Eukaryotic DNA topoisomerase I (topo I) is a protein that reduces the strain from the supercoils that are caused during transcription and translation[1]. There are two types of topoisomerases. Type 1 topoisomerases are monomeric and break one strand of DNA[2]. Type 2 topoisomerases are dimeric, meaning that they made up of two units and break both strands of the DNA helix[2]. They are able to pass another part of the duplex through the cut, and close the cut using ATP[1].
Structure
Human topo 1 is composed of 765 amino acids [2]. The enzyme consist of 4 regions which are the NH2-terminal, core, linker, and COOH-terminal domains[2]. The NH2-terminal is approximately 210 residues long, it is highly charged, disordered, and contains few hydrophobic amino acids[2]. The COOH-terminal domain is made up of residues 713 to 765 and contains the important amino aside Tyrosine 223[2]. The location of the active site is at this amino acid[2].
Active Site
Topo 1 reduces stress in DNA by causing a transient single strand nick in the the DNA helix[1]. This nick enables the cut to rotate around its intact complement, thus eliminating proximal supercoils[1].
The active site of Topo 1 is catalytic and it is the location where the nicking or cutting occurs[2]. The nicking occurs from the trans-esterification of Tyr-723 at a DNA phophodiester bond forming a 3'-phosphotyrosine covalent enzyme–DNA complex [1]. After the DNA is relaxed, the covalent intermediate is reversed when the released 5'-OH of the broken strand reattacks the phosphotyrosine intermediate in a second transesterification reaction[1].
Relevance
Many anticancer drugs target topo 1 enzymes.
Mutations
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Staker BL, Hjerrild K, Feese MD, Behnke CA, Burgin AB Jr, Stewart L. The mechanism of topoisomerase I poisoning by a camptothecin analog. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 26;99(24):15387-92. Epub 2002 Nov 8. PMID:12426403 doi:10.1073/pnas.242259599
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Redinbo MR, Stewart L, Kuhn P, Champoux JJ, Hol WG. Crystal structures of human topoisomerase I in covalent and noncovalent complexes with DNA. Science. 1998 Mar 6;279(5356):1504-13. PMID:9488644