The architecture of the DNA replication origin recognition complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Is euchromatin really open in the cell?

Genomic DNA is wrapped around a core histone octamer and forms a nucleosome. In higher eukaryotic cells, strings of nucleosomes are irregularly folded as chromatin domains that act as functional genome units. According to a typical textbook model, chromatin can be categorized into two types, euchromatin and heterochromatin, based on its degree of compaction. Euchromatin is open, while heterochromatin is closed and condensed. However, is euchromatin really open in the cell? New evidence from genomics and advanced imaging studies has revealed that euchromatin consists of condensed liquid-like domains. Condensed chromatin seems to be the default chromatin state in higher eukaryotic cells. We discuss this novel view of euchromatin in the cell and how the revealed organization is relevant to genome functions.

Multi-omics analysis reveals the involvement of origin recognition complex subunit 6 in tumor immune regulation and malignant progression

Background

Origin recognition complex 6 (ORC6) is one of the six highly conserved subunit proteins required for DNA replication and is essential for maintaining genome stability during cell division. Recent research shows that ORC6 regulates the advancement of multiple cancers; however, it remains unclear what regulatory impact it has on the tumor immune microenvironment.

Methods

Unpaired Wilcoxon rank sum and signed rank tests were used to analyze the differences in the expression of ORC6 in normal tissues and corresponding tumor tissues. Multiple online databases have evaluated the genetic alterations, protein expression and localization, and clinical relevance of ORC6. To evaluate the potential prognostic impact and diagnostic significance of ORC6 expression, we carried out log-rank, univariate Cox regression, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The ICGC-LIRI-JP cohort, CGGA-301 cohort, CGGA-325 cohort, CGGA-693 cohort, and GSE13041 cohort were used for external validation of the study findings. The associations between ORC6 expression and immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoint expression, and immunotherapy cohorts was further analyzed. To explore the functional and signaling pathways related to ORC6 expression, gene set enrichment analysis was performed. To clarify the expression and function of ORC6 in hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) and glioma, we conducted in vitro experiments.

Results

Expression of ORC6 is upregulated in the majority of cancer types and is associated with poor patient prognosis, notably in cases of LIHC and gliomas. In addition, ORC6 may be involved in multiple signaling pathways related to cancer progression and immune regulation. High expression of ORC6 correlates with an immunosuppressive state in the tumor microenvironment. The results of further immunotherapy cohort analysis suggested that patients in the ORC6 high-expression group benefited from immunotherapy. Inhibiting ORC6 expression suppressed the proliferative and migratory abilities of LIHC and glioma cells.

Conclusion

High expression of ORC6 may be used as a biomarker to predict the poor prognosis of most tumor patients. The high expression of ORC6 may be involved in the regulation of the tumor immunosuppressive environment, and it is expected to become a molecular target for inhibiting tumor progression.

The structure of ORC-Cdc6 on an origin DNA reveals the mechanism of ORC activation by the replication initiator Cdc6

The Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) binds to sites in chromosomes to specify the location of origins of DNA replication. The S. cerevisiae ORC binds to specific DNA sequences throughout the cell cycle but becomes active only when it binds to the replication initiator Cdc6. It has been unclear at the molecular level how Cdc6 activates ORC, converting it to an active recruiter of the Mcm2-7 hexamer, the core of the replicative helicase. Here we report the cryo-EM structure at 3.3 Å resolution of the yeast ORC–Cdc6 bound to an 85-bp ARS1 origin DNA. The structure reveals that Cdc6 contributes to origin DNA recognition via its winged helix domain (WHD) and its initiator-specific motif. Cdc6 binding rearranges a short α-helix in the Orc1 AAA+ domain and the Orc2 WHD, leading to the activation of the Cdc6 ATPase and the formation of the three sites for the recruitment of Mcm2-7, none of which are present in ORC alone. The results illuminate the molecular mechanism of a critical biochemical step in the licensing of eukaryotic replication origins.

Eukaryotic DNA replication is mediated by many proteins which are tightly regulated for an efficient firing of replication at each cell cycle. Here the authors report a cryo-EM structure of the yeast ORC–Cdc6 bound to an 85-bp ARS1 origin DNA revealing additional insights into how Cdc6 contributes to origin DNA recognition.

An Essential and Cell-Cycle-Dependent ORC Dimerization Cycle Regulates Eukaryotic Chromosomal DNA Replication

Eukaryotic DNA replication licensing is a prerequisite for, and plays a role in, regulating genome duplication that occurs exactly once per cell cycle. ORC (origin recognition complex) binds to and marks replication origins throughout the cell cycle and loads other replication-initiation proteins onto replication origins to form pre-replicative complexes (pre-RCs), completing replication licensing. However, how an asymmetric single-heterohexameric ORC structure loads the symmetric MCM (minichromosome maintenance) double hexamers is controversial, and importantly, it remains unknown when and how ORC proteins associate with the newly replicated origins to protect them from invasion by histones. Here, we report an essential and cell-cycle-dependent ORC "dimerization cycle" that plays three fundamental roles in the regulation of DNA replication: providing a symmetric platform to load the symmetric pre-RCs, marking and protecting the nascent sister replication origins for the next licensing, and playing a crucial role to prevent origin re-licensing within the same cell cycle.

The human origin recognition complex is essential for pre-RC assembly, mitosis, and maintenance of nuclear structure

The origin recognition complex (ORC) cooperates with CDC6, MCM2-7, and CDT1 to form pre-RC complexes at origins of DNA replication. Here, using tiling-sgRNA CRISPR screens, we report that each subunit of ORC and CDC6 is essential in human cells. Using an auxin-inducible degradation system, we created stable cell lines capable of ablating ORC2 rapidly, revealing multiple cell division cycle phenotypes. The primary defects in the absence of ORC2 were cells encountering difficulty in initiating DNA replication or progressing through the cell division cycle due to reduced MCM2-7 loading onto chromatin in G1 phase. The nuclei of ORC2-deficient cells were also large, with decompacted heterochromatin. Some ORC2-deficient cells that completed DNA replication entered into, but never exited mitosis. ORC1 knockout cells also demonstrated extremely slow cell proliferation and abnormal cell and nuclear morphology. Thus, ORC proteins and CDC6 are indispensable for normal cellular proliferation and contribute to nuclear organization.

