Reality CHEK: Understanding the biology and clinical potential of CHK1

The DNA damage response enables cells to cope with various stresses that threaten genomic integrity. A critical component of this response is the serine/threonine kinase CHK1 which is encoded by the CHEK1 gene. Originally identified as a regulator of the G2/M checkpoint, CHK1 has since been shown to play important roles in DNA replication, mitotic progression, DNA repair, and overall cell cycle regulation. However, the potential of CHK1 as a cancer therapy has not been realized clinically. Herein we expound our current understanding of the principal roles of CHK1 and highlight different avenues for CHK1 targeting in cancer therapy.