Open AccessBacterial type I topoisomerases – biological function and potential use as targets for antibiotic treatments
Author(s) -
Marcin Jan Szafran,
Jolanta ZakrzewskaCzerwińska,
Dagmara Jakimowicz
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
postępy higieny i medycyny doświadczalnej
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.275
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1732-2693
pISSN - 0032-5449
DOI - 10.5604/17322693.1038352
Subject(s) - topoisomerase , biology , virulence , bacteria , antibiotics , circular bacterial chromosome , chromosome , transcription (linguistics) , dna , dna replication , genetics , chromosome segregation , computational biology , enzyme , dna supercoil , topology (electrical circuits) , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , biochemistry , mathematics , linguistics , philosophy , combinatorics
The bacterial chromosome is composed of topologically independent domains, whose spatial organization is controlled by enzymes called topoisomerases. Topology maintenance is crucial in many important cellular processes such as replication, transcription and recombination. Moreover, the role of chromosome topology in adaptation of bacteria to environmental changes and, in the case of pathogenic strains, in their virulence was described. In recent years higher numbers of pathogenic strains resistant to antibiotic treatment have been noticed. In this paper we present the current state of knowledge about the structure and cellular functions of bacterial topoisomerases IA. In particular, we discuss the potential use of these enzymes as new targets for antibacterial compounds.