The Dbf4-Cdc7 kinase promotes S phase by alleviating an inhibitory activity in Mcm4.

ABSTRACT: Eukaryotic DNA replication uses kinase regulatory pathways to facilitate coordination with other processes during cell division cycles and response to environmental cues. At least two cell cycle-regulated protein kinase systems, the S-phase-specific cyclin-dependent protein kinases (S-CDKs) and the Dbf4-Cdc7 kinase (DDK, Dbf4-dependent protein kinase) are essential activators for initiation of DNA replication. Although the essential mechanism of CDK activation of DNA replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been established, exactly how DDK acts has been unclear. Here we show that the amino terminal serine/threonine-rich domain (NSD) of Mcm4 has both inhibitory and facilitating roles in DNA replication control and that the sole essential function of DDK is to relieve an inhibitory activ

SUBMITTER: Sheu YJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2805463 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature