Topoisomerases are crucial enzymes that ensure genome stability and cell survival. Although topoisomerases were discovered 50 years ago and their impact on DNA supercoiling has been studied since then, research on global chromosome topology and its regulation by proteins continues to flourish, yielding valuable insights. Exploring the significance of chromosome topology for genome stability and gene expression has implications in many areas of biological and medical sciences—from understanding stress responses to designing therapeutic strategies. Moreover, novel experimental tools provide an unprecedented opportunity to expand current knowledge in this field.

This workshop will cover chromosome topology and topoisomerases in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, as well as novel experimental methods in studies of chromosome topology. The five sessions will focus on global chromosome topology and genome stability, the role of chromosome topology in transcriptional regulation, the structure and mechanism of topoisomerase activity, topoisomerases as drug targets, and new approaches to studying DNA topology and topoisomerases.