title: All tangled up: how cells direct, manage and exploit topoisomerase function.
abstract: Topoisomerases are complex molecular machines that modulate DNA topology to maintain chromosome superstructure and integrity. Although capable of stand-alone activity in vitro, topoisomerases are frequently linked to larger pathways and systems that resolve specific DNA superstructures and intermediates arising from cellular processes such as DNA repair, transcription, replication and chromosome compaction. Topoisomerase activity is indispensible to cells, but requires the transient breakage of DNA strands. This property has been exploited, often for significant clinical benefit, by various exogenous agents that interfere with cell proliferation. Despite decades of study, surprising findings involving topoisomerases continue to emerge with respect to their cellular function, regulation and utility as therapeutic targets.
authors: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors: Seychelle M
authors: SM
authors: Vos
authors: Elsa M
authors: EM
authors: Tretter
authors: Bryan H
authors: BH
authors: Schmidt
authors: James M
authors: JM
authors: Berger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D026942:DNA Topoisomerases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D059003:Topoisomerase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D059003:Topoisomerase Inhibitors; D004247:DNA; D026942:DNA Topoisomerases