Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Author Spotlight: Investigating the Motion Dynamics of the Eukaryotic Replisome Components at the Single-Molecule Level
Published on: July 26, 2024
Archaeal MCM Proteins as an Analog for the Eukaryotic Mcm2-7 Helicase to Reveal Essential Features of Structure and
Justin M Miller1, Eric J Enemark1
1Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
Abstract:
In eukaryotes, the replicative helicase is the large multisubunit CMG complex consisting of the Mcm2-7 hexameric ring, Cdc45, and the tetrameric GINS complex. The Mcm2-7 ring assembles from six different, related proteins and forms the core of this complex. In archaea, a homologous MCM hexameric ring functions as the replicative helicase at the replication fork. Archaeal MCM proteins form thermostable homohexamers, facilitating their use as models of the eukaryotic Mcm2-7 helicase. Here we review archaeal MCM helicase structure and function and how the archaeal findings relate to the eukaryotic Mcm2-7 ring.
Related Concept Videos
Diversity of Archaea III
DNA Helicases
Nucleoid
Surface Appendages of Archaea
Archaeal Cell Wall
Overview of Archaea

