Fission yeast LAMMER kinase Lkh1 regulates the cell cycle by phosphorylating the CDK-inhibitor Rum1

► Deletion of lkh1+ made cells pass the G1/S phase faster than the wild type. ► Lkh1 can interact with a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) Rum1. ► Lkh1 can phosphorylate Rum1 to activate its CKI activity. ► Thr110 was confirmed as the Lkh1-dependent phosphorylation site of Rum1. ► Positive acting mechanism for the Rum1 activation is reported for the first time.