PCNA Proteins and Enzymes

Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) is a DNA polymerase that is essential for DNA replication, excision and mismatch repair pathways. PCNA is a "DNA clamp" which binds to the CDK inhibitor p21, the structure-specific endonucleases Fen1 and XPG, and DNA cytosine 5-methyltransferase (MCMT). PCNA is a potentially useful marker of cells with proliferative potential and for identifying the proliferation status of tumor tissue (i.e. relevant to prognosis). PCNA antibodies are also useful tools for DNA repair and cancer research.