Compounds which inhibit the action of these enzymes include camptothecin, etoposide, and doxorubicin, and are thought to be powerful anti-neoplastic agents. Their active sites contain catalytic tyrosine residues, and they are responsible for decatenating interlinked chromosomes. These enzymes manage deviations from the ground state linking number which are induced by transcription bubbles and replication forks. In one mechanism for their action, known as strand passage, a double-stranded break is created and a different segment of DNA is passed through the gap. Another mechanism involves nicking a single strand of DNA and swiveling the other strand around the first, in a controlled rotation. These enzymes generally alter a strand's twist and writhe. For 10 points, name this class of enzyme
Compounds which inhibit the action of these enzymes include camptothecin, etoposide, and doxorubicin, and are thought to be powerful anti-neoplastic agents. Their active sites contain catalytic tyrosine residues, and they are responsible for decatenating interlinked chromosomes. These enzymes manage deviations from the ground state linking number which are induced by transcription bubbles and replication forks. In one mechanism for their action, known as strand passage, a double-stranded break is created and a different segment of DNA is passed through the gap. Another mechanism involves nicking a single strand of DNA and swiveling the other strand around the first, in a controlled rotation. These enzymes generally alter a strand's twist and writhe. For 10 points, name this class of enzymes which reduce torsional stress on strands of DNA by controlling supercoiling, thus altering the DNA's local topology.
Compounds which inhibit the action of these enzymes include camptothecin, etoposide, and doxorubicin, and are thought to be powerful anti-neoplastic agents.
DNA {topoisomerases} [prompt on "{gyrase}"]