Molecular mechanisms of eukaryotic origin initiation, replication fork progression, and chromatin maintenance

Eukaryotic DNA replication is a highly dynamic and tightly regulated process. Replication involves several dozens of replication proteins, including the initiators ORC and Cdc6, replicative CMG helicase, DNA polymerase α-primase, leading-strand DNA polymerase ε, and lagging-strand DNA polymerase δ. These proteins work together in a spatially and temporally controlled manner to synthesize new DNA from the parental DNA templates. During DNA replication, epigenetic information imprinted on DNA and histone proteins is also copied to the daughter DNA to maintain the chromatin status. DNA methyltransferase 1 is primarily responsible for copying the parental DNA methylation pattern into the nascent DNA. Epigenetic information encoded in histones is transferred via a more complex and less well-understood process termed replication-couple nucleosome assembly. Here, we summarize the most recent structural and biochemical insights into DNA replication initiation, replication fork elongation, chromatin assembly and maintenance, and related regulatory mechanisms.

Structural mechanism of helicase loading onto replication origin DNA by ORC-Cdc6

The loading of the core Mcm2-7 helicase onto origin DNA is essential for the formation of replication forks and genomic stability. Here, we report two cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures that capture helicase loader–helicase complexes just prior to DNA insertion. These pre-loading structures, combined with a computational simulation of the dynamic transition from the pre-loading state to the loaded state, provide crucial insights into the mechanism required for topologically linking the helicase to DNA. The helicase loading system is highly conserved from yeast to human, which means that the molecular principles described here for the yeast system are likely applicable to the human system.

DNA replication origins serve as sites of replicative helicase loading. In all eukaryotes, the six-subunit origin recognition complex (Orc1-6; ORC) recognizes the replication origin. During late M-phase of the cell-cycle, Cdc6 binds to ORC and the ORC–Cdc6 complex loads in a multistep reaction and, with the help of Cdt1, the core Mcm2-7 helicase onto DNA. A key intermediate is the ORC–Cdc6–Cdt1–Mcm2-7 (OCCM) complex in which DNA has been already inserted into the central channel of Mcm2-7. Until now, it has been unclear how the origin DNA is guided by ORC–Cdc6 and inserted into the Mcm2-7 hexamer. Here, we truncated the C-terminal winged-helix-domain (WHD) of Mcm6 to slow down the loading reaction, thereby capturing two loading intermediates prior to DNA insertion in budding yeast. In “semi-attached OCCM,” the Mcm3 and Mcm7 WHDs latch onto ORC–Cdc6 while the main body of the Mcm2-7 hexamer is not connected. In “pre-insertion OCCM,” the main body of Mcm2-7 docks onto ORC–Cdc6, and the origin DNA is bent and positioned adjacent to the open DNA entry gate, poised for insertion, at the Mcm2–Mcm5 interface. We used molecular simulations to reveal the dynamic transition from preloading conformers to the loaded conformers in which the loading of Mcm2-7 on DNA is complete and the DNA entry gate is fully closed. Our work provides multiple molecular insights into a key event of eukaryotic DNA replication.

In vivo chromatin organization on native yeast telomeric regions is independent of a cis-telomere loopback conformation

Background

DNA packaging into chromatin regulates all DNA-related processes and at chromosomal ends could affect both essential functions of telomeres: protection against DNA damage response and telomere replication. Despite this primordial role of chromatin, little is known about chromatin organization, and in particular about nucleosome positioning on unmodified subtelomere–telomere junctions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Results

By ChEC experiments and indirect end-labeling, we characterized nucleosome positioning as well as specialized protein–DNA associations on most subtelomere–telomere junctions present in budding yeast. The results show that there is a relatively large nucleosome-free region at chromosome ends. Despite the absence of sequence homologies between the two major classes of subtelomere–telomere junctions (i.e.: Y’-telomeres and X-telomeres), all analyzed subtelomere–telomere junctions show a terminal nucleosome-free region just distally from the known Rap1-covered telomeric repeats. Moreover, previous evidence suggested a telomeric chromatin fold-back structure onto subtelomeric areas that supposedly was implicated in chromosome end protection. The in vivo ChEC method used herein in conjunction with several proteins in a natural context revealed no evidence for such structures in bulk chromatin.

Conclusions

Our study allows a structural definition of the chromatin found at chromosome ends in budding yeast. This definition, derived with direct in vivo approaches, includes a terminal area that is free of nucleosomes, certain positioned nucleosomes and conserved DNA-bound protein complexes. This organization of subtelomeric and telomeric areas however does not include a telomeric cis-loopback conformation. We propose that the observations on such fold-back structures may report rare and/or transient associations and not stable or constitutive structures.

Replicative and radiation-induced aging: a comparison of gene expression profiles

All living organisms are subject to the aging process and experience the effect of ionizing radiation throughout their life. There have been a number of studies that linked ionizing radiation process to accelerated aging, but comprehensive signalome analysis of both processes was rarely conducted. Here we present a comparative signaling pathway based analysis of the transcriptomes of fibroblasts irradiated with different doses of ionizing radiation, replicatively aged fibroblasts and fibroblasts collected from young, middle age and old patients. We demonstrate a significant concordance between irradiation-induced and replicative senescence signalome signatures of fibroblasts. Additionally, significant differences in transcriptional response were also observed between fibroblasts irradiated with high and low dose. Our data shows that the transcriptome of replicatively aged fibroblasts is more similar to the transcriptome of the cells irradiated with 2 Gy, than with 5 сGy.This work revealed a number of signaling pathways that are shared between senescence and irradiation processes and can potentially be targeted by the new generation of gero- and radioprotectors.

The interaction networks of the budding yeast and human DNA replication-initiation proteins

DNA replication is a stringently regulated cellular process. In proliferating cells, DNA replication-initiation proteins (RIPs) are sequentially loaded onto replication origins during the M-to-G₁ transition to form the pre-replicative complex (pre-RC), a process known as replication licensing. Subsequently, additional RIPs are recruited to form the pre-initiation complex (pre-IC). RIPs and their regulators ensure that chromosomal DNA is replicated exactly once per cell cycle. Origin recognition complex (ORC) binds to, and marks replication origins throughout the cell cycle and recruits other RIPs including Noc3p, Ipi1-3p, Cdt1p, Cdc6p and Mcm2-7p to form the pre-RC. The detailed mechanisms and regulation of the pre-RC and its exact architecture still remain unclear. In this study, pairwise protein-protein interactions among 23 budding yeast and 16 human RIPs were systematically and comprehensively examined by yeast two-hybrid analysis. This study tested 470 pairs of yeast and 196 pairs of human RIPs, from which 113 and 96 positive interactions, respectively, were identified. While many of these interactions were previously reported, some were novel, including various ORC and MCM subunit interactions, ORC self-interactions, and the interactions of IPI3 and NOC3 with several pre-RC and pre-IC proteins. Ten of the novel interactions were further confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation assays. Furthermore, we identified the conserved interaction networks between the yeast and human RIPs. This study provides a foundation and framework for further understanding the architectures, interactions and functions of the yeast and human pre-RC and pre-IC.

