BIO 344 Molecular Biology Problem Set #2 Name: My Doan
Describe the differences in the functions of the Topoisomerase I and Topoisomerase II enzymes. 1) Be sure to mention mechanistic and cofactor differences as well as functional differences. 2) Which Topoisomerase(s) will be able to relax overwound DNA? 3) Which Topoisomerase(s) will be able to resolve knotted DNA and why?
The telomerase enzyme of eukaryotes is important for the maintenance of chromosome ends. The mechanism of telomerase function requires base-pairing of the TER RNA component at the 3’ end to extend the chromosome on each end. Since telomeres all have a natural 3’ end, formulate a hypothesis as to why the enzyme did not evolve to simply extend 3’ DNA sequences in a non-templated manner.
