Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41916983›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Archaeal and eukaryotic MCM rings sequentially melt DNA for replication initiation.

Sanaz Rasouli, Alexander Myasnikov, Eric J Enemark

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Sanaz Rasouli *Department of Structural Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.ORCID 0009-0003-3763-3899
Alexander Myasnikov *Department of Structural Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2607-7121
Eric J EnemarkDepartment of Structural Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA. ejenemark@uams.edu.ORCID 0000-0003-4055-633X

Funding

Understanding Hesitant AdoptersP20GM103429 · NIGMS · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · PI Lawrence E Cornett · 2012 to 2026
$60.9M
Unraveling DNA Polymerase Double-Strand Break Repair Strategies in CancerP20GM152281 · NIGMS · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · PI Eric Enemark · 2024 to 2026
$9.2M
Molecular mechanisms of nucleic acid machinesR35GM136313 · NIGMS · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · PI ENEMARK, ERIC · 2020 to 2024
$1.8M
NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM136313U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) P20GM103429U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) P20GM152281U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) R35GM136313
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

DNA replication initiation requires local melting of fully base-paired DNA for a helicase to gain a foothold and initiate processive DNA unwinding. In eukaryotes and archaea, the helicase engine is the hexameric ring minichromosome maintenance (MCM) complex. In eukaryotes, a defined biochemical sequence assembles two Cdc45-MCM-GINS (CMG) complexes that provide limited DNA unwinding as the species that immediately precedes extensive unwinding. A prior structure revealed how MCM subunits interact with this form of DNA, but the atomic progression from undistorted DNA to this melted DNA species is unknown. Here, we present a sequential DNA melting mechanism determined by snapshots of an archaeal MCM ring with DNA in varying degrees of melting. In this mechanism, successive ATP-binding at MCM ATPase sites drives sequential discrete DNA melting steps mediated a specific MCM aromatic residue. Analysis of eukaryotic structures shows loaded MCM rings principally adopt only two molecular arrangements at the ATPase: one that does not melt DNA and one tuned to melt DNA with equivalent aromatic residues, indicating a universal sequential mechanism melts DNA in archaea and eukaryotes for replication initiation.

Indexed as

ArchaeaArchaeal ProteinsDNADNA ReplicationMinichromosome Maintenance ProteinsAdenosine TriphosphateDNA, ArchaealModels, MolecularNucleic Acid DenaturationAdenosine TriphosphateArchaeal ProteinsDNADNA, ArchaealMinichromosome Maintenance Proteins

Identifiers

PMID41916983
PMCPMC13201583

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.