Minichromosome maintenance complex component 6 (MCM6)

Minichromosome maintenance complex component 6 (MCM6) is a core member of the MCM2-7 protein complex—the replicative helicase responsible for unwinding DNA during eukaryotic genome replication. MCM6 is necessary for both initiation and elongation stages of DNA replication and serves as a DNA unwinding enzyme. Its loading onto chromatin, regulated by interactions with CDC6 and CDT1, licenses origins for replication and enables the formation of replication forks. Beyond replication, MCM6 contributes to genomic integrity; its deregulation is associated with replication arrest, genomic instability, and tumorigenesis. In humans, variants in regulatory elements within the MCM6 gene control expression of the nearby lactase (LCT) gene, being critical for lactose intolerance or persistence. As a universal marker of proliferation, MCM6 is often elevated in cancers and can be exploited for diagnostic purposes or as a potential therapeutic target, albeit with considerations for safety due to its essential functions in all dividing cells.

Other names

DNA replication licensing factor MCM6Mini-chromosome maintenance protein 6MCM subunit 6MCM6 protein

Inhibition of replication licensing; Disruption of DNA unwinding; Modulation of cell cycle progression; Potential downregulation or destabilization of MCM2-7 complex (indirect action by cell cycle inhibitors or DNA synthesis-blocking agents)