title: Minimal DNA requirement for topoisomerase II-mediated cleavage in vitro.
abstract: The minimal DNA requirement for topoisomerase II-mediated DNA cleavage in vitro was determined by analyzing the interaction of the enzyme with sets of DNA substrates varying successively by single bases at the 5'- or 3'-end of either strand. A 16-base pair double-stranded region was established as the minimal duplex region required for topoisomerase II cleavage activity. The region was located symmetrically around the 4-base staggered cleavage site. Topoisomerase II-mediated cleavage within the 16-base pair core duplex, however, required single-stranded regions flanking the duplex to either the 5'- or 3'-sides, or an extension at both ends of the duplex with 1 or more base pairs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Plant Physiology, University of Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: J Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Svejstrup
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Westergaard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D004247:DNA; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II