DNA replication licensing factor MCM2 is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''MCM2''
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
.
Function
The protein encoded by this gene is one of the highly conserved mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCM) that are involved in the initiation of eukaryotic genome replication. The hexameric protein complex formed by MCM proteins is a key component of the
pre-replication complex
A pre-replication complex (pre-RC) is a protein complex that forms at the origin of replication during the initiation step of DNA replication. Formation of the pre-RC is required for DNA replication to occur. Complete and faithful replication of ...
(pre-RC) and may be involved in the formation of replication forks and in the recruitment of other DNA replication-related proteins. This protein forms a complex with MCM4, 6, and 7, and has been shown to regulate the helicase activity of the complex. This protein is phosphorylated, and thus regulated by, protein kinases CDC2 and CDC7.
Interactions
MCM2 has been shown to
interact with:
*
AKAP8,
*
Cell division cycle 7-related protein kinase,
[
* MCM3,][
* MCM4,][
* ORC2L,][
* ORC4L,][
* ORC5L,][ and
* Replication protein A1.]
See also
* Mini Chromosome Maintenance
References
Further reading
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