Catching DNA with hoops-biophysical approaches to clarify the mechanism of SMC proteins

Structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) complexes are central regulators of chromosome architecture that are essential in all domains of life. For decades, the structural biology field has been debating how these conserved protein complexes use their intricate ring-like structures to structurally organize DNA. Here, we review the contributions of single-molecule biophysical approaches to resolving the molecular mechanism of SMC protein function.