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Updated: Mar 1, 2026

Combining Mitotic Cell Synchronization and High Resolution Confocal Microscopy to Study the Role of Multifunctional Cell Cycle Proteins During Mitosis
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Combining Mitotic Cell Synchronization and High Resolution Confocal Microscopy to Study the Role of Multifunctional Cell Cycle Proteins During Mitosis

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Pre-RC Protein MCM7 depletion promotes mitotic exit by Inhibiting CDK1 activity

Dianpeng Zheng1, Sichao Ye1, Xiuyun Wang1

  • 1Institute of Biotherapy, School of Laboratory Medicine and Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Scientific Reports
|June 8, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Mini-chromosome maintenance protein 7 (MCM7) associates with chromatin during M phase, and its depletion accelerates mitotic exit by regulating CDK1 activity and promoting sister chromatid segregation.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins are essential for DNA replication initiation and elongation.
  • MCM7 is a core subunit of the MCM complex, crucial for cell cycle progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of MCM7 beyond DNA replication, specifically during mitosis.
  • To elucidate the function of MCM7 in regulating mitotic exit and cell division.

Main Methods:

  • RNA interference (siRNA) to deplete MCM7 expression.
  • Western blotting to assess protein levels and activity (e.g., CDK1, RAD21).
  • Immunofluorescence microscopy to examine MCM7 localization and mitotic phenotypes (e.g., spindle formation, cytokinesis).

Main Results:

  • MCM7 remains associated with chromatin throughout M phase.
  • MCM7 depletion accelerates mitotic exit, leading to CDK1 inactivation.
  • Loss of MCM7 promotes cohesin/RAD21 cleavage, resulting in premature sister chromatid segregation and aberrant mitosis.
  • MCM7 co-localizes with tubulin, suggesting a role in spindle dynamics.

Conclusions:

  • MCM7 plays a novel role in regulating mitotic progression and exit.
  • MCM7 influences CDK1 activity, cohesin cleavage, and potentially spindle formation.
  • These findings suggest MCM7 is involved in ensuring proper cell division by preventing premature cytokinesis.

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