From structure to mechanism-understanding initiation of DNA replication

In this Review, Riera et al. review recent structural and biochemical insights that start to explain how specific proteins recognize DNA replication origins, load the replicative helicase on DNA, unwind DNA, synthesize new DNA strands, and reassemble chromatin.

DNA replication results in the doubling of the genome prior to cell division. This process requires the assembly of 50 or more protein factors into a replication fork. Here, we review recent structural and biochemical insights that start to explain how specific proteins recognize DNA replication origins, load the replicative helicase on DNA, unwind DNA, synthesize new DNA strands, and reassemble chromatin. We focus on the minichromosome maintenance (MCM2–7) proteins, which form the core of the eukaryotic replication fork, as this complex undergoes major structural rearrangements in order to engage with DNA, regulate its DNA-unwinding activity, and maintain genome stability.

The Yeast Heterochromatin Protein Sir3 Experienced Functional Changes in the AAA+ Domain After Gene Duplication and Subfunctionalization

A key unresolved issue in molecular evolution is how paralogs diverge after gene duplication. For multifunctional genes, duplication is often followed by subfunctionalization. Subsequently, new or optimized molecular properties may evolve once the protein is no longer constrained to achieve multiple functions. A potential example of this process is the evolution of the yeast heterochromatin protein Sir3, which arose by duplication from the conserved DNA replication protein Orc1 We previously found that Sir3 subfunctionalized after duplication. In this study, we investigated whether Sir3 evolved new or optimized properties after subfunctionalization . This possibility is supported by our observation that nonduplicated Orc1/Sir3 proteins from three species were unable to complement a sir3Δ mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae To identify regions of Sir3 that may have evolved new properties, we created chimeric proteins of ScSir3 and nonduplicated Orc1 from Kluyveromyces lactis We identified the AAA+ base subdomain of KlOrc1 as insufficient for heterochromatin formation in S. cerevisiae In Orc1, this subdomain is intimately associated with other ORC subunits, enabling ATP hydrolysis. In Sir3, this subdomain binds Sir4 and perhaps nucleosomes. Our data are inconsistent with the insufficiency of KlOrc1 resulting from its ATPase activity or an inability to bind ScSir4 Thus, once Sir3 was no longer constrained to assemble into the ORC complex, its heterochromatin-forming potential evolved through changes in the AAA+ base subdomain.

Structural basis of Mcm2-7 replicative helicase loading by ORC-Cdc6 and Cdt1

To start DNA replication, the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) and Cdc6 load a Mcm2-7 double hexamer onto DNA. Without ATP hydrolysis, ORC-Cdc6 recruits one Cdt1-bound Mcm2-7 hexamer, forming an ORC-Cdc6-Cdt1-Mcm2-7 (OCCM) helicase loading intermediate. Here we report a 3.9Å structure of the OCCM on DNA. Flexible Mcm2-7 winged-helix domains (WHD) engage ORC-Cdc6. A three-domain Cdt1 configuration embraces Mcm2, Mcm4, and Mcm6, nearly half of the hexamer. The Cdt1 C-terminal domain extends to the Mcm6 WHD, which binds Orc4 WHD. DNA passes through the ORC-Cdc6 and Mcm2-7 rings. Origin DNA interaction is mediated by an α-helix in Orc4 and positively charged loops in Orc2 and Cdc6. The Mcm2-7 C-tier AAA+ ring is topologically closed by a Mcm5 loop that embraces Mcm2, but the N-tier ring Mcm2-Mcm5 interface remains open. This structure suggests loading mechanics of the first Cdt1-bound Mcm2-7 hexamer by ORC-Cdc6.

Mechanisms and regulation of DNA replication initiation in eukaryotes

Cellular DNA replication is initiated through the action of multiprotein complexes that recognize replication start sites in the chromosome (termed origins) and facilitate duplex DNA melting within these regions. In a typical cell cycle, initiation occurs only once per origin and each round of replication is tightly coupled to cell division. To avoid aberrant origin firing and re-replication, eukaryotes tightly regulate two events in the initiation process: loading of the replicative helicase, MCM2-7, onto chromatin by the origin recognition complex (ORC), and subsequent activation of the helicase by its incorporation into a complex known as the CMG. Recent work has begun to reveal the details of an orchestrated and sequential exchange of initiation factors on DNA that give rise to a replication-competent complex, the replisome. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that underpin eukaryotic DNA replication initiation - from selecting replication start sites to replicative helicase loading and activation - and describe how these events are often distinctly regulated across different eukaryotic model organisms.

Cryo-EM of dynamic protein complexes in eukaryotic DNA replication

DNA replication in Eukaryotes is a highly dynamic process that involves several dozens of proteins. Some of these proteins form stable complexes that are amenable to high-resolution structure determination by cryo-EM, thanks to the recent advent of the direct electron detector and powerful image analysis algorithm. But many of these proteins associate only transiently and flexibly, precluding traditional biochemical purification. We found that direct mixing of the component proteins followed by 2D and 3D image sorting can capture some very weakly interacting complexes. Even at 2D average level and at low resolution, EM images of these flexible complexes can provide important biological insights. It is often necessary to positively identify the feature-of-interest in a low resolution EM structure. We found that systematically fusing or inserting maltose binding protein (MBP) to selected proteins is highly effective in these situations. In this chapter, we describe the EM studies of several protein complexes involved in the eukaryotic DNA replication over the past decade or so. We suggest that some of the approaches used in these studies may be applicable to structural analysis of other biological systems.

The FA Core Complex Contains a Homo-dimeric Catalytic Module for the Symmetric Mono-ubiquitination of FANCI-FANCD2

Activation of the main DNA interstrand crosslink repair pathway in higher eukaryotes requires mono-ubiquitination of FANCI and FANCD2 by FANCL, the E3 ligase subunit of the Fanconi anemia core complex. FANCI and FANCD2 form a stable complex; however, the molecular basis of their ubiquitination is ill defined. FANCD2 mono-ubiquitination by FANCL is stimulated by the presence of the FANCB and FAAP100 core complex components, through an unknown mechanism. How FANCI mono-ubiquitination is achieved remains unclear. Here, we use structural electron microscopy, combined with crosslink-coupled mass spectrometry, to find that FANCB, FANCL, and FAAP100 form a dimer of trimers, containing two FANCL molecules that are ideally poised to target both FANCI and FANCD2 for mono-ubiquitination. The FANCC-FANCE-FANCF subunits bridge between FANCB-FANCL-FAAP100 and the FANCI-FANCD2 substrate. A transient interaction with FANCC-FANCE-FANCF alters the FANCI-FANCD2 configuration, stabilizing the dimerization interface. Our data provide a model to explain how equivalent mono-ubiquitination of FANCI and FANCD2 occurs.

