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DNA Topology
Description
DNAas the genetic material is a topic of intense interest in the 21stcentury, with the genomes of many organisms having been sequenced.The double helix structure discovered by Watson and Crick 50 yearsago is now very familiar and its importance for DNA function iswidely appreciated. However, it has become clear that there are manydeviations from this basic structure that have important biologicalconsequences. Prominent among these are the 'topological'configurations: supercoiling, knotting, and catenation (linking).Unfortunately, a full understanding of these features of DNAstructure requires the grasp of concepts that can prove difficult forboth students and more advanced researchers. This book aims toexplain these ideas simply, but rigorously, to allow a widerappreciation of DNA topology. "DNA Topology" starts with abasic account of DNA structure before going on to cover DNAsupercoiling, the definitions and physical meanings of linkingnumber, twist, and writhe, and the free energy associated withsupercoiling. It then considers the rather more complex descriptionof DNA lying on a curved surface and its application to thenucleosome, followed by the phenomena of DNA knotting and catenation.The final chapters deal with the topoisomerases, the enzymes thatcontrol DNA topology, and, most importantly, with the biologicalsignificance of the topological aspects of DNA structure. Althoughsome of these concepts are quite complex, they are presented in anaccessible way, drawing on interesting and relevant examples.
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