title: Single-molecule measurements of DNA topology and topoisomerases.
abstract: Topological properties of DNA influence its mechanical and biochemical interactions. Genomic DNA is maintained in a state of topological homeostasis by topoisomerases and is subjected to mechanical stress arising from replication and segregation. Despite their fundamental roles, the effects of topology and force have been difficult to ascertain. Developments in single-molecule manipulation techniques have enabled precise control and measurement of the topology of individual DNA molecules under tension. This minireview provides an overview of these single-molecule techniques and illustrates their unique capabilities through a number of specific examples of single-molecule measurements of DNA topology and topoisomerase activity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. neumankc@mail.nih.gov
authors.forename: Keir C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Neuman
mesh_terms: D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D027081:DNA Gyrase / Q000737:chemistry; D026942:DNA Topoisomerases / Q000737:chemistry*; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / Q000737:chemistry; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000737:chemistry; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D052898:Optical Tweezers; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D004247:DNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D026942:DNA Topoisomerases; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I; D027081:DNA Gyrase
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