•

FANCB, FANCL, and FAAP100 form a symmetric dimer of trimers

•

FANCL is ideally poised for the symmetric mono-ubiquitination of FANCI-FANCD2

•

Two separate FANCC-FANCE-FANCF complexes bind to the opposing poles of FANCB-FANCL-FAAP100

•

FANCC-FANCE-FANCF stabilizes FANCI-FANCD2 for efficient mono-ubiquitination

Structure-informed insights for NLR functioning in plant immunity

To respond to foreign invaders, plants have evolved a cell autonomous multilayered immune system consisting of extra- and intracellular immune receptors. Nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs) mediate recognition of pathogen effectors inside the cell and trigger a host specific defense response, often involving controlled cell death. NLRs consist of a central nucleotide-binding domain, which is flanked by an N-terminal CC or TIR domain and a C-terminal leucine-rich repeat domain (LRR). These multidomain proteins function as a molecular switch and their activity is tightly controlled by intra and inter-molecular interactions. In contrast to metazoan NLRs, the structural basis underlying NLR functioning as a pathogen sensor and activator of immune responses in plants is largely unknown. However, the first crystal structures of a number of plant NLR domains were recently obtained. In addition, biochemical and structure-informed analyses revealed novel insights in the cooperation between NLR domains and the formation of pre- and post activation complexes, including the coordinated activity of NLR pairs as pathogen sensor and executor of immune responses. Moreover, the discovery of novel integrated domains underscores the structural diversity of NLRs and provides alternative models for how these immune receptors function in plants. In this review, we will highlight these recent advances to provide novel insights in the structural, biochemical and molecular aspects involved in plant NLR functioning.

Rapid Purification and Characterization of Mutant Origin Recognition Complexes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Purification of the origin recognition complex (ORC) from wild-type budding yeast cells more than two decades ago opened up doors to analyze the initiation of eukaryotic chromosomal DNA replication biochemically. Although revised methods to purify ORC from overproducing cells were reported later, purification of mutant proteins using these systems still depends on time-consuming processes including genetic manipulation to construct and amplify mutant baculoviruses or yeast strains as well as several canonical protein fractionations. Here, we present a streamlined method to construct mutant overproducers, followed by purification of mutant ORCs. Use of mammalian cells co-transfected with conveniently mutagenized plasmids bearing a His tag excludes many of the construction and fractionation steps. Transfection is highly efficient. All the six subunits of ORC are overexpressed at a considerable level and isolated as a functional heterohexameric complex. Furthermore, use of mammalian cells prevents contamination of wild-type ORC from yeast cells. The method is applicable to wild-type and at least three mutant ORCs, and the resultant purified complexes show expected biochemical activities. The rapid acquisition of mutant ORCs using this system will boost systematic biochemical dissection of ORC and can be even applied to the purification of protein complexes other than ORC.

A Role of hIPI3 in DNA Replication Licensing in Human Cells

The yeast Ipi3p is required for DNA replication and cell viability in Sacharomyces cerevisiae. It is an essential component of the Rix1 complex (Rix1p/Ipi2p-Ipi1p-Ipi3p) that is required for the processing of 35S pre-rRNA in pre-60S ribosomal particles and for the initiation of DNA replication. The human IPI3 homolog is WDR18 (WD repeat domain 18), which shares significant homology with yIpi3p. Here we report that knockdown of hIPI3 resulted in substantial defects in the chromatin association of the MCM complex, DNA replication, cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. Importantly, hIPI3 silencing did not result in a reduction of the protein level of hCDC6, hMCM7, or the ectopically expressed GFP protein, indicating that protein synthesis was not defective in the same time frame of the DNA replication and cell cycle defects. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of hIPI3 fluctuate in the cell cycle, with the highest levels from M phase to early G1 phase, similar to other pre-replicative (pre-RC) proteins. Moreover, hIPI3 interacts with other replication-initiation proteins, co-localizes with hMCM7 in the nucleus, and is important for the nuclear localization of hMCM7. We also found that hIPI3 preferentially binds to the origins of DNA replication including those at the c-Myc, Lamin-B2 and β-Globin loci. These results indicate that hIPI3 is involved in human DNA replication licensing independent of its role in ribosome biogenesis.

Diverged composition and regulation of the Trypanosoma brucei origin recognition complex that mediates DNA replication initiation

Initiation of DNA replication depends upon recognition of genomic sites, termed origins, by AAA+ ATPases. In prokaryotes a single factor binds each origin, whereas in eukaryotes this role is played by a six-protein origin recognition complex (ORC). Why eukaryotes evolved a multisubunit initiator, and the roles of each component, remains unclear. In Trypanosoma brucei, an ancient unicellular eukaryote, only one ORC-related initiator, TbORC1/CDC6, has been identified by sequence homology. Here we show that three TbORC1/CDC6-interacting factors also act in T. brucei nuclear DNA replication and demonstrate that TbORC1/CDC6 interacts in a high molecular complex in which a diverged Orc4 homologue and one replicative helicase subunit can also be found. Analysing the subcellular localization of four TbORC1/CDC6-interacting factors during the cell cycle reveals that one factor, TbORC1B, is not a static constituent of ORC but displays S-phase restricted nuclear localization and expression, suggesting it positively regulates replication. This work shows that ORC architecture and regulation are diverged features of DNA replication initiation in T. brucei, providing new insight into this key stage of eukaryotic genome copying.

ORC4 surrounds extruded chromatin in female meiosis

Six proteins, ORC1-6, make up the origin recognition complex (ORC) that initiates licensing of DNA replication origins. We have previously reported that subunit ORC2 is localized between the separating maternal chromosomes at anaphase II just after fertilization and is present in zygotic pronuclei at G1. Here, we found that ORC1, 3, and 5 all localize between the chromosomes at anaphase II, but could not be detected in zygotic G1. ORC6 localized to the periphery of the nucleoli at all zygotic stages. We identified an unexpected potential role for ORC4 in polar body formation. We found that in both female meiotic divisions, ORC4 surrounds the set of chromosomes, as a sphere-like structure, that will eventually be discarded in the polar bodies, but not the chromosomes that segregate into the oocyte. None of the other five ORC proteins are involved in this structure. In Zygotic G1, ORC4 surrounds the nuclei of the polar bodies, but was not detectable in the pronuclei. When the zygote entered mitosis ORC4 was only detected in the polar body. However, ORC4 appeared on both sets of separating chromosomes at telophase. At this point, the ORC4 that was in the polar body also migrated into the nuclei, suggesting that ORC4 or an associated protein is modified during the first embryonic cell cycle to allow it to bind DNA. Our results suggest that ORC4 may help identify the chromosomes that are destined to be expelled in the polar body, and may play a role in polar body extrusion. ORC4 surrounds the chromatin that will be extruded in the polar body in both female meiotic divisions, then makes a transition from the cytoplasm to the chromosomes at zygotic anaphase, suggesting multiple roles for this replication licensing protein.

Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy of macromolecular complexes

Recent technological breakthroughs in image acquisition have enabled single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to achieve near-atomic resolution structural information for biological complexes. The improvements in image quality coupled with powerful computational methods for sorting distinct particle populations now also allow the determination of compositional and conformational ensembles, thereby providing key insights into macromolecular function. However, the inherent instability and dynamic nature of biological assemblies remain a tremendous challenge that often requires tailored approaches for successful implementation of the methodology. Here, we briefly describe the fundamentals of single-particle cryo-EM with an emphasis on covering the breadth of techniques and approaches, including low- and high-resolution methods, aiming to illustrate specific steps that are crucial for obtaining structural information by this method.

Identification and Characterization of the Cyclin-Dependent Kinases Gene Family in Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) play key roles at different checkpoint regulations of the eukaryotic cell cycle. However, only few studies of lepidoptera CDK family proteins have been reported so far. In this study, we performed the cDNA sequencing of 10 members of the CDK family in Bombyx mori. Gene structure analysis suggested that CDK12 and CDC2L1 owned two and three isoforms, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CDK genes in different species were highly conserved, implying that they evolved independently even before the split between vertebrates and invertebrates. We found that the expression levels of BmCDKs in 13 tissues of fifth-instar day 3 larvae were different: CDK1, CDK7, and CDK9 had a high level of expression, whereas CDK4 was low-level expressed and was detected only in the testes and fat body cells. Similar expression profiles of BmCDKs during embryo development were obtained. Among the variants of CDK12, CDK12 transcript variant A had the highest expression, and the expression of CDC2L1 transcript variant A was the highest among the variants of CDC2L1. It was shown from the RNAi experiments that the silencing of CDK1, CDK10, CDK12, and CDC2L1 could influence the cells from G0/G1 to S phase transition.

Specific binding of eukaryotic ORC to DNA replication origins depends on highly conserved basic residues

In eukaryotes, the origin recognition complex (ORC) heterohexamer preferentially binds replication origins to trigger initiation of DNA replication. Crystallographic studies using eubacterial and archaeal ORC orthologs suggested that eukaryotic ORC may bind to origin DNA via putative winged-helix DNA-binding domains and AAA+ ATPase domains. However, the mechanisms how eukaryotic ORC recognizes origin DNA remain elusive. Here, we show in budding yeast that Lys-362 and Arg-367 residues of the largest subunit (Orc1), both outside the aforementioned domains, are crucial for specific binding of ORC to origin DNA. These basic residues, which reside in a putative disordered domain, were dispensable for interaction with ATP and non-specific DNA sequences, suggesting a specific role in recognition. Consistent with this, both residues were required for origin binding of Orc1 in vivo. A truncated Orc1 polypeptide containing these residues solely recognizes ARS sequence with low affinity and Arg-367 residue stimulates sequence specific binding mode of the polypeptide. Lys-362 and Arg-367 residues of Orc1 are highly conserved among eukaryotic ORCs, but not in eubacterial and archaeal orthologs, suggesting a eukaryote-specific mechanism underlying recognition of replication origins by ORC.

Cryo-EM: A Unique Tool for the Visualization of Macromolecular Complexity

3D cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is an expanding structural biology technique that has recently undergone a quantum leap progression in its achievable resolution and its applicability to the study of challenging biological systems. Because crystallization is not required, only small amounts of sample are needed, and because images can be classified in a computer, the technique has the potential to deal with compositional and conformational mixtures. Therefore, cryo-EM can be used to investigate complete and fully functional macromolecular complexes in different functional states, providing a richness of biological insight. In this review, we underlie some of the principles behind the cryo-EM methodology of single particle analysis and discuss some recent results of its application to challenging systems of paramount biological importance. We place special emphasis on new methodological developments that are leading to an explosion of new studies, many of which are reaching resolutions that could only be dreamed of just a couple of years ago.

Structural basis for DNA strand separation by a hexameric replicative helicase

Hexameric helicases are processive DNA unwinding machines but how they engage with a replication fork during unwinding is unknown. Using electron microscopy and single particle analysis we determined structures of the intact hexameric helicase E1 from papillomavirus and two complexes of E1 bound to a DNA replication fork end-labelled with protein tags. By labelling a DNA replication fork with streptavidin (dsDNA end) and Fab (5′ ssDNA) we located the positions of these labels on the helicase surface, showing that at least 10 bp of dsDNA enter the E1 helicase via a side tunnel. In the currently accepted ‘steric exclusion’ model for dsDNA unwinding, the active 3′ ssDNA strand is pulled through a central tunnel of the helicase motor domain as the dsDNA strands are wedged apart outside the protein assembly. Our structural observations together with nuclease footprinting assays indicate otherwise: strand separation is taking place inside E1 in a chamber above the helicase domain and the 5′ passive ssDNA strands exits the assembly through a separate tunnel opposite to the dsDNA entry point. Our data therefore suggest an alternative to the current general model for DNA unwinding by hexameric helicases.

Crystal structure of the eukaryotic origin recognition complex

Initiation of cellular DNA replication is tightly controlled to sustain genomic integrity. In eukaryotes, the heterohexameric origin recognition complex (ORC) is essential for coordinating replication onset. The 3.5 Å resolution crystal structure of Drosophila ORC reveals that the 270 kDa initiator core complex comprises a two-layered notched ring in which a collar of winged-helix domains from the Orc1-5 subunits sits atop a layer of AAA+ ATPase folds. Although canonical inter-AAA+ domain interactions exist between four of the six ORC subunits, unanticipated features are also evident, including highly interdigitated domain-swapping interactions between the winged-helix folds and AAA+ modules of neighboring protomers, and a quasi-spiral arrangement of DNA binding elements that circumnavigate a ~20 Å wide channel in the center of the complex. Comparative analyses indicate that ORC encircles DNA, using its winged-helix domain face to engage the MCM2-7 complex during replicative helicase loading; however, an observed >90° out-of-plane rotation for the Orc1 AAA+ domain disrupts interactions with catalytic amino acids in Orc4, narrowing and sealing off entry into the central channel. Prima facie, our data indicate that Drosophila ORC can switch between active and autoinhibited conformations, suggesting a novel means for cell cycle and/or developmental control of ORC functions.

