MCM8
Description
The MCM8 (minichromosome maintenance 8 homologous recombination repair factor) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 20.
MCM8 is a protein encoded by the MCM8 gene in humans. It is a highly conserved mini-chromosome maintenance protein (MCM) that is essential for the initiation of eukaryotic genome replication. MCM8 forms a hexameric complex with other MCM proteins, which is a key component of the pre-replication complex (pre-RC). MCM8 is thought to be involved in the formation of replication forks and the recruitment of other DNA replication-related proteins. It contains a central domain that is conserved among MCM proteins and has been shown to interact with MCM4, 6, and 7. Alternative splicing of the MCM8 gene results in different isoforms. MCM8 is also essential for homologous recombination, a process that repairs DNA double-strand breaks. Mice lacking MCM8 exhibit defects in gametogenesis and genome instability due to impaired homologous recombination. Male MCM8-deficient mice are sterile as spermatocytes are blocked in meiotic prophase I, while female MCM8-deficient mice have arrested primary follicles and frequently develop ovarian tumors. MCM8 forms a complex with MCM9 and is required for a pathway of meiotic DNA double-strand break repair in plants like Arabidopsis thaliana.
MCM8 is a protein that functions as a component of the MCM8-MCM9 complex, which is involved in the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks and interstrand cross-links through homologous recombination. MCM8 is essential for DNA resection by the MRE11-RAD50-NBN/NBS1 (MRN) complex by recruiting MRN to the repair site and promoting its nuclease activity. MCM8 likely indirectly regulates the recruitment of RAD51 to DNA damage sites by regulating the localization of the MRN complex. While the MCM8-MCM9 complex is not required for DNA replication or S phase progression, it may play a non-essential role in DNA replication by facilitating the activation of the prereplicative complex during G1 phase through the recruitment of CDC6 to the origin recognition complex. MCM8's role in homologous recombination is likely crucial for gametogenesis. Additionally, MCM8 stabilizes the MCM9 protein.
MCM8 is also known as C20orf154, POF10, dJ967N21.5.
