Chromatin fractionation analysis of licensing factors in mammalian cells

Methods Mol Biol. 2014:1170:517-27. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0888-2_28.

Abstract

ORC, Cdc6, Cdt1, and MCM2-7 are replication-licensing factors, which play a central role in the once-per-cell cycle control of DNA replication. ORC, Cdc6, and Cdt1 collaborate to load MCM2-7 onto replication origins in order to license them for replication. MCM2-7 is a DNA helicase directly involved in DNA replication and dissociates from DNA as S phase progresses and each replicon is replicated. In the cell cycle, the loading of MCM2-7 is restricted during the end of mitosis and the G1 phase. Thus, the levels of chromatin-bound MCM2-7 and its loaders oscillate during the cell cycle. Chromatin association of these factors can be analyzed by separating a cell lysate into soluble and chromatin-enriched insoluble fractions in mammalian cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Chemical Fractionation / methods*
  • Chromatin / isolation & purification*
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Binding

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Chromatin
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins