Project description:One of the long-standing questions in eukaryotic DNA replication is the mechanisms that determine where and when a particular segment of the genome is replicated. Cdc7/Hsk1 is a conserved kinase required for initiation of DNA replication, and may affect the site selection and timing of origin firing. We identified rif1∆, a null mutant of rif1+, a conserved telomere binding factor, as an efficient bypass mutant of fission yeast hsk1. Extensive deregulation of dormant origins over a wide range of the chromosomes occurs in rif1∆ in the presence or absence of HU. At the same time, many early-firing, efficient origins are suppressed or delayed in firing timing in rif1∆. Rif1 binds not only to telomeres but also to many specific locations on the arm segments that only partially overlap with the pre-Replicative Complex assembly sites, although Rif1 tends to bind in the vicinity of the late/ dormant origins activated in rif1∆. The binding to the arm segments occurs through M to G1 phase in a manner independent of Taz1 and appears to be essential for the replication timing program during normal cell cycle. Our data demonstrate that Rif1 is a critical determinant of origin activation program on the fission yeast chromosomes. BrdU incorporation profiles at early S-phase in Wild vs rif1∆. Cdc45 binding profiles at early S-phase in Wild vs rif1∆. Rif1 binidng sites aroud G1/S boudary and at M-phase. Mcm4 binding sites in wild, hsk1-89 temperature mutant and rif1∆.
