The assembly of the MCM2-7 hetero-hexamer and its significance in DNA replication

The mini-chromosome maintenance proteins 2-7 (MCM2-7) hexamer is a protein complex that is key for eukaryotic DNA replication, which occurs only once per cell cycle. To achieve DNA replication, eukaryotic cells developed multiple mechanisms that control the timing of the loading of the hexamer onto chromatin and its activation as the replicative helicase. MCM2-7 is highly abundant in proliferating cells, which confers resistance to replication stress. Thus, the presence of an excess of MCM2-7 is important for maintaining genome integrity. However, the mechanism via which high MCM2-7 levels are achieved, other than the transcriptional upregulation of the MCM genes in the G1 phase, remained unknown. Recently, we and others reported that the MCM-binding protein (MCMBP) plays a role in the maintenance of high MCM2-7 levels and hypothesized that MCMBP functions as a chaperone in the assembly of the MCM2-7 hexamer. In this review, we discuss the roles of MCMBP in the control of MCM proteins and propose a model of the assembly of the MCM2-7 hexamer. Furthermore, we discuss a potential mechanism of the licensing checkpoint, which arrests the cells in the G1 phase when the levels of chromatin-bound MCM2-7 are reduced, and the possibility of targeting MCMBP as a chemotherapy for cancer.

Establishment and analysis of conditional Rab1- and Rab5-knockout cells using the auxin-inducible degron system

Two small GTPases, Rab1 and Rab5, are key membrane trafficking regulators that are conserved in all eukaryotes. They have recently been found to be essential for cell survival and/or growth in cultured mammalian cells, thereby precluding the establishment of Rab1-knockout (KO) and Rab5-KO cells, making it extremely difficult to assess the impact of complete Rab1 or Rab5 protein depletion on cellular functions. Here, we generated and analyzed cell lines with conditional KO (CKO) of either Rab1 (Rab1A and Rab1B) or Rab5 (Rab5A, Rab5B and Rab5C) by using the auxin-inducible protein degradation system. Rab1 CKO and Rab5 CKO led to eventual cell death from 18 h and 48 h, respectively, after auxin exposure. After acute Rab1 protein depletion, the Golgi stack and ribbon structures were completely disrupted, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi trafficking was severely inhibited. Moreover, we discovered a novel Rab1-depletion phenotype: perinuclear clustering of early endosomes and delayed transferrin recycling. In contrast, acute Rab5 protein depletion resulted in loss of early endosomes and late endosomes, but lysosomes appeared to be normal. We also observed a dramatic reduction in the intracellular signals of endocytic cargos via receptor-mediated or fluid-phase endocytosis in Rab5-depleted cells.

Diagnosis of the depth of cancer invasion by submucosography

A new method was developed to diagnose the depth of cancer invasion using submucosography combined with special charcoal suspension containing mitomycin C, and applied to 8 cases of gastric cancer. Correct diagnosis of the depth of the cancer invasion was obtained in 7 of the 8 cases. As some cases of early gastric cancer can be treated endoscopically, it is important to know the condition of the invasion before any treatment is performed.