Supercoiling, R-loops, Replication and the Functions of Bacterial Type 1A Topoisomerases.

Type 1A topoisomerases (topos) are the only topos that bind single-stranded DNA and the only ones found in all cells of the three domains of life. Two subfamilies, topo I and topo III, are present in bacteria. Topo I, found in all of them, relaxes negative supercoiling, while topo III acts as a decatenase in replication. However, recent results suggest that they can also act as back-up for each other. Because they are ubiquitous, type 1A enzymes are expected to be essential for cell viability. Single (topo I) and (topo III) null mutants of are viable, but for only with compensatory mutations. Double null mutants were initially believed to be non-viable. However, in two independent studies, results of next generation sequencing (NGS) have recently shown that double null mutants of and are viable when they carry gene amplifications. These genes encode the two subunits of topo IV, the main cellular decatenase. Here, we discuss the essential functions of bacterial type 1A topos in the context of this observation and new results showing their involvement in preventing unregulated replication from R-loops.