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Chaotic license for genetic instability and cancer

Replication initiation factors are essential for cell proliferation and thus are not expected to be disrupted in cancers. Challenging this notion, a new study in mice shows that a hypomorphic mutation in the gene encoding the replication initiation factor Mcm4 leads to genetic instability and predisposes to mammary adenocarcinomas.

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Figure 1: Regulation of DNA replication by licensing factors.

Katie Ris

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Dutta, A. Chaotic license for genetic instability and cancer. Nat Genet 39, 10–11 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0107-10

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