Abstract
The origin recognition complex (ORC) nucleates DNA replication initiation in eukaryotic cells. This six-protein complex binds replication origin DNA, recruits other initiation factors, and facilitates loading of the DNA helicase. Studying the function of individual ORC subunits during pre-RC formation has been hampered by the requirement of most subunits for DNA binding. In this study, we investigate the function of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Orc6, the only ORC subunit not required for DNA binding. In vivo, depletion of Orc6 inhibits prereplicative complex (pre-RC) assembly and maintenance. In vitro, ORC lacking Orc6 fails to interact with Cdt1 and to load the Mcm2-7 helicase onto origin DNA. We demonstrate that two regions of Orc6 bind Cdt1 directly, and that the extreme C terminus of Orc6 (Orc6-CTD) interacts tightly with the remaining five ORC subunits. Replacing Orc6 with a fusion protein linking Cdt1 to the Orc6-CTD results in an ORC complex that loads Mcm2-7 onto DNA. Interestingly, this complex can only perform a single round of Mcm2-7 loading, suggesting that a dynamic association of Cdt1 with ORC is required for multiple rounds of Mcm2-7 loading.