DNA Topoisomerases in Genome Maintenance in Bacteria

Dear Colleagues,

DNA topoisomerases are essential and ubiquitous nicking-closing enzymes, with strand-passage activity that solves the topological problems inherent to the double helical structure of the DNA. Indeed, underwinding, overwinding, knotting or tangling occur every time the DNA is transcribed, replicated or repaired. Without the efficient action of topoisomerases, topological problems may inhibit the progression and completion of DNA transactions and seriously threaten the stability of the genome. Their importance in genome maintenance is illustrated by the fact that topoisomerase malfunction may lead to various diseases, including cancer.

How defects in topoisomerase activity may threaten genome integrity is still largely unknown, especially in bacteria, where phenotypes related to topoisomerase gene mutations have been mostly studied and interpreted in the context of supercoiling regulation and its effect on gene expression. Topoisomerases may directly participate in genome maintenance, for example, by acting at the first and last steps of homologous recombination or by performing decatenation to allow chromosome segregation. They may also indirectly affect genome stability via modulation of supercoiling that regulates replication initiation, chromosome segregation and the formation of R-loops during transcription that may block the progression of replication forks or be used as origins of replication. The action of topoisomerases during replication elongation and termination as well as their effects on mutagenesis may also affect genome stability. There is also evidence that topoisomerases may modulate the ability of bacteria to acquire resistance to antibiotics.

This Special Issue welcomes the submission of original research and review manuscripts focusing on direct as well as indirect effects of topoisomerase activity on replication, recombination, mutagenesis, and chromosome segregation in bacteria, mostly in the context of genome maintenance.

Prof. Marc Drolet
Guest Editor

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• DNA topoisomerases
• DNA supercoiling
• DNA topology
• DNA replication
• Chromosome segregation
• Genome maintenance