Interaction of Cdc2 and Cdc18 with a fission yeast ORC2-like protein

In fission yeast, Cdc2 kinase has both positive and negative roles in regulating DNA replication, being first necessary for the transition from G1 to S phase and later required to prevent the re-initiation of DNA replication during G2. We report here that Cdc2 interacts with Orp2, a protein similar to the Orc2 replication factor subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae origin recognition complex (ORC). ORC binds chromosomal origins and is essential for chromosomal replication initiation. Fission yeast Orp2 is required for DNA replication and interacts with the rate-limiting replication activator Cdc18. Cells lacking Orp2 undergo aberrant mitosis, indicating that Orp2 is involved in generating a checkpoint signal. These findings suggest that ORC functions are conserved among eukaryotes and provide evidence that Cdc2 controls DNA replication initiation by acting directly at chromosomal origins.