Cellular Topoisomerase Research Articles

Changes in the linking number of supercoiled DNA accompany growth transitions in Escherichia coli.

The supercoiling levels of plasmid DNA were determined from Escherichia coli which was grown in ways that are known to alter global patterns of gene expression and metabolism. Changes in DNA supercoiling were shown to occur during several types of these nutrient upshifts and downshifts. The most dramatic change in supercoiling was seen in starved cells, in which two populations of differentially relaxed plasmids were shown to coexist. Thus, some changes in the external nutritional environment that cause the cells to reorganize their global metabolism also cause accompanying changes in DNA supercoiling. Results of experiments with dinitrophenol suggested that the observed relaxations were probably not due to reduced pools of ATP. When rifampin was used to release supercoils restrained by RNA polymerase, the cellular topoisomerases responded by removing these new, unrestrained supercoils. We interpret these results as implying that the cellular topological machinery maintains a constant superhelical energy in the DNA except during certain growth transitions, when changes in metabolism and gene expression are accompanied by changes in DNA supercoiling.

Hexon trimerization occurring in an assembly-defective, 100k temperature-sensitive mutant of adenovirus 2

Analysis of 100K-defective temperature-sensitive adenovirus mutants confirmed the multifunctional character of the nonstructural, virus-coded 100K protein. In addition to its function in hexon trimerization (altered in H5 ts1), and its possible direct or indirect role in hexon transport to nucleus (mutated in H2 ts118), genetic and biochemical evidence was presented that 100K play some critical role in the scaffolding process of adenovirus capsid. This function appeared to be defective in H2t8107 and to map between coordinates 69.0 and 69.9, leftward from the H5 ts1 lesion (70–73 map units; Arrand, 1978). This corresponded to the central domain of the 100K protein, between amino acid 300 and 400 from the N end. DNA sequencing of cloned fragments of H2ts107 DNA overlapping the mutation revealed two point mutations on the same codon at nucleotide 25,082 and 25,083 (GAC → GCA), corresponding to a nonconservative amino acid change (aspartic acid → alanine) at position 324 in the 100K sequence. 100K of adenovirus 2 wild type (WT) was found to bind in significant amounts to novobiocin-affinity column, and to be coeluted with hexon, penton, IIIa, and cellular topoisomerase II activity, by novobiocin- or ATP-Mg 2+-containing buffers. H2 ts107100K also bound to novobiocin column, but the elution pattern differed from that of WT, suggesting some alteration in the affinity of the mutated 100K for novobiocin. The same behavior on affinity column as H2 ts107 100K was observed for 90K, a cleavage product of the 100K, found in great abundance in H2 ts107 at 39.5° and corresponding to the C-terminal moiety of the 100K molecule. This implied that the “novobiocin-binding” domain of the 100K was not confined at its N terminus, and was altered in the H2 ts107 mutant.

In vivo localization of DNA topoisomerase II cleavage sites on Drosophila heat shock chromatin.

Similar to its inhibitory effect on mammalian DNA topoisomerase II, the cytotoxic drug VM26 (teniposide) also interferes with the breakage-reunion reaction of Drosophila melanogaster DNA topoisomerase II. VM26 induces topoisomerase II-mediated DNA breakage in vitro and in cultured D. melanogaster cells presumably by stabilizing an enzyme-DNA cleavable complex. The drug-induced DNA breaks on D. melanogaster hsp70 genes were mapped in cultured cells using the indirect end-labeling procedure. Multiple and specific cleavage sites occurred at both the 3' and 5' ends of the hsp70 genes. A number of these cellular topoisomerase II cleavage sites mapped close to the DNase I-hypersensitive regions of the hsp70 genes. The intensities of several topoisomerase II cleavage sites changed significantly on heat shock induction. Treatment of cultured D. melanogaster cells with VM26 at 25 degrees C resulted in the stimulation of transcription of the hsp70 genes. These results suggest that inhibition of DNA topoisomerase II may lead to heat shock transcription.

