame.

A substantially purified nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide which binds to a cyclin dependent kinase, and wherein said nucleic acid has a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least 25 consecutive nucleotides of sense or antisense sequence of SEQ ID No:

• 1, or naturally occurring mutants thereof.

An isolated nucleic acid encoding a human p16 polypeptide.

A recombinant gene comprising a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No:

• 1, said nucleotide sequence operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory sequence in an open reading frame and translatable to a polypeptide capable of binding to a cyclin dependent kinase (CDK).

A substantially purified nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence which hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least 25 consecutive nucleotides of sense or antisense sequence of SEQ ID No:

• 1, or naturally occurring mutants thereof.

A nucleic acid which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the nucleotide sequence designated by SEQ ID No:

• 1 and specifically detects a human p16 gene or mRNA.