bioimagesUnknownHomo sapiens (human)https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-BIAD368bioimagesProtocolsFundingStudy ComponentorganisationYing LiBastiaan DekkerSergey V. VenevDenis L. LafontaineA. Nicole FoxErica M HildebrandYu LiuJob DekkerKirill PolovnikovLeonid MirnyfalseDirected Topoisomerase II activity disentangles interphase compartment domainsThe topological state of chromosomes determines their mechanical properties, dynamics, and function. Recent work indicated that interphase chromosomes are largely free of entanglements. Here, we use Hi-C, polymer simulations and multi-contact 3C, and propose that, in contrast, mitotic chromosomes are self-entangled. We explore how a mitotic self-entangled state is converted into an unentangled interphase state during mitotic exit. Most mitotic entanglements are removed during anaphase/telophase, with remaining ones removed during early G1, in a Topoisomerase II-dependent process. Polymer models suggest a two-stage disentanglement pathway: first, decondensation of mitotic chromosomes with remaining condensin loops produces entropic forces that bias Topoisomerase II activity towards decatena2023-03-10T00:00:00Z2024-03-07T20:16:12.23Z2022-03-11T15:46:07.77ZS-BIAD368