Stepwise regulated chromatin assembly of MCM2-7 proteins.
Acquisition of the competence to replicate requires the assembly of the MCM2-7 (minichromosome maintenance) protein complex onto pre-replicative chromatin, a step of the licensing reaction. This step is thought to occur through binding of a heterohexameric MCM complex containing the six related MCM subunits. Here we show that assembly of the MCM complex onto pre-replicative chromatin occurs through sequential stabilization of specific MCM subunits. Inhibition of licensing with 6-dimethylaminopurine results in chromatin containing specifically bound MCM4 and MCM6. A similar result was obtained by interference of the assembly reaction with an MCM3 antibody. The presence of chromatin-bound MCM intermediates was confirmed by reconstitution experiments in vitro with purified proteins and by the observation of an ordered association of MCM subunits with chromatin. These results indicate that the assembly of the MCM complex onto pre-replicative chromatin is regulated at the level of distinct subunits, suggesting an additional regulatory step in the formation of pre-replication complexes.
Maiorano
D
D
Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, Genome Dynamics and Development, 141 rue de la Cardonille, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France.
Lemaître
J M
JM
Méchali
M
M
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism*; D004261:DNA Replication; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D064148:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 4; D064151:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 6; D064168:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 7; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C092802:MCM4 protein, S cerevisiae; C491207:MCM6 protein, S cerevisiae; C491088:MCM7 protein, S cerevisiae; D064148:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 4; D064151:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 6; D064168:Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 7