Kinetics of chromosome condensation in the presence of topoisomerases: a phantom chain model - PubMed (original) (raw)

Kinetics of chromosome condensation in the presence of topoisomerases: a phantom chain model

J L Sikorav et al. Biophys J. 1994 Mar.

Abstract

We discuss the requirement of type II DNA topoisomerase in the process of mitotic chromosome condensation. Using a known model describing the collapse of homopolymers, we propose that the compaction process necessitates a change in the topological state (i.e., a self-knotting) of the chromosomal chain. We argue that the enzymes are necessary to reach the compact metaphase state in a time interval that is much smaller than the time expected in the uncatalyzed process. The folding process is such that the potential entanglement points are localized at particular regions of the chromosome known as the scaffold-associated regions. The concentration of entanglements in the metaphase chromosome is related to the average size of the radial loops. A phantom chain model for the condensation process, in which each potential entanglement point is dealt with by a topoisomerase II molecule, is proposed.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1974;38:1-8 - PubMed
    1. Cell. 1984 May;37(1):67-75 - PubMed
    1. Cell. 1987 Sep 11;50(6):917-25 - PubMed
    1. EMBO J. 1989 Dec 20;8(13):3997-4006 - PubMed
    1. Cell. 1984 Jan;36(1):83-92 - PubMed

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources