p16: cycling off the beaten path

Abstract

p16^INK4A (hereafter called p16) is a faithful cellular ally in the fight against tumorigenesis. Although its canonical pathway through retinoblastoma (RB) is well delineated, RB-independent functions for p16 are beginning to emerge. Here we summarize non-canonical roles of p16, including our recent finding on its role in nucleotide metabolism.