In eukaryotes, the Mcm2-7 complex forms the core of the replicative helicase - the molecular motor that uses ATP binding and hydrolysis to fuel the unwinding of double-stranded DNA at the replication fork. Although it is a toroidal hexameric helicase superficially resembling better-studied homohexameric helicases from prokaryotes and viruses, Mcm2-7 is the only known helicase formed from six unique and essential subunits. Recent biochemical and structural analyses of both Mcm2-7 and a higher-order complex containing additional activator proteins (the CMG complex) shed light on the reason behind this unique subunit assembly: whereas only a limited number of specific ATPase active sites are needed for DNA unwinding, one particular ATPase active site has evolved to form a reversible discontinuity (gate) in the toroidal complex. The activation of Mcm2-7 helicase during S-phase requires physical association of the accessory proteins Cdc45 and GINS; structural data suggest that these accessory factors activate DNA unwinding through closure of the Mcm2-7 gate. Moreover, studies capitalizing on advances in the biochemical reconstitution of eukaryotic DNA replication demonstrate that Mcm2-7 loads onto origins during initiation as a double hexamer, yet does not act as a double-stranded DNA pump during elongation.

The Mcm2-7 complex is the catalytic core of the eukaryotic replicative helicase. Here, we identify a new role for this complex in maintaining genome integrity. Using both genetic and cytological approaches, we find that a specific mcm allele (mcm2DENQ) causes elevated genome instability that correlates with the appearance of numerous DNA-damage associated foci of γH2AX and Rad52. We further find that the triggering events for this genome instability are elevated levels of RNA:DNA hybrids and an altered DNA topological state, as over-expression of either RNaseH (an enzyme specific for degradation of RNA in RNA:DNA hybrids) or Topoisomerase 1 (an enzyme that relieves DNA supercoiling) can suppress the mcm2DENQ DNA-damage phenotype. Moreover, the observed DNA damage has several additional unusual properties, in that DNA damage foci appear only after S-phase, in G2/M, and are dependent upon progression into metaphase. In addition, we show that the resultant DNA damage is not due to spontaneous S-phase fork collapse. In total, these unusual mcm2DENQ phenotypes are markedly similar to those of a special previously-studied allele of the checkpoint sensor kinase ATR/MEC1, suggesting a possible regulatory interplay between Mcm2-7 and ATR during unchallenged growth. As RNA:DNA hybrids primarily result from transcription perturbations, we suggest that surveillance-mediated modulation of the Mcm2-7 activity plays an important role in preventing catastrophic conflicts between replication forks and transcription complexes. Possible relationships among these effects and the recently discovered role of Mcm2-7 in the DNA replication checkpoint induced by HU treatment are discussed.

The DNA replication checkpoint (DRC) monitors and responds to stalled replication forks to prevent genomic instability. How core replication factors integrate into this phosphorylation cascade is incompletely understood. Here, through analysis of a unique mcm allele targeting a specific ATPase active site (mcm2DENQ), we show that the Mcm2-7 replicative helicase has a novel DRC function as part of the signal transduction cascade. This allele exhibits normal downstream mediator (Mrc1) phosphorylation, implying DRC sensor kinase activation. However, the mutant also exhibits defective effector kinase (Rad53) activation and classic DRC phenotypes. Our previous in vitro analysis showed that the mcm2DENQ mutation prevents a specific conformational change in the Mcm2-7 hexamer. We infer that this conformational change is required for its DRC role and propose that it allosterically facilitates Rad53 activation to ensure a replication-specific checkpoint response. The eukaryotic DNA replication checkpoint (DRC) monitors chromosome duplication during S phase and, if irregularities occur, facilitates numerous cellular responses that promote genome stability. In budding yeast, this checkpoint depends upon a phosphorylation cascade initiated by the upstream sensor kinase Mec1/ATR (1, 2), which in turn leads to the phosphorylation and activation of the Mrc1/claspin mediator (3, 4) and ultimately the effector kinase Rad53/Chk1 (5, 6). During deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) limitation or other forms of replication stress, DRC activation protects genome stability by Rad53-dependent phosphorylation of multiple downstream targets that serve to stabilize nascent replication forks and blocks cell cycle progression, inappropriate recombination (7-9), and the activation of late origins until the stress is alleviated (reviewed in reference 10). In addition to the DRC, a second related pathway that specifically monitors and responds to DNA damage and double-strand breaks also operates during S phase (DNA damage checkpoint [DDC]) (reviewed in reference 11).How the DRC cascade mechanistically interacts with the core replication machinery is incompletely understood. Current evidence indicates that replication plays a passive role in the process. DNA lesions or stress causes a physical uncoupling between DNA polymerase and the replicative helicase; this in turn results in an aberrantly increased level of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) production that leads to checkpoint activation (12-14). Correspondingly, normal replication fork formation is a prerequisite for DRC activation (15-18).However, strong interactions between DRC components and core replication factors, even in the absence of replication stress, suggest that DNA replication in general and the MCM replicative helicase in particular play broader roles in the DRC. The mediator proteins in the cascade (Mrc1/claspin, Tof1/Timeless, and Csm3/ Tipin) physically interact with and stabilize both Mcm2-7 and DNA polymerase ε (19-23) and protect fork integrity during replication stress (21,2...

Mitochondrial genome variation and its effects on phenotypes have been widely analyzed in higher eukaryotes but less so in the model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we describe mitochondrial genome variation in 96 diverse S. cerevisiae strains and assess associations between mitochondrial genotype and phenotypes as well as nuclear-mitochondrial epistasis. We associate sensitivity to the ATP synthase inhibitor oligomycin with SNPs in the mitochondrially encoded ATP6 gene. We describe the use of isonuclear F1 pairs, the mitochondrial genome equivalent of reciprocal hemizygosity analysis, to identify and analyze mitochondrial genotype-dependent phenotypes. Using iso-nuclear F1 pairs, we analyze the oligomycin phenotype-ATP6 association and find extensive nuclear-mitochondrial epistasis. Similarly, in iso-nuclear F1 pairs, we identify many additional mitochondrial genotype-dependent respiration phenotypes, for which there was no association in the 96 strains, and again find extensive nuclear-mitochondrial epistasis that likely contributes to the lack of association in the 96 strains. Finally, in iso-nuclear F1 pairs, we identify novel mitochondrial genotype-dependent nonrespiration phenotypes: resistance to cycloheximide, ketoconazole, and copper. We discuss potential mechanisms and the implications of mitochondrial genotype and of nuclear-mitochondrial epistasis effects on respiratory and nonrespiratory quantitative traits.