Summary
Mini-chromosome maintenance component 2 (Mcm2) is a DNA replication licensing factor that is part of the Mcm2-7 complex which functions as a DNA helicase, unwinding genomic DNA at the replication fork. Not surprisingly, homozygous deletion of Mcm2 is lethal. However, insertion of a cre cassette into the 3' UTR of Mcm2 leads to ~ 50% reduction in Mcm2 protein, and cells with two copies of the cre knock-in allele are hypomorphic, in that these cells express only 20-30% as much Mcm2 protein compared to wild-type cells. Mice with two copies of the Mcm2 cre allele (Mcm2cre/cre) invariably develop p
