[Regulation of DNA replication (author's transl)]

Abstract

Two aspects of the regulatory mechanisms of DNA replication are discussed: 1. When resting mammalian cells are stimulated to proliferate a genetic program is expressed which provides proteins and other replication factors; 2. the interaction of proteins with specific sections on the DNA leads to initiation; most probably, structural changes in chromatin are also involved. Once initiated, replication proceeds almost automatically through the elongation phase. Lymphocytes stimulated to proliferate by concanavalin A are used as an example to demonstrate the relative importance of the two aspects of DNA replication.