The inner surface of the cell membrane is depicted as a gray bar across the top of each panel. DNA is depicted as a double helix with oriC bound to DnaA. Shapes with letters represent the proteins: A=DnaA (initiator), B=DnaB, D=DnaD, I=DnaI (loader ATPase), C=DnaC (helicase). Established protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions (see text) are also shown, except for self-interactions.