title: Spotlight on geminin.
abstract: In the previous issue of Breast Cancer Research, Gardner and co-workers describe a novel interaction between Geminin, a protein that prevents reinitiation of DNA replication, and Topoisomerase IIα (TopoIIα), an enzyme essential for removing catenated intertwines between sister chromatids. Geminin facilitates the action of TopoIIα, thereby promoting termination of DNA replication at the same time it inhibits initiation. In this manner, Geminin ensures that cells duplicate their genome once, but only once, each time they divide. Remarkably, either depletion of Geminin or over-expression of Geminin inhibits the action of TopoIIα, thereby making Geminin an excellent target for cancer chemotherapy.
authors.forename: Melvin L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: DePamphilis
mesh_terms: D000782:Aneuploidy; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism*; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D064248:Geminin; D006801:Humans; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C577995:GMNN protein, human; D064248:Geminin; C068619:CDC7 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II