The MCM Helicase Motor of the Eukaryotic Replisome

J Mol Biol. 2016 May 8;428(9 Pt B):1822-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.01.024. Epub 2016 Jan 30.

Abstract

The MCM motor of the CMG helicase powers ahead of the eukaryotic replication machinery to unwind DNA, in a process that requires ATP hydrolysis. The reconstitution of DNA replication in vitro has established the succession of events that lead to replication origin activation by the MCM and recent studies have started to elucidate the structural basis of duplex DNA unwinding. Despite the exciting progress, how the MCM translocates on DNA remains a matter of debate.

Keywords: AAA+ ATPase; DNA replication; MCM helicase; molecular motor; replication origin activation.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • DNA Helicases / chemistry*
  • DNA Helicases / metabolism*
  • DNA Replication
  • Eukaryota / enzymology*
  • Eukaryota / metabolism
  • Hydrolysis
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • DNA Helicases
  • Minichromosome Maintenance Proteins