CDK8编码蛋白（cyclin-dependent kinase 8）周期蛋白依赖性激酶8是一种细胞内丝氨酸/苏氨酸激酶，是DNA转录和细胞周期进程的重要调节因子。CDK8与细胞周期蛋白C（CCNC）、MED12和MED13结合形成一个模块，然后与介导复合物结合，通过上述方式参与调节DNA转录。CDK8结合并磷酸化RNA聚合酶II的C端结构域，从而在转录延伸中起重要作用。CDK8是癌基因诱导增殖的正调控因子，并且通过募集pTEF-B和BRD4到致癌基因而实现有效地转录延伸。 然而，CDK8在急性髓系白血病（AML）中具有抑制中介物依赖的超强子驱动转录的作用，因此在特定致癌背景下可能具有不同的作用。CDK8在大量的结直肠癌中出现扩增，并在该背景中显示特异性地调节β-连环蛋白活性。

CDK8 (cyclin-dependent kinase 8) is a serine/threonine kinase that is an important regulator of DNA transcription and cell cycle progression. CDK8 associates with Cyclin C (CCNC), Med12 and Med13 to form a module that associates with the Mediator complex, which is involved in the regulation of DNA transcription. CDK8 associates and phosphorylates the c-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II, and thus plays an important role in transcriptional elongation. CDK8 is a positive regulator of oncogene-induced proliferation and enables efficient transcriptional elongation through recruitment of pTEF-B and BRD4 to oncogenic genes. However, CDK8 has been shown to restrain Mediator-dependent super-enhancer driven transcription in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and thus may have different roles in certain oncogenic contexts. CDK8 is amplified in a large number of colorectal cancers and was specifically shown to modulate beta-catenin activity in this context.

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