Transcripts associated with representatives of cell cycle regulators including cyclins (CCNA2, CCNB2, CCNE1), cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDC2, CDC20), centromere proteins (CENPE, CENPF), retinoblastoma binding proteins (RBBP6), were all enriched in CD271+ melanoma-initiating cells but downregulated in CD271− melanoma cells and CD271+ melanocytes. The gene discussed is CENPE; the disease is melanoma.