Replication licensing and cancer — a fatal entanglement?

Abstract
Replication licensing proteins are inappropriately expressed and misregulated in a wide variety of cancers. What are the consequences for DNA replication and genomic stability? Correct regulation of the replication licensing system ensures that chromosomal DNA is precisely duplicated in each cell division cycle. Licensing proteins are inappropriately expressed at an early stage of tumorigenesis in a wide variety of cancers. Here we discuss evidence that misregulation of replication licensing is a consequence of oncogene-induced cell proliferation. This misregulation can cause either under- or over-replication of chromosomal DNA, and could explain the genetic instability commonly seen in cancer cells.