MOLECULAR-CLONING OF CDNA-ENCODING MOUSE CDC21 AND CDC46 HOMOLOGS ANDCHARACTERIZATION OF THE PRODUCTS - PHYSICAL INTERACTION BETWEEN P1(MCM3) AND CDC46 PROTEINS

Two new mouse genes encoding proteins that belong to the yeast minichr omosome maintenance (MCM) protein family, which is involved in the ini tiation of DNA replication, were isolated and their nucleotide sequenc e was determined. They were a putative CDC46/MCM5 homolog and a putati ve cdc21 homolog. About 30% amino acid identity was obtained between m embers in the family, and >40% between the putative mouse and yeast ho mologs. The expression of these genes was cell-cycle specific at the l ate G(1) to S phase. Immunochemical analyses showed the physical inter action between mouse P1MCM3 and CDC46 protein. These results suggest t hat MCM proteins function in co-ordination for DNA replication.