In vivo localization of DNA topoisomerase II cleavage sites on Drosophila heat shock chromatin.

Similar to its inhibitory effect on mammalian DNA topoisomerase II, the cytotoxic drug VM26 (teniposide) also interferes with the breakage-reunion reaction of Drosophila melanogaster DNA topoisomerase II. VM26 induces topoisomerase II-mediated DNA breakage in vitro and in cultured D. melanogaster cells presumably by stabilizing an enzyme-DNA cleavable complex. The drug-induced DNA breaks on D. melanogaster hsp70 genes were mapped in cultured cells using the indirect end-labeling procedure. Multiple and specific cleavage sites occurred at both the 3' and 5' ends of the hsp70 genes. A number of these cellular topoisomerase II cleavage sites mapped close to the DNase I-hypersensitive regions of the hsp70 genes. The intensities of several topoisomerase II cleavage sites changed significantly on heat shock induction. Treatment of cultured D. melanogaster cells with VM26 at 25 degrees C resulted in the stimulation of transcription of the hsp70 genes. These results suggest that inhibition of DNA topoisomerase II may lead to heat shock transcription.

Adenovirus infection elevates levels of cellular topoisomerase I.

We have developed a specific, sensitive, and quantitative assay for topoisomerase I, which is based on the formation of a covalent enzyme-DNA intermediate. Our assay measures the quantitative transfer of 32P radioactivity from 32P-labeled DNA to topoisomerase I. Since 32P-labeled topoisomerase molecules are resolved by NaDodSO4/PAGE, HeLa topoisomerase I (100 kDa) and calf thymus topoisomerase I (82 kDa) can be quantitatively assayed in the same reaction mixture. The assay can detect at least 0.3 ng (3 fmol) of topoisomerase I. We have used our assay to measure the levels of topoisomerase I activity in crude extracts of nuclei prepared from uninfected, adenovirus-infected, and adenovirus-transformed human cells. The evidence suggests that an adenovirus early gene product, presumably a protein encoded in early region 1A (E1A), increases cellular topoisomerase I activity at least 10-fold. Immunoblotting analysis with antiserum against calf thymus topoisomerase I shows that the increase in activity is due to an increase in the amount of enzyme.

Synthesis of multimeric polyoma virus DNA in mouse L-cells: role of the tsA1S9 gene product.

Several different forms of progeny viral DNA can be identified in polyoma virus (Py)-infected mouse L-cells. The majority comprise mature form I superhelical DNA and the circular, double-stranded "theta" replicating intermediates in which the progeny DNA strands never exceed the unit genome length of the template. There is formed, in addition, a minority fraction of multimeric, linear, double-stranded Py DNA molecules that sediment heterogeneously at 28 to 35S and greater than 35S. Restriction enzyme analysis of these large Py DNA molecules reveals them to be tandem arrays of multiple unit genome lengths, covalently linked head to tail. It is estimated that the 28 to 35S multimeric DNA has an average size of about 20 megadaltons, made up of 6 to 20 Py genome units. The greater than 35S Py DNA is, of course, larger. Kinetic analysis indicates that formation of the monomeric progeny viral DNA and the 28 to 35S multimeric Py DNA reaches a peak at about 35 to 36 h postinfection. Synthesis of the very large linear molecules of greater than 35S is first detected after this interval and continues thereafter. The de novo synthesis of all of these progeny Py DNA molecules proceeds apparently normally in Py-infected tsA1S9 mouse L-cells incubated at 38.5 degrees C under conditions which restrict normal cellular DNA replication. These findings suggest that the cellular DNA topoisomerase II activity, encoded in the tsA1S9 locus (R. W. Colwill and R. Sheinin, submitted for publication), is not required for de novo formation of any form of Py DNA. However, the total amount made and the rate of synthesis of the large molecular weight Py DNA are affected very late in temperature-inactivated tsA1S9 cells.