DNA topoisomerase IIa (Topo IIa) plays a pivotal role in chromatin organization and unaltered chromosome inheritance. Moreover, Topo IIa is a core target of several anticancer drugs. Smurf2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase and suggested tumor suppressor, acts as a key cellular factor that directly binds and stabilizes Topo IIa and prevents the formation of pathological chromatin bridges. The image shows molecular biodistribution of Smurf2 and Topo IIa in human interphase and mitotic cells. For details, see article by Emanuelli and colleagues on page 4217.