Background
The protein encoded by this gene is one of the highly conserved mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCM) that are essential for the initiation of eukaryotic genome replication. The hexameric protein complex formed by MCM proteins is a key component of the pre-replication complex (pre_RC) and may be involved in the formation of replication forks and in the recruitment of other DNA replication related proteins. The MCM complex consisting of this protein and MCM2, 6 and 7 proteins possesses DNA helicase activity, and may act as a DNA unwinding enzyme. The phosphorylation of this protein by CDC2 kinase reduces the DNA helicase activity and chromatin binding of the MCM complex. This gene is mapped to a region on the chromosome 8 head-to-head next to the PRKDC/DNA-PK, a DNA-activated protein kinase involved in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same protein have been reported.
Synonyms
MCM4; minichromosome maintenance complex component 4; CDC21, MCM4 minichromosome maintenance deficient 4 (S. cerevisiae); DNA replication licensing factor MCM4; CDC54; hCdc21; MGC33310; P1 Cdc21; 19G; AI325074; AU045576; CDC 21; CDC 54; CDC21; CDC21 homolog; CDC21, S. pombe, homolog of; Cell division cycle 21, S. pombe, homolog of; DNA replication licensing factor MCM 4; hCdc 21; Homolog of S. pombe cell devision cycle 21; KIAA4003; mcdc21; MCM 4; MCM 4 minichromosome maintenance deficient 4; MCM4 minichromosome maintenance deficient 4; MCM4 minichromosome maintenance deficient 4, mitotin (S. cerevisiae); MCM4_HUMAN; Mcmd4; Minichromosome maintenance 4; Minichromosome maintenance deficient (S. cerevisiae) 4; Minichromosome maintenance deficient 4; Minichromosome maintenance deficient 4 homolog (S. cerevisiae); Minichromosome maintenance, S. cerevisiae, homolog of, 4; mKIAA4003; P1-CDC21; P1CDC21; OTTHUMP00000226180; OTTHUMP00000226181; OTTHUMP00000226184