ORC-dependent and origin-specific initiation of DNA replication at defined foci in isolated yeast nuclei

We describe an in vitro replication assay from yeast in which the addition of intact nuclei to an S-phase nuclear extract results in the incorporation of deoxynucleotides into genomic DNA at spatially discrete foci. When BrdUTP is substituted for dTTP, part of the newly synthesized DNA shifts to a density on CsCl gradients, indicative of semiconservative replication. Initiation occurs in an origin-specific manner and can be detected in G(1)- or S-phase nuclei, but not in G(2)-phase or mitotic nuclei. The S-phase extract contains a heat- and 6-DMAP-sensitive component necessary to promote replication in G(1)-phase nuclei. Replication of nuclear DNA is blocked at the restrictive temperature in an orc2-1 mutant, and the inactive Orc2p cannot be complemented in trans by an extract containing wild-type ORC. The initiation of DNA replication in cln-deficient nuclei blocked in G(1) indicates that the ORC-dependent prereplication complex is formed before Start. This represents the first nonviral and nonembryonic replication system in which DNA replication initiates in an ORC-dependent and origin-specific manner in vitro.