DNA in a twist? How topoisomerases solve topological problems in DNA

DNA topoisomerases have been described as ‘the magicians of the DNA world’somehow allowingDNA strands to pass through each other. These ingenious enzymes are both essential and potentiallydangerous, as any interruption in their DNA breakage-reunion reactions can lead to chromosomebreaks and cell death. This has led to their development as important targets for antibacterial andanti-cancer chemotherapy.