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Biopolymers and the fellowship of DNA rings
Author(s) -
Wang James C.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
biopolymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/bip.22245
Subject(s) - catenane , catenation , dna , chemistry , biophysics , biology , biochemistry , molecule , organic chemistry
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. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 99: 916–922, 2013.