title: Biopolymers and the fellowship of DNA rings.
abstract: This article presents a brief account of the historical backdrop of the study of interlocked DNA rings (DNA catenanes), their formation in cells, and the importance of resolving the component rings of an intracellular DNA catenane if they are to be properly partitioned into a pair of progeny cells. In humans, for example, aberrant segregation of intertwined chromosomes is a major cause of birth defects, as well as termination of pregnancy in utero. Some yet unresolved issues of DNA catenation, including plausible structural and/or functional roles of DNA interlacing in chromosomes, are briefly mentioned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001704:Biopolymers; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D004247:DNA
keywords: DNA catenanes; DNA entanglement; chromosome segregation; interlocked DNA rings