DNA topoisomerase activity is required as a swivel for DNA replication and for ribosomal RNA transcription.

Yeast strains with mutations in the genes for DNA topoisomerases I and II have been identified previously. The topoisomerase II mutants (top2) are conditional-lethal, temperature-sensitive mutants defective in the termination of DNA replication and the segregation of daughter chromosomes. The topoisomerase I mutants (top1), including strains with null mutations, are viable and exhibit no obvious growth defects, demonstrating that DNA topoisomerase I is not essential for viability in yeast. In contrast to the single mutants, top1 top2 double mutants grow poorly at the permissive temperature and stop DNA and ribosomal RNA synthesis at the restrictive temperature. Transfer RNA synthesis remains relatively normal. The rate of polyA+ RNA synthesis is down about 3-fold in the double mutant at the non-permissive temperature but the synthesis of three specific RNA polymerase II transcripts is unaffected. The results suggest that DNA replication and at least ribosomal RNA synthesis require an active topoisomerase, presumably to act as a swivel to relieve torsional stress, and that either topoisomerase can perform the required function (except for termination of DNA replication where topoisomerase II is required).