Which enzyme is known to bind with cyclins during interphase and mitosis to control cell cycle activities?

The enzyme that binds with cyclins during interphase and mitosis to regulate cell cycle activities is cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK). In the cell cycle, cyclins are proteins that are synthesized and degraded at specific stages, and they activate CDKs by binding to them. This activation is crucial for the progression of the cell cycle because CDKs are responsible for phosphorylating target proteins that promote cell division.

For instance, during interphase, cyclins bind to CDKs to help the cell transition from G1 phase to S phase, allowing DNA replication to occur. Similarly, during mitosis, cyclin-CDK complexes trigger events that lead to cell division, such as chromatin condensation and spindle formation. This precise control ensures that the cell cycle proceeds in an orderly fashion, preventing errors in cell division that could lead to cancer or other diseases.

The other enzymes listed, such as DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, and ligase, have distinct roles in cellular processes but do not directly regulate the cell cycle through cyclin binding. DNA polymerase is involved in DNA replication, RNA polymerase transcribes DNA into RNA, and ligase is responsible for joining DNA fragments together during replication and repair, none of which involve the regulation of the cell