The Mcm2-7 Replicative Helicase: A Promising Chemotherapeutic Target

Figure 2

A simplified overview of the Rb/E2F pathway. In general, Rb binds to and inhibits E2F, resulting in the altered transcription of numerous S-phase relevant genes. During the G1/S part of the cell cycle, increased CDK activity leads to RB phosphorylation, which causes release and activation of E2F, and an induction of S-phase dependent gene expression. In turn, various inhibitors (CKI) modulate CDK activity. In addition to their well-established role in transcriptional regulation through E2F, both CKIs and Rb bind to and inactivate Mcm2-7; how this inhibition is reverded to facilitate subsequent DNA replication is currently unknown.