The efficiency and timing of initiation of replication of multiple replicons of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome VI

Background: A complete set of nine ARSs was identified (the tenth ARS in this paper), mapped on chromosome VI of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and characterized for functional elements. Results: The level of activity of all ARSs as chromosomal replication origins was determined by neutral/neutral 2D gel-electrophoresis. These origins were classified into three groups: (i) three high frequency origins used once nearly every cell cycle, (ii) four intermediate frequency origins used once in two to three cycles and (iii) two low frequency origins used in fewer than 5% of cell cycles. These variations in initiation frequency among origins of chromosome VI are present in three common laboratory wild-type strains. Each origin is initiated at a fixed time and passively replicated by incoming replication forks at a fixed time during a synchronous S phase. Replication of each arm of the chromosome starts from one major origin located one-fifth (left arm) and one-third (right arm) of the distance from the centromere, and expands sequentially in both directions. Two telomere vicinity origins are replicated last. Time of initiation and replication of the last replicating origin, Ori609, was remarkably variable from cell to cell. Conclusions: Chromosome VI of S. cerevisiae contains nine replication origins that comprise five active replicons under normal cell growth conditions. A clear correlation was found between the efficiency of initiation and the order of replication. The timing of initiation of most origins, except for the first and last, is coincident with the time of passive replication by incoming forks from neighbouring origins.