| Structural highlights
Function
MCM2_YEAST Acts as component of the MCM2-7 complex (MCM complex) which is the putative replicative helicase essential for 'once per cell cycle' DNA replication initiation and elongation in eukaryotic cells. The active ATPase sites in the MCM2-7 ring are formed through the interaction surfaces of two neighboring subunits such that a critical structure of a conserved arginine finger motif is provided in trans relative to the ATP-binding site of the Walker A box of the adjacent subunit. The six ATPase active sites, however, are likely to contribute differentially to the complex helicase activity; specifically the MCM2-MCM5 association is proposed to be reversible and to mediate a open ring conformation which may facilitate DNA loading. Once loaded onto DNA, double hexamers can slide on dsDNA in the absence of ATPase activity. Necessary for cell growth.[1] [2]
Publication Abstract from PubMed
To prevent detrimental chromosome re-replication, DNA loading of a double hexamer of the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) replicative helicase is temporally separated from DNA unwinding. Upon S-phase transition in yeast, DNA unwinding is achieved in two steps: limited opening of the double helix and topological separation of the two DNA strands. First, Cdc45, GINS and Polepsilon engage MCM to assemble a double CMGE with two partially separated hexamers that nucleate DNA melting. In the second step, triggered by Mcm10, two CMGEs separate completely, eject the lagging-strand template and cross paths. To understand Mcm10 during helicase activation, we used biochemical reconstitution with cryogenic electron microscopy. We found that Mcm10 splits the double CMGE by engaging the N-terminal homo-dimerization face of MCM. To eject the lagging strand, DNA unwinding is started from the N-terminal side of MCM while the hexamer channel becomes too narrow to harbor duplex DNA.
Unwinding of a eukaryotic origin of replication visualized by cryo-EM.,Henrikus SS, Gross MH, Willhoft O, Puhringer T, Lewis JS, McClure AW, Greiwe JF, Palm G, Nans A, Diffley JFX, Costa A Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2024 May 17. doi: 10.1038/s41594-024-01280-z. PMID:38760633[3]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Remus D, Beuron F, Tolun G, Griffith JD, Morris EP, Diffley JF. Concerted loading of Mcm2-7 double hexamers around DNA during DNA replication origin licensing. Cell. 2009 Nov 13;139(4):719-30. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.10.015. Epub 2009 Nov, 5. PMID:19896182 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2009.10.015
- ↑ Evrin C, Clarke P, Zech J, Lurz R, Sun J, Uhle S, Li H, Stillman B, Speck C. A double-hexameric MCM2-7 complex is loaded onto origin DNA during licensing of eukaryotic DNA replication. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Dec 1;106(48):20240-5. doi:, 10.1073/pnas.0911500106. Epub 2009 Nov 12. PMID:19910535 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0911500106
- ↑ Henrikus SS, Gross MH, Willhoft O, Pühringer T, Lewis JS, McClure AW, Greiwe JF, Palm G, Nans A, Diffley JFX, Costa A. Unwinding of a eukaryotic origin of replication visualized by cryo-EM. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2024 May 17. PMID:38760633 doi:10.1038/s41594-024-01280-z
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