Checkpoint kinases (Chks) are protein kinases that are involved in cell cycle control. Two checkpoint kinase subtypes have been identified, Chk1 and Chk2. Chk1 is a central component of genome surveillance pathways and is a key regulator of the cell cycle and cell survival. Chk1 is required for the initiation of DNA damage checkpoints and has recently been shown to play a role in the normal (unperturbed) cell cycle. Chk1 impacts various stages of the cell cycle including the S phase, G2/M transition and M phase.In addition to mediating cell cycle checkpoints, Chk1 also contributes to DNA repair processes, gene transcription, egg production, embryo development, cellular responses to HIV infection and somatic cell viability.