The physical size of transcription factors is key to transcriptional regulation in chromatin domains

Genetic information, which is stored in the long strand of genomic DNA as chromatin, must be scanned and read out by various transcription factors. First, gene-specific transcription factors, which are relatively small (∼50 kDa), scan the genome and bind regulatory elements. Such factors then recruit general transcription factors, Mediators, RNA polymerases, nucleosome remodellers, and histone modifiers, most of which are large protein complexes of 1-3 MDa in size. Here, we propose a new model for the functional significance of the size of transcription factors (or complexes) for gene regulation of chromatin domains. Recent findings suggest that chromatin consists of irregularly folded nucleosome fibres (10 nm fibres) and forms numerous condensed domains (e.g., topologically associating domains). Although the flexibility and dynamics of chromatin allow repositioning of genes within the condensed domains, the size exclusion effect of the domain may limit accessibility of DNA sequences by transcription factors. We used Monte Carlo computer simulations to determine the physical size limit of transcription factors that can enter condensed chromatin domains. Small gene-specific transcription factors can penetrate into the chromatin domains and search their target sequences, whereas large transcription complexes cannot enter the domain. Due to this property, once a large complex binds its target site via gene-specific factors it can act as a 'buoy' to keep the target region on the surface of the condensed domain and maintain transcriptional competency. This size-dependent specialization of target-scanning and surface-tethering functions could provide novel insight into the mechanisms of various DNA transactions, such as DNA replication and repair/recombination.

Vma9p need not be associated with the yeast V-ATPase for fully-coupled proton pumping activity in vitro

Vacuolar-type ATPases (V-ATPases) acidify numerous intracellular compartments in all eukaryotic cells and are responsible for extracellular acidification in some specialized cells. V-ATPases are large macromolecular complexes with at least 15 different subunits, some of which are found in multiple copies. The main roles of all V-ATPase subunits have been established except for the e subunit, encoded by the gene VMA9 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the Ac45 subunit, which is not found in the S. cerevisiae enzyme. Here we demonstrate that when the S. cerevisiae V-ATPase is solubilized with the detergent dodecylmaltoside (DDM), Vma9p is removed. We further demonstrate that after Vma9p has been removed by detergent the purified enzyme is still able to perform fully-coupled ATP-dependent proton pumping. This observation shows that Vma9p is not necessary in vitro for this principal activity of the V-ATPase.

Developmental regulation of the Tetrahymena thermophila origin recognition complex

The Tetrahymena thermophila DNA replication machinery faces unique demands due to the compartmentalization of two functionally distinct nuclei within a single cytoplasm, and complex developmental program. Here we present evidence for programmed changes in ORC and MCM abundance that are not consistent with conventional models for DNA replication. As a starting point, we show that ORC dosage is critical during the vegetative cell cycle and development. A moderate reduction in Orc1p induces genome instability in the diploid micronucleus, aberrant division of the polyploid macronucleus, and failure to generate a robust intra-S phase checkpoint response. In contrast to yeast ORC2 mutants, replication initiation is unaffected; instead, replication forks elongation is perturbed, as Mcm6p levels decline in parallel with Orc1p. Experimentally induced down-regulation of ORC and MCMs also impairs endoreplication and gene amplification, consistent with essential roles during development. Unexpectedly Orc1p and Mcm6p levels fluctuate dramatically in developing wild type conjugants, increasing for early cycles of conventional micronuclear DNA replication and macronuclear anlagen replication (endoreplication phase I, rDNA gene amplification). This increase does not reflect the DNA replication load, as much less DNA is synthesized during this developmental window compared to vegetative S phase. Furthermore, although Orc1p levels transiently increase prior to endoreplication phase II, Orc1p and Mcm6p levels decline when the replication load increases and unconventional DNA replication intermediates are produced. We propose that replication initiation is re-programmed to meet different requirements or challenges during the successive stages of Tetrahymena development.

The Origin Recognition Complex is required for site-specific replication initiation in eukaryotic chromosomes. Null mutations are lethal in yeast and metazoa, and hypomorphs induce genome instability, a hallmark of cancer. We exploited the unique biology of Tetrahymena to explore ORC's role in conventional and alternative replication programs. Modest experimental down-regulation of ORC1 induces genome instability in vegetative growing Tetrahymena, and diminishes the capacity to support developmentally regulated endoreplication and gene amplification, consistent with essential roles in all of these processes. ORC mutants fail to activate the ATR checkpoint response, and are compromised in their ability to elongate existing replication forks. Remarkably, ORC and MCM levels fluctuate in unexpected ways during wild type development. Most notably, programmed changes in ORC abundance do not reflect the impending DNA replication load. Relative to the vegetative cell cycle, ORC and MCM levels increase dramatically and are highest early in development, when the replication load is lowest. Conversely, ORC levels are lowest during genome-wide macronuclear endoreplication, when the replication load increases. Endocycling cells generate unconventional replication intermediates that distinguish them from vegetative ORC1 knockdown mutants. The collective data suggest that the dependence on ORC may be relaxed during late stages of macronuclear development.

MicroRNA in prostate cancer: functional importance and potential as circulating biomarkers

BACKGROUND

This non-systematic review article aims to summarise the progress made in understanding the functional consequences of microRNA (miRNA) dysregulation in prostate cancer development, and the identification of potential miRNA targets as serum biomarkers for diagnosis or disease stratification.

RESULTS

A number of miRNAs have been shown to influence key cellular processes involved in prostate tumourigenesis, including apoptosis-avoidance, cell proliferation and migration and the androgen signalling pathway. An overlapping group of miRNAs have shown differential expression in the serum of patients with prostate cancer of varying stages compared with unaffected individuals. The majority of studies thus far however, involve small numbers of patients and have shown variable and occasionally conflicting results

CONCLUSION

MiRNAs show promise as potential circulating biomarkers in prostate cancer, but larger prospective studies are required to validate particular targets and better define their clinical utility.

Beyond DnaA: the role of DNA topology and DNA methylation in bacterial replication initiation

The replication of chromosomal DNA is a fundamental event in the life cycle of every cell. The first step of replication, initiation, is controlled by multiple factors to ensure only one round of replication per cell cycle. The process of initiation has been described most thoroughly for bacteria, especially Escherichia coli, and involves many regulatory proteins that vary considerably between different species. These proteins control the activity of the two key players of initiation in bacteria: the initiator protein DnaA and the origin of chromosome replication (oriC). Factors involved in the control of the availability, activity, or oligomerization of DnaA during initiation are generally regarded as the most important and thus have been thoroughly characterized. Other aspects of the initiation process, such as origin accessibility and susceptibility to unwinding, have been less explored. However, recent findings indicate that these factors have a significant role. This review focuses on DNA topology, conformation, and methylation as important factors that regulate the initiation process in bacteria. We present a comprehensive summary of the factors involved in the modulation of DNA topology, both locally at oriC and more globally at the level of the entire chromosome. We show clearly that the conformation of oriC dynamically changes, and control of this conformation constitutes another, important factor in the regulation of bacterial replication initiation. Furthermore, the process of initiation appears to be associated with the dynamics of the entire chromosome and this association is an important but largely unexplored phenomenon.

