The N-terminus of human topoisomerase I participates in the binding of this enzyme to helicases and other proteins. Using the N-terminal 250 amino acids of human topoisomerase I and a yeast two-hybrid/ in vitro binding screen, a novel arginine-serine-rich peptide was identified as a human topoisomerase I-binding protein. The corresponding full-length protein, named topors, contains a consensus ...

DNA topoisomerases are enzymes responsible for the relaxation of DNA torsional strain, as well as for the untangling of DNA duplexes after replication, and are important cancer drug targets. One class of topoisomerase inhibitors, "poisons", binds to the transient enzyme-DNA complex which occurs during the mechanism of action, and inhibits the religation of DNA. This ultimately leads to the accu...

In the Chinese hamster lung cell line DC-3F/9-OH-E, selected for resistance to 9-OH-ellipticine and cross-resistant to other topoisomerase II inhibitors, the amount of topoisomerase IIalpha is 4-5-fold lower than in the parental DC-3F cells, whereas topoisomerase IIbeta is undetectable. Cloning and sequencing of topoisomerase IIalpha cDNAs from DC-3F and DC-3F/9-OH-E cells revealed an allele po...

We have isolated two etoposide (VP16)-resistant cell lines, KB/VP-1 and KB/VP-2, from human cancer KB cells after stepwise exposure to increasing doses of VP16. KB/VP-1 and KB/VP-2 showed 30and 50fold higher resistance to VP16 and also 20and 30-fold higher resistance to teniposide than the parent cell line. Furthermore, both resistant cell lines showed more than 2-fold cross-resistance to Adria...

We have isolated two etoposide (VP16)-resistant cell lines, KB/VP-1 and KB/VP-2, from human cancer KB cells after stepwise exposure to increasing doses of VP16. KB/VP-1 and KB/VP-2 showed 30and 50fold higher resistance to VP16 and also 20and 30-fold higher resistance to teniposide than the parent cell line. Furthermore, both resistant cell lines showed more than 2-fold cross-resistance to Adria...

The pendant E-ring moiety of the podophyllotoxin aza-analogue 1 that is a potent inhibitor of microtubule assembly was modified in order to acquire inhibitory activity of DNA topoisomerase II. The monophenolic analogue 2 did not exhibit human topoisomerase II inhibition, while the ortho-quinone 3 that was obtained by oxidation of 2 inhibited its catalytic activity (decatenation) in a dose-depen...

DNA decatenation mediated by Topoisomerase II is required to separate the interlinked sister chromatids post-replication. SGS1, a yeast homolog of the human RecQ family of helicases interacts with Topoisomerase II and plays a role in chromosome segregation, but this functional interaction has yet to be identified in higher organisms. Here, we report a physical and functional interaction of Topo...

We have identified a topoisomerase activity from Escherichia coli related to DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II): we designate it topoisomerase II'. It was constructed of two subunits, which were purified separately. One is the product of the gyrA (formerly nalA) gene and is identical to subunit A of DNA gyrase. The other is a 50,000-dalton protein, which we have purified to homogeneity and call v. v...

Topoisomerase II constitutes a family of nuclear enzymes essential to all living cells. These enzymes are capable of transferring one DNA double helix through a transient break in another DNA double helix. Type II topoisomerases play important roles in DNA metabolic processes, in which they are involved in DNA replication, transcription, chromosome condensation and de-condensation. Topoisomeras...

Increasing the cellular concentration of DNA topoisomerase II in yeast by expressing constitutively a plasmid-borne TOP2 gene encoding the enzyme greatly increases the sensitivity of the cells to amsacrine and etoposide (VP-16). This increased drug sensitivity at a higher intracellular DNA topoisomerase II level is observed in both RAD52+ repair-proficient strains and rad52 mutants that are def...