All tangled up: how cells direct, manage and exploit topoisomerase function

Abstract

Topoisomerases are classified into several families, namely, types IA, IB, IC, IIA and IIB. These families have different cellular roles and preferential substrate specificities. Topoisomerases are involved in a range of cellular nucleic acid transactions, including DNA replication, transcription, packaging, compaction, recombination and repair. Topoisomerases interact with various proteins in the cell to accomplish these tasks. Post-translational modification of eukaryotic topoisomerases regulates their activation, localization and destruction. Small molecules and proteins can inhibit topoisomerase activity at different stages of the topoisomerase catalytic cycle. Inhibition of topoisomerases has been exploited in therapeutics and in nature.