A Meier-Gorlin syndrome mutation in a conserved C-terminal helix of Orc6 impedes origin recognition complex formation

In eukaryotes, DNA replication requires the origin recognition complex (ORC), a six-subunit assembly that promotes replisome formation on chromosomal origins. Despite extant homology between certain subunits, the degree of structural and organizational overlap between budding yeast and metazoan ORC has been unclear. Using 3D electron microscopy, we determined the subunit organization of metazoan ORC, revealing that it adopts a global architecture very similar to the budding yeast complex. Bioinformatic analysis extends this conservation to Orc6, a subunit of somewhat enigmatic function. Unexpectedly, a mutation in the Orc6 C-terminus linked to Meier-Gorlin syndrome, a dwarfism disorder, impedes proper recruitment of Orc6 into ORC; biochemical studies reveal that this region of Orc6 associates with a previously uncharacterized domain of Orc3 and is required for ORC function and MCM2-7 loading in vivo. Together, our results suggest that Meier-Gorlin syndrome mutations in Orc6 impair the formation of ORC hexamers, interfering with appropriate ORC functions. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00882.001.

Cryo-EM structure of a helicase loading intermediate containing ORC-Cdc6-Cdt1-MCM2-7 bound to DNA

In eukaryotes, the Cdt1-bound replicative helicase core MCM2-7 is loaded onto DNA by the ORC-Cdc6 ATPase to form a prereplicative complex (pre-RC) with an MCM2-7 double hexamer encircling DNA. Using purified components in the presence of ATP-γS, we have captured in vitro an intermediate in pre-RC assembly that contains a complex between the ORC-Cdc6 and Cdt1-MCM2-7 heteroheptamers called the OCCM. Cryo-EM studies of this 14-subunit complex reveal that the two separate heptameric complexes are engaged extensively, with the ORC-Cdc6 N-terminal AAA+ domains latching onto the C-terminal AAA+ motor domains of the MCM2-7 hexamer. The conformation of ORC-Cdc6 undergoes a concerted change into a right-handed spiral with helical symmetry that is identical to that of the DNA double helix. The resulting ORC-Cdc6 helicase loader shows a notable structural similarity to the replication factor C clamp loader, suggesting a conserved mechanism of action.

An ORC/Cdc6/MCM2-7 complex is formed in a multistep reaction to serve as a platform for MCM double-hexamer assembly

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae and higher eukaryotes, the loading of the replicative helicase MCM2-7 onto DNA requires the combined activities of ORC, Cdc6, and Cdt1. These proteins load MCM2-7 in an unknown way into a double hexamer around DNA. Here we show that MCM2-7 recruitment by ORC/Cdc6 is blocked by an autoinhibitory domain in the C terminus of Mcm6. Interestingly, Cdt1 can overcome this inhibitory activity, and consequently the Cdt1-MCM2-7 complex activates ORC/Cdc6 ATP-hydrolysis to promote helicase loading. While Cdc6 ATPase activity is known to facilitate Cdt1 release and MCM2-7 loading, we discovered that Orc1 ATP-hydrolysis is equally important in this process. Moreover, we found that Orc1/Cdc6 ATP-hydrolysis promotes the formation of the ORC/Cdc6/MCM2-7 (OCM) complex, which functions in MCM2-7 double-hexamer assembly. Importantly, CDK-dependent phosphorylation of ORC inhibits OCM establishment to ensure once per cell cycle replication. In summary, this work reveals multiple critical mechanisms that redefine our understanding of DNA licensing.

Mechanisms for initiating cellular DNA replication

The initiation of DNA replication represents a committing step to cell proliferation. Appropriate replication onset depends on multiprotein complexes that help properly distinguish origin regions, generate nascent replication bubbles, and promote replisome formation. This review describes initiation systems employed by bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes, with a focus on comparing and contrasting molecular mechanisms among organisms. Although commonalities can be found in the functional domains and strategies used to carry out and regulate initiation, many key participants have markedly different activities and appear to have evolved convergently. Despite significant advances in the field, major questions still persist in understanding how initiation programs are executed at the molecular level.

Cdc6-induced conformational changes in ORC bound to origin DNA revealed by cryo-electron microscopy

The eukaryotic origin recognition complex (ORC) interacts with and remodels origins of DNA replication prior to initiation in S phase. Here, we report a single-particle cryo-EM-derived structure of the supramolecular assembly comprising Saccharomyces cerevisiae ORC, the replication initiation factor Cdc6, and double-stranded ARS1 origin DNA in the presence of ATPγS. The six subunits of ORC are arranged as Orc1:Orc4:Orc5:Orc2:Orc3, with Orc6 binding to Orc2. Cdc6 binding changes the conformation of ORC, in particular reorienting the Orc1 N-terminal BAH domain. Segmentation of the 3D map of ORC-Cdc6 on DNA and docking with the crystal structure of the homologous archaeal Orc1/Cdc6 protein suggest an origin DNA binding model in which the DNA tracks along the interior surface of the crescent-like ORC. Thus, ORC bends and wraps the DNA. This model is consistent with the observation that binding of a single Cdc6 extends the ORC footprint on origin DNA from both ends.

Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1)-dependent recruitment of origin recognition complex (Orc) on oriP of Epstein-Barr virus with purified proteins: stimulation by Cdc6 through its direct interaction with EBNA1

Origin recognition complex (Orc) plays an essential role in directing assembly of prereplicative complex at selective sites on chromosomes. However, Orc from vertebrates is reported to bind to DNA in a sequence-nonspecific manner, and it is still unclear how it selects specific genomic loci and how Cdc6, another conserved AAA(+) factor known to interact with Orc, participates in this process. Replication from oriP, the latent origin of Epstein-Barr virus, provides an excellent model system for the study of initiation on the host chromosomes because it is known to depend on prereplicative complex factors, including Orc and Mcm. Here, we show that Orc is recruited selectively at the essential dyad symmetry element in nuclear extracts in a manner dependent on EBNA1, which specifically binds to dyad symmetry. With purified proteins, EBNA1 can recruit both Cdc6 and Orc independently on a DNA containing EBNA1 binding sites, and Cdc6 facilitates the Orc recruitment by EBNA1. Purified Cdc6 directly binds to EBNA1, whereas association of Orc with EBNA1 requires the presence of the oriP DNA. Nuclease protection assays suggest that Orc associates with DNA segments on both sides adjacent to the EBNA1 binding sites and that this process is stimulated by the presence of Cdc6. Thus, EBNA1 can direct localized assembly of Orc in a process that is facilitated by Cdc6. The possibility of similar modes of recruitment of Orc/Cdc6 at the human chromosomal origins will be discussed.

The Rix1 (Ipi1p-2p-3p) complex is a critical determinant of DNA replication licensing independent of their roles in ribosome biogenesis

Several replication-initiation proteins are assembled stepwise onto replicators to form pre-replicative complexes (pre-RCs) to license eukaryotic DNA replication. We performed a yeast functional proteomic screen and identified the Rix1 complex members (Ipi1p-Ipi2p/Rix1-Ipi3p) as pre-RC components and critical determinants of replication licensing and replication-initiation frequency. Ipi3p interacts with pre-RC proteins, binds chromatin predominantly at ARS sequences in a cell cycle-regulated and ORC- and Noc3p-dependent manner and is required for loading Cdc6p, Cdt1p and MCM onto chromatin to form pre-RC during the M-to-G₁ transition and for pre-RC maintenance in G₁ phase-independent of its role in ribosome biogenesis. Moreover, Ipi1p and Ipi2p, but not other ribosome biogenesis proteins Rea1p and Utp1p, are also required for pre-RC formation and maintenance, and Ipi1p, -2p and -3p are interdependent for their chromatin association and function in pre-RC formation. These results establish a new framework for the hierarchy of pre-RC proteins, where the Ipi1p-2p-3p complex provides a critical link between ORC-Noc3p and Cdc6p-Cdt1p-MCM in replication licensing.

Identification of ORC1/CDC6-interacting factors in Trypanosoma brucei reveals critical features of origin recognition complex architecture

DNA Replication initiates by formation of a pre-replication complex on sequences termed origins. In eukaryotes, the pre-replication complex is composed of the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC), Cdc6 and the MCM replicative helicase in conjunction with Cdt1. Eukaryotic ORC is considered to be composed of six subunits, named Orc1–6, and monomeric Cdc6 is closely related in sequence to Orc1. However, ORC has been little explored in protists, and only a single ORC protein, related to both Orc1 and Cdc6, has been shown to act in DNA replication in Trypanosoma brucei. Here we identify three highly diverged putative T. brucei ORC components that interact with ORC1/CDC6 and contribute to cell division. Two of these factors are so diverged that we cannot determine if they are eukaryotic ORC subunit orthologues, or are parasite-specific replication factors. The other we show to be a highly diverged Orc4 orthologue, demonstrating that this is one of the most widely conserved ORC subunits in protists and revealing it to be a key element of eukaryotic ORC architecture. Additionally, we have examined interactions amongst the T. brucei MCM subunits and show that this has the conventional eukaryotic heterohexameric structure, suggesting that divergence in the T. brucei replication machinery is limited to the earliest steps in origin licensing.

Quality control in the initiation of eukaryotic DNA replication

Origins of DNA replication must be regulated to ensure that the entire genome is replicated precisely once in each cell cycle. In human cells, this requires that tens of thousands of replication origins are activated exactly once per cell cycle. Failure to do so can lead to cell death or genome rearrangements such as those associated with cancer. Systems ensuring efficient initiation of replication, while also providing a robust block to re-initiation, play a crucial role in genome stability. In this review, I will discuss some of the strategies used by cells to ensure once per cell cycle replication and provide a quantitative framework to evaluate the relative importance and efficiency of individual pathways involved in this regulation.

The dynamics of replication licensing in live Caenorhabditis elegans embryos

Accurate DNA replication requires proper regulation of replication licensing, which entails loading MCM-2-7 onto replication origins. In this paper, we provide the first comprehensive view of replication licensing in vivo, using video microscopy of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. As expected, MCM-2-7 loading in late M phase depended on the prereplicative complex (pre-RC) proteins: origin recognition complex (ORC), CDC-6, and CDT-1. However, many features we observed have not been described before: GFP-ORC-1 bound chromatin independently of ORC-2-5, and CDC-6 bound chromatin independently of ORC, whereas CDT-1 and MCM-2-7 DNA binding was interdependent. MCM-3 chromatin loading was irreversible, but CDC-6 and ORC turned over rapidly, consistent with ORC/CDC-6 loading multiple MCM-2-7 complexes. MCM-2-7 chromatin loading further reduced ORC and CDC-6 DNA binding. This dynamic behavior creates a feedback loop allowing ORC/CDC-6 to repeatedly load MCM-2-7 and distribute licensed origins along chromosomal DNA. During S phase, ORC and CDC-6 were excluded from nuclei, and DNA was overreplicated in export-defective cells. Thus, nucleocytoplasmic compartmentalization of licensing factors ensures that DNA replication occurs only once.

Regulation of DnaA assembly and activity: taking directions from the genome

To ensure proper timing of chromosome duplication during the cell cycle, bacteria must carefully regulate the activity of initiator protein DnaA and its interactions with the unique replication origin oriC. Although several protein regulators of DnaA are known, recent evidence suggests that DnaA recognition sites, in multiple genomic locations, also play an important role in controlling assembly of pre-replicative complexes. In oriC, closely spaced high- and low-affinity recognition sites direct DnaA-DnaA interactions and couple complex assembly to the availability of active DnaA-ATP. Additional recognition sites at loci distant from oriC modulate DnaA-ATP availability by repressing new synthesis, recharging inactive DnaA-ADP, or titrating DnaA. Relying on genomic DnaA binding sites, as well as protein regulators, to control DnaA function appears to provide the best combination of high precision and dynamic regulation necessary to couple DNA replication with cell growth over a range of nutritional conditions.

The origin recognition complex: a biochemical and structural view

The origin recognition complex (ORC) was first discovered in the baker's yeast in 1992. Identification of ORC opened up a path for subsequent molecular level investigations on how eukaryotic cells initiate and control genome duplication each cell cycle. Twenty years after the first biochemical isolation, ORC is now taking on a three-dimensional shape, although a very blurry shape at the moment, thanks to the recent electron microscopy and image reconstruction efforts. In this chapter, we outline the current biochemical knowledge about ORC from several eukaryotic systems, with emphasis on the most recent structural and biochemical studies. Despite many species-specific properties, an emerging consensus is that ORC is an ATP-dependent machine that recruits other key proteins to form pre-replicative complexes (pre-RCs) at many origins of DNA replication, enabling the subsequent initiation of DNA replication in S phase.

SINGLE PARTICLE ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL ATP SYNTHASE

Mitochondrial ATP synthase is a large, membrane-bound protein complex that plays a central role in cellular metabolism. Since the identification of this assembly in micrographs of mitochondrial membranes, electron microscopy has been crucial in elucidating the structure and mechanism of the enzyme. This review addresses the recent use of single particle electron microscopy for structure determination of ATP synthase, including subunit localization, the challenges posed by the protein, and areas in which further work is needed.