PMID: 21778401 , Related PDB id: 3QX3

Authors:

Wu CC, Li TK, Farh L, Lin LY, Lin TS, Yu YJ, Yen TJ, Chiang CW, Chan NL

Title:

Structural basis of type II topoisomerase inhibition by the anticancer drug etoposide.

Journal:

Science. 2011 Jul 22;333(6041):459-62.

Abstract:

Type II topoisomerases (TOP2s) resolve the topological problems of DNA by transiently cleaving both strands of a DNA duplex to form a cleavage complex through which another DNA segment can be transported. Several widely prescribed anticancer drugs increase the population of TOP2 cleavage complex, which leads to TOP2-mediated chromosome DNA breakage and death of cancer cells. We present the crystal structure of a large fragment of human TOP2beta complexed to DNA and to the anticancer drug etoposide to reveal structural details of drug-induced stabilization of a cleavage complex. The interplay between the protein, the DNA, and the drug explains the structure-activity relations of etoposide derivatives and the molecular basis of drug-resistant mutations. The analysis of protein-drug interactions provides information applicable for developing an isoform-specific TOP2-targeting strategy.