Interaction of Dbf4, the Cdc7 protein kinase regulatory subunit, with yeast replication origins in vivo.

DNA replication in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae initiates from origins of specific DNA sequences during S phase. A screen based on two- and one-hybrid approaches demonstrates that the product of the DBF4 gene interacts with yeast replication origins in vivo. The Dbf4 protein interacts with and positively regulates the activity of the Cdc7 protein kinase, which is required for entry into S phase in the yeast mitotic cell cycle. The analysis described here suggests a model in which one function of Dbf4 may be to recruit the Cdc7 protein kinase to initiation complexes.