In sickness and in health: The many roles of the minichromosome maintenance proteins

Cell division is a tightly-regulated process that involves the contribution of a large number of proteins. Before they are able to undergo mitosis, cells must first synthesize new DNA, effectively and accurately duplicating their genome. This occurs during what is called the S-phase and requires a fine control in order to avoid replication errors. The synthesis of new DNA takes place in the origin, specific locations in the genome where the double strands of DNA are unwound and separated, allowing for the binding of proteins and complexes that will build new strands of the genomic material, using the existing ones as molds, in what is referred to as semi-conservative process. While the overall flow of the DNA synthesis process has been elucidated, its regulation and the exact role of its contributors are not yet entirely understood. It is believed that the Minichromosome Maintenance (MCM) proteins occupy a central role in DNA synthesis. Given their contribution to a central aspect in the conservation of life, further studies have been launched to understand how the MCM proteins may affect or be affected by pathologies involving cell division, such as neoplasia. In this review, we aim to give an overview on the members of the MCM family, what their functions are in a healthy environment and how they are altered in cancer.