A mutant that affects the function of autonomously replicating sequences in yeast

Mcm2 and Mcm3, two proteins important for ARS activity, are related in structure and function.

“…This phenotype of these mcm mutants suggests that their gene products are involved in the initiation of DNA replication at ARSs, rather than in other aspects of replication or segregation. In fact, we have confirmed that one of these mutants, mcm2, affects the replication, rather than the segregation, of plasmids (Sinha et al 1986). We have carried out detailed analyses on three of the ARS-specific mutants, mcml, mcm2, and mcm3, that were isolated in three independent mutant screens, each involving a minichromosome carrying a different ARS (Maine et al 1984;Sinha et al 1986;Gibson et al 1990).…”

“…In fact, we have confirmed that one of these mutants, mcm2, affects the replication, rather than the segregation, of plasmids (Sinha et al 1986). We have carried out detailed analyses on three of the ARS-specific mutants, mcml, mcm2, and mcm3, that were isolated in three independent mutant screens, each involving a minichromosome carrying a different ARS (Maine et al 1984;Sinha et al 1986;Gibson et al 1990). Mutations in all of these genes also cause other phenotypes that are characteristic of defects in DNA replication, such as premitotic cell cycle arrest and increased chromosome loss and recombination; this suggests that these gene products may play similar roles in replication initiation at ARSs.…”

Molecular cloning of cDNA encoding mouse Cdc21 and CDC46 homologs and characterization of the products: physical interaction between P1 (MCM3) and CDC46 proteins

“…However, little is known about the regulatory mechanism of the co-ordinated initiation of DNA replication for the multiple replication origin. Budding yeast minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins have been postulated to be involved in the initiation of DNA replication by acting at the replication origin, since the mutation of these genes showed an autonomously replicating sequence (ARS)-specific minichromosome maintenance defect in addition to phenotypes with increased chromosome loss and recombination (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Recently, inhibition of the initiation not only at an ARS on a minichromosome but at a specific chromosomal origin of DNA replication was shown in mcm2-1 and mcm3-1 mutants (6).…”

Mini-Chromosome Maintenance Protein Family: Novel Proliferative Markers - The Pathophysiologic Role and Clinical Application

“…The MCM protein family is named for the genetic screen in budding yeast from which the founding members were originally isolated. They were defective in minichromosome maintenance, showing a high rate of loss of plasmids that contained a cloned centromere and replication origin [12,13]. These proteins play a role in the formation of prereplicative complex in G1 phase.…”