Prereplication complex proteins get caught moonlighting.

Hilary A Coller

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3001549

Abstract

In this issue of PLOS Biology, Lattmann and colleagues report a new function for proteins of the DNA prereplication complex promoting the anchor cell to invade through the basement membrane and initiate vulval development in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Highlights

Surprising examples of moonlighting are the crystallin proteins that both ensure that eye lenses are transparent and exhibit catalytic activity as metabolic enzymes [3]. In this issue of PLOS Biology, Lattmann and colleagues report their discovery that a protein complex required for replicating DNA has an independent function in promoting invasion into the basement membrane [4]
Further studies revealed that mcm-7 plays a cell-autonomous role in anchor cell invasion unrelated to its role in DNA replication. mcm-7 knockdown did not affect the worm’s ability to create an anchor cell or its cell cycle phases, but did prevent anchor cell polarization, formation of an actin-rich invasive protrusion, and expression of matrix metalloproteinases that help the anchor cell to infiltrate
While knockdown of multiple origin recognition complex (ORC) genes, cdc-6, cdt-1, and mcm-7, all resulted in anchor cell invasion defects, knockdown of mcm’s other than mcm-7 did not, suggesting an invasion protein complex might have a different structure from the prereplication complex

Summary

Introduction

In this issue of PLOS Biology, Lattmann and colleagues report their discovery that a protein complex required for replicating DNA has an independent function in promoting invasion into the basement membrane [4]. The authors found that knocking down a gene involved in the prereplication complex, cdc-6, prevented the anchor cell from invading into the basement membrane in 32% of worms. TAheUp:rePrleepalisceacthioenckcwohmetphlerxthiseaedciotsllteoctthieosnenotfepnrcoetTehinesptrhearet pbliincdattioncomplexisaco chromatin to initiate DNA replication and includes the origin recognition complex (ORC) proteins, cdc-6 and cdt-1, and a hexamer of minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins.

Results

Conclusion