Cell division cycle 6 protein (CDC6)

Cell division cycle 6 (CDC6) protein is an AAA+ ATPase and a key component of the pre-replicative complex (pre-RC) required for the initiation of DNA replication in eukaryotic cells[1][4][5][6]. CDC6 binds ATP and, together with ORC, Cdt1, and MCM proteins, ensures that DNA replication occurs only once per cell cycle by licensing replication origins during the G1 phase[1][2][5]. Beyond its canonical replication licensing function, CDC6 also regulates cell cycle checkpoints, controls centrosome duplication, and can repress transcription of tumor suppressor loci (such as INK4/ARF and CDH1) through epigenetic chromatin modifications[1][4][5]. CDC6 is tightly regulated by the cell cycle machinery and is subject to phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and proteasomal degradation, with dysregulation leading to genomic instability, oncogenesis, and progression of several cancers[1][2][5]. Mutations in CDC6 can cause developmental disorders such as Meier-Gorlin syndrome[3]. Overexpression or abnormal activity of CDC6 is associated with aggressive phenotypes and poor prognosis in various tumor types, making CDC6 a promising diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in cancer biology[2][4][5].

Other names

CDC6Cell division cycle 6 proteinCell division control protein 6 homologCDC18LHsCDC6HsCdc18CDC6-related proteinCdc18-related proteinp62(cdc6)MGORS5

Inhibition of CDC6 disrupts DNA replication and cell division, induces cell cycle arrest, and triggers apoptosis in cancer cells