Figure 5.

Model of DNA unknotting and decatenation involving long distance cooperation between DNA gyrase and topoIII. Simulation snapshots illustrating how gyrase (blue bead) that introduces DNA supercoiling and topoisomerase III acting at the site of gaps (green region) can act together in the process of DNA unknotting (A) and DNA decatenation (B). To simulate the process of topoIII mediated passages occurring at short gaps we have removed self-avoidance between gaps and the rest of modelled DNA molecules. Blue arcs in (A) and (B) indicate the directions of movements of double stranded regions that were allowed to pass through single stranded gaps as that would be the case of topoIII-mediated passages.